Background Checks for Nannies: A Guide for Parents

Nanny Background Checks

Balancing childcare needs is something that households around the world struggle with on a daily basis. Finding the right person to trust with your child can seem like a big task—and it should be. Before you ever place your child in the care of a nanny, au pair, or childminder, you must be sure that your child is going to be safe. In this article, we will address why detailed background checks are so important when hiring a childcare professional.

Should I Run a Background Check Before Hiring a Nanny?

No questions asked, every single parent should do a thorough investigation into their child’s nanny before ever agreeing to bring them on. Your child is precious, and that means that you need to know as much as you can about this individual before you trust them with your kids. Like any other job, nannies are regularly screened with detailed background checks to ensure that they are a proper fit.

Whether you’re looking for a full-time nanny or a part-time babysitter, it is very important to know who you are working with. Everyone has a story, and the simple truth is that not everyone is what they appear to be. Knowing this, parents should always get a detailed report on someone before allowing them into the home. You wouldn’t hire someone to work at your company without a background check, so make sure you run these checks to ensure your child’s safety.

Is it Safe to Hire a Nanny for My Child?

The truth is that it is impossible to say that it is safe to hire a nanny—but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do it. Plenty of people use nannies around the world, and these individuals can provide children with love, care, and support. Some households consider their nannies to be a part of the family, but not all nannies offer the same experience. Some nannies can be frauds—or even predators.

The truth is that there are bad eggs in every industry. When it comes to your child, you simply cannot be too safe or too cautious. You should know everything that you can about a nanny before you ever agree to hire them. Legal details, and the experiences that they have offered other clients, are some of the most important considerations. Hiring a nanny can be great for a family, but it is important to let a professional screen them in advance. Too many parents have learned too late that their children were being watched by someone who was unqualified—or worse, dangerous.

What Can A Background Check Tell Me About A Nanny?

Background checks can vary depending on who conducts them and how in-depth they are. Some background checks are limited by what you pay, and some of them really don’t tell you much at all. Several background check companies out there only conduct surface searches that are very limited and often rely on incomplete or outdated databases. Working with a dedicated private investigator can ensure that you know everything that you can before trusting a nanny with your child.  Private investigators work one on one with clients to insure that all concerns are addressed.  They use sources that are not reliant on public databases and are focused on fact-finding.  Hiring a private investigator to conduct a nanny background check would be the same as hiring a lawyer over a do-it-yourself legal site.

Standard Background Checks

A detailed background check from a private investigator can help you to learn as much as possible before you agree to let a nanny near your children. Remember, this individual will be alone with your vulnerable child. Knowing as much as possible can keep your child safe and healthy.

Our background checks can tell you everything from a person’s criminal history to their financial status. While criminal records are easy to see as an issue, it is important to remember that financial duress can also put your family at risk. You don’t want to leave your child with someone who is likely to steal from you or might put them in risky situations. From traffic accidents to your nanny’s address history, you can know everything that there is to know.

Comprehensive Character Checks

Private investigator checks can take things further by adding a comprehensive character check. You deserve to know who somebody is—and not just on paper. With a comprehensive character check, you can learn about your nanny from their past employers, former neighbors, and from the investigators themselves. Surveillance can tell you if your nanny is known to partake in substance abuse or is lying about their past.

While it might seem extreme to have someone look into this extent, you must remember that your child’s safety is at risk. Throughout the years, many parents have let their nannies go because they found out that the individuals were engaging in risky behavior or even allowing strangers into the home while they were gone. Before you leave your child in someone’s care, make sure you know who they are—not just who they say they are.

Knowing Who is In Your Home

One major confirmation that comes with a background check is the confirmation of a person’s identity. We often think that someone can’t lie about who they are in modern times, but that isn’t true. Social media personas alone are evidence of this. Even today, people use aliases to hide their past, and it takes a dedicated investigator to find this out.

When you work with a private investigator for a nanny background check, you will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing the identity of who is in your home. Having several aliases can be an indicator that someone has a questionable history and might even allude to the fact that they have committed crimes, even if they were never caught. Having an investigator confirm a person’s identity and verify their story can ensure that your kids stay safe, even when you aren’t there to protect them yourself.

A Small Price to Pay for Comfort

Children are precious and innocent, and that is why we are all so protective of them. Parents love their kids and want to see them succeed, but that can be derailed by the wrong influence. To ensure that your child is safe with their nanny, make sure that you know the truth about who that person is.

When you know that your nanny is being honest, you will feel a lot more comfortable leaving your child with them. There is always the chance that an investigation will show that the person isn’t being truthful, and in that case, you might have saved your child simply by being vigilant. Keep your child safe by working with experts who can tell you the truth about the person that you’re hiring. You will be glad that you did.