Words to the wise

Should nannies be able to find out what a former employer has said about them? Or should it stay confidential for children's sake? That's the question that recruitment agency Tinies is disputing with the Information Commissioner. A nursery nurse on Tinies' books is demanding that it reveal a reference that she thinks could be stopping her from getting jobs. Tinies is refusing on the grounds that employers need to be able to speak freely if they're concerned about the quality of a jobseeker's childcare. In any case, says Helen Kewley of Huntingdon agency Nice Nannies Now, a nanny should never...