A nanny cam refers to a hidden video camera that has been secretly installed in a common household object for the purpose of covert surveillance. Nanny cams can take the form of virtually any object, so long as it does not appear oddly out of place or arouse suspicion of the individual(s) being monitored.
Personally, we are all for doing whatever you need to do to be reassured of your children’s safety. If a nanny cam will provide you peace of mind and confidence in your caregiver – go for it. However, transparency is critical. When you hire your nanny be up front. Let her know that she will not have any privacy in your home except the bathroom and you reserve the right to record her at anytime.
Studies and polls show that many care providers are not necessarily against video taping of child-provider interaction, it’s just that they want to know about it. It seems to be a matter of trust and feeling of deception.
It is indeed legal in all 50 states to use a hidden camera. However, it is illegal to record speech without a person’s consent in the following 15 states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennyslvania, and Washington.
More and more parents are installing visible camera’s in area’s that the nanny and child frequent such as family room, kitchen, and bedroom. It allows parents realtime access to spot check and watch their child while at work. Parents report that while they often don’t use it all the time, it’s nice to be able to log in and check on their child whenever they desire.
If you are a parent and would like guidance on locating a surveillance vendor please contact our office at 773-856-5525.
