Trust and Safety on SureSitter

At SureSitter trust and safety is of utmost importance to us. As parents ourselves we understand how important it is to find the right childminder or nanny for your family.

Equally, transparency about what SureSitter is, and the steps the platform takes to build trust and security are hugely important to us – which is why we want to outline them here.

The first thing to say is that we’re not a babysitting or nanny agency, but a marketplace, with the aim of giving all of us as parents the ability to view, review and make choices about the childcare options available to us.

We are not a childcare agency. We do not personally meet or vet the caregivers on our platform. We do however carry out a number of automated checks and security measures which are detailed below.

Our aim is to provide parents, like you, with the tools necessary to enable you to quickly and easily source and self-vet childminders, nannies, au pairs, and babysitters.

How do we create trust?

Garda Vetting

We are registered with An Garda Siochana as a relevant organisation. This means we can Garda Vet our members. Garda Vetting is a legal requirement for all people working with children and vulnerable adults, under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016. All of our members can avail of Garda vetting by SureSitter. For more information please email vetting@suresitter.com. For more information on see other Garda vetting section.

Having a Garda vetting certificate is not a prerequisite for caregivers on the platform.  However, if a caregiver has stated on their profile that they are garda vetted, then it is up to you, the parents, to check that they indeed have a valid garda vetting cert. You should request that a caregiver provides you with a copy of their Garda vetting cert before you allow them to mind your children.

ID Verification

We have introduced ID verification so we can be sure that users are who they say they are. SureSitter verifies a caregivers’ identity in real time when they sign up to SureSitter. We do this by working with the 3rd party providers used by some of the world’s biggest financial institutions and marketplaces like us.

The check can be completed on a user’s profile page. Log in to complete the check. Once a user has completed the check, the following badge will be displayed on their profile.

Sometimes, it’s not possible to verify a user via these automated checks and in this instance, we require the user to send us in identity documentation that we can verify ourselves.

If for some reason the automated ID check fails, then we will require the following documentation to manually complete the check:

1. A clear, close-up photo of the user’s face (no hats or masks!)
2. A clear, close-up photo of the user’s passport ID Page or driving licence.
3. A clear, close-up photo of the user holding the above item next to their face.

Once we’ve received and checked the above three photos from you, we’ll be able to show the ID verified badge on your profile.

If you’ve any further questions on identity verification, you can send us an email at support@suresitter.com.

Reporting Users

If a user feels that there is a suspicious or fraudulent profile on SureSitter they are encouraged to report this to us using the “Report a User” on each profile and we will immediately take action.

We hope the above helps you understand how we create trust on SureSitter but if you’ve any further questions please contact us at support@suresitter.com or check out our FAQ page.

How to be safe on SureSitter?

While we do everything we can to ensure that SureSitter is a safe place for both families and carers we recognise that we still have to be safety conscious at all times. Here are important tips to ensure your safety.

Caregivers

• Communicate with parents using the messaging system on SureSitter. This protects your privacy.
• Once you have exchanged messages and feel comfortable the next step is to arrange an in-person interview with the parents before accepting any job.
• Always arrange to meet prospective employers in a public space during daylight hours.
• Some parents may suggest meeting at their house for an interview. We recommend avoiding this when meeting parents for the first time.
• Ask them to provide an ID so you can confirm who you are meeting with.
• Make sure to tell a friend or family member where you are going.
• If families ask for your private information such as your bank account number or credit card before you've completed a thorough interviewing and hiring process, hold off. Be very careful before sharing such private information even after you've completed the hiring process.
• If something just doesn't feel right, trust your instincts. Send us a email at support@suresitter.com and we will assist you.

Parents

• Communicate with caregivers using the messaging system on SureSitter. This protects your privacy.
• Once you have exchanged messages you can then arrange a phone or video interviews and arrange face-to-face meeting. Don't be afraid to ask tough questions so you can see how they react to difficult situations.
• When meeting a potential caregiver always ask to see the following: their identification (ideally a passport or driver’s license), a copy of their Garda vetting certificate (caregivers are required to have garda vetting certs), copies of any qualifications or other relevant certificates and references.
• Always arrange to meet in a public space during daylight hours. We do not recommend that you bring potential caregivers to your home when meeting for the first time.
• If something just doesn't feel right, trust your instincts. Send us a email at support@suresitter.com and we will assist you.
• Once you have hired a caregiver continually monitor your caregiver's activities. When you are entrusting your most precious possessions, your children, you need to constantly monitor and communicate with your caregiver and children.