Staying safe on Wyndy

Wyndy checks every sitter before they can apply and every parent before they can message or book. Those checks are the start, and the habits in this guide do the rest, before, during and after each job. It's written for parents and sitters, since most of it applies to both.

What Wyndy checks

The parent ID check is "A quick, one-time step to help keep Wyndy sitters safe." More in Sitter background checks, ID verification for parents and on our safety page.

Before a job

For parents

• Read the whole profile. Check the Wyndy Verified section, the reviews and the ages they work with. Experience before Wyndy and certifications are self reported, so ask about anything that matters for your kids. See Choosing the right sitter.
• Keep private details out of the post. Applicants can read your description and arrival notes. "For your privacy, never share personal contact information here." Send door codes and phone numbers by message once you've booked.
• Know what's shared. Your address is only shared with the sitter you book. Before that, sitters see the distance and a map of the area. Your kids' section on your family profile is only visible to sitters you've booked.
• Do a handover. Be home for the first few minutes of a first job. Show the sitter the exits, the first aid kit and anything they shouldn't use.

For sitters

• Look at the family's profile before you apply. Check for the ID Verified mark and read what other sitters said in their reviews.
• Read the job carefully. Pets, other adults at home and recent sickness are all on the job. If something isn't there and it matters to you, ask once you're booked.
• Tell someone where you'll be. Share the address and your expected finish time with a friend or roommate.
• Only accept driving you're set up for. When you apply, you agree that if the booking includes driving, you have a valid license and auto insurance and accept the Driving Terms.

Keep it in the app

Wyndy's protections work when the job stays on Wyndy: the checks, the record of the booking, payment and the help team. A few habits keep it that way.

• Message in Wyndy. Parents can message a booked sitter, and members can message before booking. Sitters can message a family once booked.
• Book and pay in Wyndy. Every job then has a receipt, the cancellation rules apply, and the team can look into a charge from Questions about this charge? on the job.
• Be wary of anyone who asks to move off the app before a booking, or asks for money, gift cards or account details. Report the profile.

During a job

While a job is happening, the parent's job shows the time left and a map of the job's location. It isn't live tracking of the sitter. See During a job and Working a job.

Block and report

1. Open the person's profile, or your chat with them, and tap the ⋯ menu.

   The same options are in the menu at the top of a chat.

2. Tap Report Profile to tell the Wyndy team.

   "Tell us why you're reporting this profile..." Then send it. You'll see "Report Submitted!"

3. Tap Block, then Confirm Block, to stop them reaching you.

   "This will prevent {Name} from interacting with you on Wyndy. You can undo this in your account settings."

Parents unblock a sitter from Me, then Account, then Blocked Sitters. The sitter app has no blocked list, so sitters ask the care team from Me, then Help to undo a block. See Blocking and reporting.

After a job

• Leave an honest review. Parents rate sitters at the wrap-up, and sitters rate families after submitting their hours. Reviews are how the next family or sitter decides.
• Report what happened, even if it's after the job. Use Me, then Help. Parent topics include Booking, Payments and Sitters. Sitter topics include Jobs, Payments and Bookings.
• Know when chats close. A chat stays open until 24 hours after the job's scheduled end, unless the parent is a member.

Good to know

• If a parent's ID check doesn't go through, they can try again or tap Get help. They can't message or book sitters until it's done.
• Sitters who cancel late or don't show up face a warning, a pause from applying, or suspension. See Cancelling and reliability.
• You can reach the team from the website too, at Contact us.

Questions

Can sitters see my address before I book?

No. Sitters see how far away the job is and a map of the area. Only the sitter you book gets the full address.

Can I undo a block?

Yes. Parents go to Me, then Account, then Blocked Sitters. Sitters write to the care team from Me, then Help. Until the block is undone, that person can't interact with you on Wyndy.

What does a parent's ID check involve?

A scan of a government ID, such as a driver's license, and a selfie. The app describes it as "quick, private, and never shared."

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