Why Get a Nanny Background Check

Is it really that important to get a nanny backgroung check?

Terry - 28th March 2010  

One would think that it would be glaringly obvious why nanny background checks are so important. After all, you are inviting a stranger into your home to take care of your most treasured possessions--your children. Yet, every year you hear about one tragedy after another that simply could have been avoided if a background check had been done.

Doing a nanny background check can reveal if they have ever been fired for any reason, if they have been involved in theft or abuse of any kind in the past, if they have a history of mental instability, or if they have health issues that you should be aware of. People have unwittingly hired convicted felons, murderers, and sex offenders as caregivers for their own children without ever stopping to consider that everything on that resume could be a complete fake! Don't rely on your gut-instinct or intuition; do your homework!

Will it cost money? Yes, but can you really put a price on the health and safety of your family? Will it take time? Yes. A completely thorough background check can sometimes take up to a week, but again the alternative is unthinkable. You may think that by hiring through a nanny agency that a background check is unnecessary. However, only about 50-75% of nanny agencies do a background check on their own employees!

If you do decide to go through an agency, make sure they are a member of the Alliance of Professional Nanny Agencies. They require rigorous background checks on all members. You should always ask for written documentation of the results of any background check done on any prospective employees.

Before you think about doing the sleuthing yourself, take into consideration all that is involved in a thorough background check. You must obtain Social Security records, previous work history with verification of employment and references, any criminal convictions (for each locale in which they have lived), driving record, sex-offender records, any bankruptcies, credit history, previous education, any professional licenses they may have, previous addresses, any name changes, and the list goes on and on. Are you really up to doing that for each and every applicant?

You may think that something as simple as a person's driving record isn't important, but consider this. If that person is going to be driving your precious cargo around, do you want it to be someone with a history of speeding, reckless driving, having a suspended license or driving under the influence? You can ask prospective nannies to provide their own information, but it's not that hard to produce fake documents in this day and age. You really need professionals for your own peace of mind.

Nanny-backgroundcheck.net can ease those worries that are creeping into your mind right now even as you read this. It's never too late to start taking charge of your children's safety. If you are inviting this person into your home to take care of those who mean more to you than anyone else in the world, you need to know everything there is to know about them and nanny-backgroundcheck.net is the place to learn it.

Source: http://www.yoursite.com

 
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