Upon finding a nanny they really like, many families are tempted to forego nanny background checks. Some families fear insulting the nanny while others simply no longer feel it is necessary to run a check once they become excited about having located their idea of the “perfect nanny”. Unfortunately, skipping the nanny background check is a dangerous mistake. Allowing someone to come into your home and care for your loved ones is a big responsibility. It is a parent’s job to ensure they know who they are allowing to care for their children and running a background check on someone they don’t know is a key step to not only finding the right nanny for their family but also starting a professional relationship with their nanny built on trust and security. With access to free preliminary nanny background checks and affordable supplemental background checks, GoNannies makes it easy for families to find safe and trustworthy nannies.

All too often we hear families say, “She seemed really nice, so we didn’t think it was necessary to run a background check” or “I didn’t want our nanny to think we didn’t trust her”. The fact is professional nannies understand that background checks are a required part of finding a nanny position, just as much as a teacher or daycare provider is required by law to submit to a background check. These nannies will respect the family for being professional and diligent in their hiring process. If a nanny is interested in a family’s position but is not willing to consent to a check, this should be a red flag to the hiring family. The real questions families should be asking themselves are “Why wouldn’t my nanny want me to run a background check?” and “Do I really want someone who isn’t willing to consent to a nanny background check looking after my children?” We all know that our children are the most important part of our lives, so taking the easy extra step to run a background check should not be dismissed for fear of losing a nanny candidate.

The most important part of a nanny background check is the criminal background check. To help families get started with their criminal background screening process, GoNannies offers families access to free preliminary nanny background checks. The preliminary database background check is a database search which is beneficial to families as it may reveal other names and addresses that may not have been reported by the nanny. The families can then use the information obtained in the free background check to determine which counties or aliases to search more thoroughly using our supplemental nanny background check services. The supplemental check will include the more thorough on-site county check (the gold standard in background checks), a statewide criminal search, as well as the National Sex Offender Registry search.

In addition to criminal background checks, there are several other types of background checks families may want to consider for screening their nanny. If the nanny will be transporting children, it is important for the family to run a driving record check to verify that the applicant has a valid driver’s license and a good driving record. Also, if the nanny has a special license, degree, or certified training that is relevant to the position, the family may want to run a Professional License Verification check and/or an Education/Academic Verification.

With GoNannnies’ background check screening tools, families can truly enjoy the sense of security that they are hiring a safe and trustworthy nanny. For additional nanny interviewing and screening recommendations, including Reference Checking, please refer to our 5 Steps to Finding the Help You Need resource article.