Archive for the ‘Nanny Background Check’ Category

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ENannySource Reminds Parents to be Vigilant in Screening Nannies

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

When it comes to securing a caregiver for your child, parents must be vigilant in assuring the safety and well-being of their children.

At eNannySource.com, we provide parents with the tools they can use to make informed and educated hiring decisions. We take our commitment to safety seriously and provide the resources and guidance parents need to navigate the screening and hiring process.  

When searching for a nanny independently using online sites, parents must remember:

  • Online websites aren’t designed to replace traditional nanny placement agencies. eNannySource gives parents an affordable alternative to finding a nanny.
  • Online websites provide tools and guidance to parents who want to screen and hire their nanny themselves. The tools available through eNannySource are the same tools we use at our traditional placement agency. The only difference is parents, rather than agency staff, must use those tools for them to be valuable.
  • National criminal background checks are not a replacement for background checks done at the county court level, but should be used in conjunction with them. When using an online background checking service, be sure you understand what you are paying for. eNannySource offers one free county court record check with Gold membership and two with its Platinum membership. Additional county court record checks are available for purchase.

Regardless of how parents find their nanny, whether it be through an online website, through a traditional agency or through word of mouth, parents have the ultimate responsibility in screening and hiring their nanny.

While even the most detailed background screening and interview process can’t offer any guarantees, they can provide parents with important information they can use determine if a nanny candidate is right for their family.

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10 Common Issues Found in Nanny Background Checks

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

When an agency or employer runs a background check on a nanny candidate, there are several things they can check for. They can check criminal history, driving history and falsification of identity. Some agencies or employers also run credit checks on potential employees.

The majority of background checks on potential nannies don’t bring up any concerns, which is exactly what you want to happen. On the background checks that do uncover issues, there are several that are the most common to be found.

  1. No Driver’s License – For some families this would not be an issue, but for many it would be. It limits the nanny to public transportation, a cab or another driver to get her and the children to any location.
  2. Suspended Driver’s License – This could certainly be a concern for parents who were expecting the nanny to provide transportation for the children at different times. The reason for the suspension could be a cause for concern also, especially if it was alcohol related.
  3. Poor Driving Record – A background check will provide the full driving record of the individual during the previous years. A long history of traffic violations for speed, careless driving or driving under the influence would be a big red flag on a background check for a nanny.
  4. Convictions for Theft – Previous convictions for theft or shoplifting are a serious issue for any employee that you would be allowing to enter your home, and especially one that would be on the premises unsupervised.
  5. Illegal Drug Use – A history of illegal drug use can become evident through the criminal history check. Another issue that employers are not likely to overlook in a nanny candidate.
  6. Active warrants – If the individual has active warrants issued against them by law enforcement agencies, these may show up on a background check. It is important to remember that a warrant is not a conviction of a crime, but it is still is reason for concern if the nanny did not reveal the information herself.
  7. Name- ID number mismatch – Running a background check can identify a mismatched name and social security number or drivers license number. This can be an innocent mistake in writing down a number, but it could also be an indication of a person attempting to falsify their identity or hide some sort of information in their background.
  8. Name DOB mismatch – A background check can also show up a date of birth that doesn’t match with a name. Another possible identity flag.
  9. Workers Compensation Claims – Many people don’t realize that workers compensation claims can show up on a background check.
  10. False work history – False reporting of work history can be exposed from a background check by crosschecking facts on the background check with the dates and places listed for past employment.

All these items show how important it is to run a background check on every nanny applicant.

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Part Two How to avoid hiring the wrong nanny

Saturday, August 13th, 2011

This nanny blog post is a continuation of the prior blog post with the same name. For those that didn’t read part one, it was based on a recent incident of a nanny caught on a nanny cam dropping, kicking and hitting a baby.  Fortunately the child wasn’t physically harmed, but you can imagine the emotional trauma to this baby.

In my prior post I mentioned that a well-respected full service nanny agency is your best defense against this type of horrible incident since they truly are professionals and have many built in safeguards to assure this won’t happen.

Since a high percentage of families won’t use a full-service nanny agency because of the cost and perceived idea that they don’t add value to their hiring, what can a family do to protect themselves? First of all, don’t take yourself off the hook by saying you did a nanny background check.  I sincerely believe the nanny involved in the incident in NJ didn’t have a criminal record. Very, very few nannies do. By all means do a nanny background check just to be sure and not sorry, but don’t rely on that for your screening.

Remember, first of all nannies found on Craigslist, online nanny sites are not vetted in any way, in spite of what some of these sites may lead you to believe.  We’re all DIY sites, so be prepared to do your homework!

What is the homework?
Use a real nanny application not just the information provided by the online site.  Look for inconsistencies such as when one job began and the other ended and the reason for the job ending.  Be on the lookout, many job hunters use their friends and relatives as references, but don’t say they’re related.  Use a nanny reference check form so that you ask the right questions. Listen to your instincts, does the person feel like a salesperson to you?  If, so it may be a phony reference.

Demand that the nanny explain gaps in employment and give you prior addresses where she lived and then compare them with the SSN address report from the background check.  Get a copy of her ID, driver’s license, SS card and immigration documents if they are not native born.

I’ve saved the most important part for last.  Interview her first in a neutral place and then if you like her have her come to your home.  Be sure if both spouses live together that both are at the interview, if not have a friend sit in on the interview.

Once she’s passed all these tests, have her come back to your house and spend some time with your children to see how they respond to her.  If you’re still comfortable with her at this point, I bet you’ve made a good decision, since you were thorough and NOT RUSHED.

Just to be on the safe side use a nanny cam and drop in on her once or twice a day at different times just to see how things are going.

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Should I tattle on a nanny?

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

I recently came across a post on Google News called “Should I tattle on a nanny?”  The story was about a woman who ran into a friend’s daughter in Starbucks and went over to talk to the girl while the nanny texted. The nanny never even looked up to see who her charge was talking to.

I found this interesting since it wasn’t black or white, but in a gray zone, at least for the writer of the article. It didn’t involve child neglect or anything like that, just a total indifference to the nanny’s charge.

What I found interesting about this blog post was that the writer was so conflicted about telling the girl’s mom. She even went so far as to say that she was upset about seeing this and has thought about it over and over. She seems to be concerned that her friend might not take the news well.

Personally if someone found my child in the same circumstances I’d want to know right away so that I could evaluate what to do. Was this nanny too engrossed in a text conversation and this only happened once, or was this a regular occurrence? In what other ways isn’t she attentive to my child? I bet the mom already has some doubts about this nanny and her friend telling her about this might cause her to take additional action. I see it as an obligation to a friend.

How do you see it?

 

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How to find a Professional Nanny

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Professional nannies can be a little hard to identify on an online nanny service since there are all levels of nannies available. So how does one go about locating a professional nanny on eNannySource.com? Our suggestions are to use the search criteria to narrow down the number of candidates by looking at the number of years experience. We feel that two to three or more years paid experience as a nanny is a good place to begin.

Other criteria that can help you identify professional nannies are whether they have CPR and a driving license. The number of families worked for isn’t a good criterion to look at because a nanny could have 10 years experience and only work for one family or two years experience and work for five families.

Once you’ve narrowed down the number of nanny candidates add them to your My Top Picks list and begin contacting them. A professional nanny will always get back to you promptly!

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The Nanny Background Check. The Nanny Doctor shows how in this video.

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Nanny Background Checks. The Nanny Doctor shows how in this video.

The Nanny Doctor, Dr. Lindsay Heller, goes through the process of doing a nanny background check in this video. Nanny background checking is a very important part of nanny screening. The nanny background check should be done at the end of the nanny screening process, after the references have been carefully called, her nanny application has been scrutinized for accuracy and she has been interviewed by the family.

When doing a nanny background check it’s important that it does a thorough database check of the U.S., verifies that the SSN belongs to the correct person and has checked for where she has lived. Once you know where the nanny has lived you should then do a county record check. When all of these steps have been followed you can be assured that you’ve done what is considered the “Gold Standard” of background checks.

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Nanny Taxes? What’s that about?

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

Dr. Lindsay Heller, The Nanny Doctor

A household employer is defined as anyone who pays an individual to perform duties in or around their home. Once you have hired a nanny and agreed on a nanny salary it is important to realize that you are now an employer and, as a result, have duties and responsibilities to your employee. A household employer should expect to pay approximately 9-11% of their employee’s gross wages in payroll tax. These taxes include State Unemployment Insurance, Federal Unemployment Insurance; the employer’s half of Social Security and Medicare, and other taxes that vary by state. Additionally, employers are required to withhold taxes from their employee’s paycheck including State and Federal Income Tax, the employee’s half of Social Security & Medicare and other taxes that vary by state.

Because the logistics of employee payroll can be complicated, I recommend using a household payroll service. Breedlove and Associates, www.breedlove-online.com and GTM Payroll Services, www.gtm.com  both offer an easy-to-use service for nanny employers and are well regarded in the industry. Each service  can educate you on your employer responsibilities and handle your nanny payroll for a small monthly fee. These services are also knowledgeable about tax breaks available to employers and will assist you in finding the most affordable solution for your family!

We also highly recommend a nanny background check at the time of nanny hiring.

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To use a nanny cam or not to use a nanny cam…that is the question!

Monday, August 9th, 2010

By, Dr. Lindsay Heller  The Nanny Doctor

So, you are thinking about using a nanny cam…you probably have a lot of questions and concerns. Let’s talk about how to handle and manage these fears. This is a delicate and sensitive issue. There are not only legal issues to consider but also how it may impact the relationship you have with your nanny.

If you are thinking about using a nanny cam, you probably have a lot of fears related to leaving your child with a nanny. Some of these fears are natural, while others may be common but irrational. You may have heard about nannies abusing children in the news and now that you have your own little one, you are deathly afraid. First of all, you need to know that nannies rarely abuse children. Secondly, you need to know that it is natural to be a little afraid and cautious, however, your fear shouldn’t paralyze you, it should lead you to make good choices about who cares for your child and listening to your gut. Knowledge builds confidence, so please vet your nanny carefully using the eNannySource Nanny Success Kit and Nanny Background Check before hiring a nanny and using a nanny cam.

First Things First
When it comes to using a nanny cam, I recommend that you let the nanny know in the interview that you are planning to use one. Now, for some this may seem contradictory, however, it is not! I’d rather that an incident is completely prevented rather than “caught” and being up front about your use of a nanny cam can raise awareness for the nanny and help to prevent any issues.

Trust
In addition to the laws, you may want to think about how this may affect your relationship with your nanny. Trust is very important in this unique relationship and needs to be nurtured. If you are to go with a nanny cam, you should discuss this with your interview candidates prior to hiring (in the interview) and once hired, have the nanny sign a document stating that they are aware of the “hidden camera.” This way you are hiring someone who you know is comfortable with this practice.  A nanny who finds out after some time working for your family that there is a nanny cam may feel insulted and any trust you may have built will be ruined. 

Is it legal?
The short answer is it is legal to use a hidden camera in all 50 states, however it is illegal to record someone’s speech in 15 states without their consent. California Video recording of “confidential communications” is prohibited without consent.

The laws of 13 states expressly prohibit the unauthorized installation or use of cameras in private places. In some states, installation or use of any device for photographing, observing or overhearing events or sounds in a private place without the permission of the people photographed or observed is against the law. A private place is one where a person may reasonably expect to be safe from unauthorized surveillance.

Consider that studies and polls show that many care providers are not necessarily against video taping of child-provider interaction, it’s just that they want to know about it. It seems to be a matter of trust and feeling of deception. Some parents handle the situation by telling a potential care provider upfront that a nanny cam will be used so that they can feel comfortable and confident about their child’s care. It’s then up to the nanny to accept or decline the position with a family who uses a nanny cam. 

A final note
If you feel so concerned about someone caring for your children, you shuld listen to that gut instinct and not hire them to care for your children. If you think you are feeling a little anxious as a new parent and need the nanny cam toget through 

By, Dr. Lindsay Heller  The Nanny Doctor

So, you are thinking about using a nanny cam…you probably have a lot of questions and concerns. Let’s talk about how to handle and manage these fears. This is a delicate and sensitive issue. There are not only legal issues to consider but also how it may impact the relationship you have with your nanny.

If you are thinking about using a nanny cam, you probably have a lot of fears related to leaving your child with a nanny. Some of these fears are natural, while others may be common but irrational. You may have heard about nannies abusing children in the news and now that you have your own little one, you are deathly afraid. First of all, you need to know that nannies rarely abuse children. Secondly, you need to know that it is natural to be a little afraid and cautious, however, your fear shouldn’t paralyze you, it should lead you to make good choices about who cares for your child and listening to your gut. Knowledge builds confidence, so please vet your nanny carefully using the eNannySource Nanny Success Kit and Nanny Background Check before hiring a nanny and using a nanny cam.

First Things First
When it comes to using a nanny cam, I recommend that you let the nanny know in the interview that you are planning to use one. Now, for some this may seem contradictory, however, it is not! I’d rather that an incident is completely prevented rather than “caught” and being up front about your use of a nanny cam can raise awareness for the nanny and help to prevent any issues.

Trust
In addition to the laws, you may want to think about how this may affect your relationship with your nanny. Trust is very important in this unique relationship and needs to be nurtured. If you are to go with a nanny cam, you should discuss this with your interview candidates prior to hiring (in the interview) and once hired, have the nanny sign a document stating that they are aware of the “hidden camera.” This way you are hiring someone who you know is comfortable with this practice.  A nanny who finds out after some time working for your family that there is a nanny cam may feel insulted and any trust you may have built will be ruined. 

Is it legal?
The short answer is it is legal to use a hidden camera in all 50 states, however it is illegal to record someone’s speech in 15 states without their consent. California Video recording of “confidential communications” is prohibited without consent.

The laws of 13 states expressly prohibit the unauthorized installation or use of cameras in private places. In some states, installation or use of any device for photographing, observing or overhearing events or sounds in a private place without the permission of the people photographed or observed is against the law. A private place is one where a person may reasonably expect to be safe from unauthorized surveillance.

Consider that studies and polls show that many care providers are not necessarily against video taping of child-provider interaction, it’s just that they want to know about it. It seems to be a matter of trust and feeling of deception. Some parents handle the situation by telling a potential care provider upfront that a nanny cam will be used so that they can feel comfortable and confident about their child’s care. It’s then up to the nanny to accept or decline the position with a family who uses a nanny cam. 

A final note
If you feel so concerned about someone caring for your children, you shuld listen to that gut instinct and not hire them to care for your children. If you think you are feeling a little anxious as a new parent and need the nanny cam toget through

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Posted in hiring a nanny, Nanny Background Check, Newborn Nanny Care | 2 Comments »

Should I use a brick and mortar nanny agency?

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

By, Dr. Lindsay Heller, The Nanny Doctor

Nanny agencies are professionals in their field. They have years of experience in seeking out nanny candidates. Many families benefit from the help of nanny agencies. Their wealth of wisdom and experience can save you a lot of time. Here are some things you should know about nanny agencies:

1)    Not every nanny agency is the same. There aren’t any governing bodies of agencies so that means that anyone can set up shop as an agency. You need to be smart and ask other parents about their experiences with an agency. Make sure the agency has been around for a reasonable amount of time and is well established in the community.

2)    Some agencies have a fee you must pay before starting a search, while others do not. Ask about this on your first phone call.

3)    Ask what the agency’s fee is. These range from anywhere from 5-18% of the annual nanny salary.

4)    Ask about their “replacement policy.” If you hire your nanny and it turns out it wasn’t the right fit, most nanny agencies will help you find a new nanny for no additional fee as long as it is within their designated window of time.

5)    A good nanny agency will save you hours and hours of time! They will have already interviewed nanny candidates and will only present you with candidates that match your family’s unique needs.

6)    A nanny agency will conduct a nanny background check and check references as part of their overall fee.

7)    Many families attempt to go about conducting a search on their own, only to struggle and spend so much time looking for a nanny, feel fed up and then end up coming to an agency in the end.

8)    A good agency “knows the nanny market” – they know what candidates have been out there looking for a job for years as well as what candidates have the greatest references.

9)    An agency will provide you with support during the process of finding a nanny and help with issues that arise after placement. They can answer any questions you may have and guide you through the process.

10)    A good agency prides themselves on finding the right nanny for families and will do whatever it takes to match you up! 

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We have found the right nanny for our family, what information should I keep on file about her?

Monday, June 14th, 2010

By, Dr. Lindsay Heller, The Nanny Doctor

Congratulations on finding the right nanny for your family! Now what? 

Once you have been through the interview process and the vetting and nanny background check and have decided on the right nanny for your family, it’s important to collect important information to have on file about your new household employee. You are now an employer and your household is now a workplace. This may be the first time you have ever managed or employed someone. Here is a list of things that you should have on file:

1)   a copy of your nanny’s driver’s license.

2)   A second form of identification

3)   A copy of her resume

4)   A copy of her references

5)   A copy of the nanny backgound check you conducted

6)   A copy of her cpr/first aid certification

7)   A copy of the signed work agreement

8)   A copy of her job description

9)   A copy of a confidentiality agreement if you have one

10)A copy of her driving record from the DMV

11)A signed I-9 form

Once you start a personnel file on your new employee, make sure you keep it in a place where you can find it! This file is a great place to keep notes about your nanny doing something exceptional and discussing it at the review date! It is also a good reference for knowing when you will need her to get recertified for infant cpr/first aid.

Unfortunately, sometimes things happen such as theft or fraud and you need to protect you and your family. One way of doing this is collecting important information about your nanny upfront so that if something goes wrong, you know in fact who she is and have verified it prior to employ.

By creating a personnel file, it forces you to formalize the relationship which can also be important in establishing employee/employer boundaries. This may seem “impersonal” but it is absolutely essential should you wish for this relationship to last!

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