This is just a hypothetical question; I saw something on TV and wondered if it was legal -

If you hire a babysitter/carer to come to your home and look after your child, but you suspect he/she is hurting your child, can you legally install surveillance in your home to monitor this, or do you have to inform them of what you’re doing?

Please can you include your country of residence with your answer?
In the UK, your employer has to inform you of any CCTV surveillance at your workplace, so I would assume someone’s home would be a babysitter’s workplace…? I think in this case the law should allow you to do it without telling the suspect.
Well we have strict smoking laws in the UK, when you’re forbidden from smoking in the workplace. It also means that home-workers can’t smoke in their own office at home, and landlords can’t smoke anywhere in their pub/restaurant building, even if they live on the property!

If you employ a carer to come to your home, it is technically their workplace, and the same laws would apply for them smoking. I would assume the same stands for CCTV.
Dr Jack, it’s not paranoid if you suspect your child is being abused by their carer. I would think it irresponsible if you turned a blind eye to it. And besides, you want evidence of the abuse in order to ensure they don’t hurt other kids…
Rabuff, of course you wouldn’t want your child at risk of abuse, but in the UK you have to have a reason to sack someone, and an inkling isn’t enough if they turn around and sue you for wrongful dismissal. If you only suspect something, and intend to charge them, you may need proof.

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