A Nanny Background Check Is Not Enough. Seven Mistakes Not to Make.

"She just seemed like such a nice person. We couldn't believe what we saw on the nanny cam."

"I thought a nanny background check would pick up all past wrong-doings, but it doesn't. That was a real wake-up call."

It's hard not to trust your gut instincts, but when you're hiring a nanny, the safety of your children is at stake.

When you hire a new nanny to care for your family, one important step is to do a nanny background check. We offer nanny background check services that are robust, yet still affordable. But doing a nanny background check isn't enough

There are crucial steps you must take to protect your family. Here are some of the most common mistakes.

Seven biggest mistakes in screening a new nanny

Mistake #1 – Not doing a thorough nanny background check. Not all nanny background checks offer the same depth of reporting. Make sure the background check you choose includes a national screening of criminal records, sexual offender list, a SSN match with name and previous address history, alias search and county record search in counties lived. See eNannySource.com's nanny background check services.

Mistake #2 – Thinking a nanny background check alone is enough. Nanny background checks do NOT screen for crimes committed but not brought to the authority, or cases where there was no conviction. Just because a nanny does not have a criminal record doesn't make her or him fit to care for your family. It could be he or she simply has not been caught.

Mistake #3 – Not checking references. References from friends and family are not enough. You want to talk to people who have worked with the nanny in question. Call the references. Ask questions about performance, duties, and responsibilities. Know that some people are reluctant to share negative information. Here's a great question you can ask to get at any problems: Is there one thing the nanny could have done to make their performance ideal? It's important to screen for phony references. Our nanny application form helps you do that

Mistake #4 - Not doing your own Internet search. Just like a prospective date, you can Google your nanny. Just make sure it's the correct person, then see what's out there on the Internet. You'll find information on everything form social networking sites to child predator sites. See where their names show up and what other families have to say about working with them.

Mistake #5- Not asking about unexplained gaps in employment. If the nanny you're talking with has unexplained gaps in her employment timeline, find out why. If the nanny left a job, ask her/him for an explanation as to why. It could be that he or she is purposefully leaving out a poor job experience.

Mistake #6 – Not making a copy of the nanny's ID. It's important that you make a copy of your nanny's photo ID that has her/his address on it, and one other form of ID. Typical types of ID include a Driver's license, state ID card, passport, permanent resident card, and employment authorization card.

Mistake #7– Rushing the nanny search. Make sure you leave enough time to find the right nanny. If you're in a time crunch, you may not be as thorough as you need to be. Allow 4-8 weeks to find a nanny. You can take more time to find the right match for your family.

Get all the information you need with eNannySource's nanny application

Make your nanny hiring process easier with eNannySource's robust nanny application. The requested fields of information will be laid out in a timeline so you can easily see where the nanny worked, the ages of the kids, salary, why the job ended, You can spot any gaps and check the information against the references, which can help weed out any phony references.

Other red flags to look out for during your nanny screening process

• Nanny refuses to give home phone number and doesn't have numbers for work references
• Nanny refuses to give a valid license or social security number
• Nanny has a lot of short-term jobs
• Nanny has moved around often

Protect your family. Be smart and be thorough in your nanny screening process. You are the employer and it’s your responsibility to fully vet anyone who works with your family and especially your children.

See eNannySource.com nanny background check services.
Download a nanny application form.
Learn more about how to hire a nanny.