When it comes to hiring a nanny, you need to be extra cautious as you are literally allowing a complete stranger to access your house and your most precious gift – your child. Your life is private, but you couldn’t just take the responsibility of babysitting all by yourself for some reasons. You needed help, and a nanny is there to help you. However, before you go ahead and hire someone who applies for a nanny, you need to be certain that person is who he/she claims to be. Perform all the necessary screening and background check such as AFP Police Check to reduce the risk to your child, yourself, and home as a whole.
Below are the reasons why conducting a background check is a must:
Establish honesty
Honesty is important as it says a lot about a person’s character. By conducting a background check, you will affirm if the information written in the resume or if the answer of the applicant is true or not. You’ll be able to ensure a safe environment for your child if the one you are working with is honest and truthful.
Check for abilities
It is a bit tricky, especially if you base on what’s written on the resume alone. While you can’t immediately notice skills, you can confirm them or at least have ideas by conducting a background check. If you encounter a failed background check after job offer to your potential nanny, make sure to do the proper research before proceeding
Check for criminal records
A significant part of the nanny hiring process is checking criminal reports. It does not necessarily mean that a person with a not-so-stellar criminal record makes a bad nanny. There’s always a logical explanation, and if that person is willing to open up about his/her criminal records, it says a lot about integrity and credibility.
For instance, going through the California inmate search records will enable you to find some critical information about the person, such as criminal records.
Check for references
In the resume, an applicant will list down references. Expect the references will say good things about the applicant, but through a thorough background check, you will be able to know the applicant deeper. You will know what kind of issues faced by the previous employers about the applicant and how such issues were handled. With such information, you will somehow gauge if the applicant is the kind of babysitter you are looking for.
Performing a background check when hiring a nanny or a babysitter is important and something that should be a part of the recruitment process. The risk of allowing someone to be a part of your home and life is still there, but you can minimize it by performing a thorough background check. In addition, it will give you insights into what to expect from the nanny.
Performing a background check may cost you money, but when it comes to the safety and well-being of your child and the entire family, no amount of money can compete. A background check might not always be 100% reliable. Still, it can make a huge difference, especially in ensuring your nanny is truthful and factual in giving all the information you need. Through a thorough background check, especially a criminal check, you will be able to make an informed choice.
When performing a background check, you have the option to do it on your own or hire the service of a third party. The thing with doing the background check on your own is that you might miss out on details, or your judgment could be clouded, resulting in unfair and bias decision-making. On the other hand, by hiring a third party to do a background check, such as professional background checkers, you’ll be able to eliminate the possibility of biased credential check and increase the chances of finding the best candidate.
