Marvellous Sickness Policy.

Illness happens unexpectedly, and it can be difficult to know whether a booking should still go ahead. Our Sickness Policy has been created to make these moments clearer, fairer, and easier for both families and nannies.

The policy is designed to:

• Keep families and nannies safe and well

• Preventing further the spread of illness 

• Remove any pressure or confusion about when to cancel and who needs to cancel

To help with this, we’ve created two simple guides:
⭐ Fit to Work Check (for Nannies)
⭐ Marvellous Childcare Readiness Check (for Parents)

These checks make it easy to decide when a booking should continue and when it’s best to cancel.

Key policy

1. If either the nanny or the family is unwell or has a contagious illness, the unwell party must cancel the booking.

To keep everyone safe; the person who is unwell (or whose child is unwell) must be the one to cancel the booking in the app.

2. If a nanny or a child is a little under the weather please use the guidance below:

Nannies
If you are feeling a little unwell but unsure if you should still work, please complete the Fit to Work check below for guidance or contact Marvellous.

Parents
If your child is a little unwell but unsure if you should cancel, please complete the Marvellous Childcare Readiness Check below or contact Marvellous for guidance.

3. If you disclose illness or exposure to illness, that counts as you initiating the cancellation and the relevant cancellation policy applies.

To prevent disputes:
If you message saying you’re unwell or have recently been exposed to a contagious illness, and the other person says they’d prefer to not be exposed, this is still treated as your cancellation.

This avoids situations where someone discloses illness, the other party understandably declines, and then it’s unclear who cancelled.

 

4. The decision to cancel needs to be by the party who is ill.

To avoid shifting the decision:
If someone is unwell, they should not ask if the other person is “still happy to go ahead.”

Instead, if you complete the Fit to Work Check or Marvellous Childcare Readiness Check and answer YES to any questions, you must cancel the booking. If you’re unsure, please speak to a Marvellous Team Member.

5. I’m a parent, is there a charge for cancelling due to illness in our household?

We understand that cancelling due to illness can be really frustrating. Just like when cancelling tickets or appointments, we know you don’t want to cancel unless you absolutely have to.

If you’re unsure whether your child will be well enough for the booking, we recommend cancelling sooner rather than late to help you avoid the 12-hour cancellation window, where the booking becomes non-refundable.

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Once you are within 12 hours of the start time, the booking is non-refundable, as it’s very unlikely the nanny will be able to secure alternative work at such short notice.

This policy is incredibly important because it protects the nanny’s income and ensures we can continue working with highly qualified, professional childcare practitioners.

By cancelling early, you avoid charges and give the nanny the best chance to accept another booking.

 

 

Marvellous Fit to Work Check 
(For Nannies)

We know nannies like to persevere even if under the weather so if you’re unsure whether you’re well enough to work, please use our Fit to Work Check as some guidance to your decision.

If you are too unwell to work, please cancel the booking directly. If you are a little unwell but unsure if you are fit to work, you can use the check below or contact Marvellous for guidance.

This check should be used as guidance only and we advise you speak to a medical professional if you’re unsure whether you are fit to work. If your symptoms change or worsen please seek medical attention.

Please answer the questions below:

If you answer YES to any of the following, it suggests you are not fit to work and should cancel the booking:

1. Do you have any symptoms that could be infectious?

Examples include (but are not limited to):

• Fever or chills​

• Vomiting or diarrhoea (you must be symptom-free for 48 hours before working)

• Persistent cough, chesty cough, or shortness of breath

• New rash

• Conjunctivitis

• Cold or flu symptoms that are more than mild (e.g., very blocked nose, heavy cough, fatigue)

• Any symptoms that you feel prevent you from providing best practice or safe, suitable care.
   

If yes → Please cancel the booking.

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2. Would you feel uncomfortable caring for children with your current energy, focus and physical condition?

If yes → Please cancel the booking.

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If you answer NO to all of the above:

You are likely fit to work, and you should be able to proceed with your booking. However, this should be used as guidance only and we advise you speak to a medical professional if you’re unsure whether you are fit to work. If your symptoms change or worsen, please seek medical attention.

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Additional Guidance

Please do not ask families “I’m a little unwell - are you still comfortable for me to come?”
This places the decision on families and creates confusion about who should cancel. We have the same policy for parents if their child is unwell to not place the decision/ambiguity on you. 

If you are too unwell to work, please cancel the booking directly. If you are a little unwell but unsure if you are fit to work, you can use the check below or contact Marvellous for guidance.

If symptoms appear within 12 hours of a booking
Please follow the cancellation policy and email admin with a brief explanation.

If mild symptoms escalate during the day
Contact the family and Marvellous immediately so a plan can be made.

 

 

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Marvellous Childcare Readiness Check (For Parents)

 

If your child is unwell and you’re unsure whether you should cancel your nanny booking, please use our Marvellous Childcare Readiness Check below to help.
If you answer YES to any of the following, your child is not able to be looked after by our nannies, and you must cancel the booking. 

This check should be used as guidance only and we advise you speak to a medical professional if you’re unsure. If your child’s symptoms change or worsen please seek medical attention.

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1. Does your child have any symptoms that could be infectious?
Examples include:

• Fever or chills

• Vomiting or diarrhoea (children must be symptom-free for 48 hours before care)

• Conjunctivitis

• Contagious rashes

• Sore throat with fever

• Chickenpox, hand-foot-and-mouth, or other common contagious illnesses

• Persistent or worsening cough

• Any illness for which nursery or school would require them to stay home
   

If yes → Please cancel the booking.

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2. Is your child showing any symptoms that would prevent a nanny from safely providing best-practice care?

 

• This includes anything that significantly affects:

• Their comfort and ability to be soothed

• Their ability to rest

• Their behaviour due to feeling unwell

• Their requirement for medical monitoring outside a nanny’s role

If your child needs a level of care more appropriate for a parent or medical professional, the booking must be cancelled.

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3. Would you feel uncomfortable sending your child to nursery or school in their current condition?

If the answer is yes → Please cancel the booking.

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This should be used as guidance only and we advise you speak to a medical professional. If your child’s symptoms change or worsen, please seek medical attention.

If in doubt…

If you’re unsure whether your child will be well enough for the booking, we recommend cancelling sooner rather than later.

This helps avoid the 12-hour cancellation window, where the booking becomes non-refundable. The 12-hour policy protects the nanny’s income, as it is unlikely they will be able to replace a cancelled booking at short notice.

By cancelling early, you avoid charges and give the nanny the best chance to secure alternative work.

Please avoid sending messages like:
“They’re a bit under the weather - are you still happy to come?”
“They’re not themselves but I’ll leave it up to you.”

This places unfair responsibility on the nanny and creates confusion around who should cancel. We have the same policy for nannies if they are unwell to not place the decision/ambiguity on you.