There is currently no national or state regulation of babysitters; anyone can call themselves a "babysitter" or a "nanny" and apply for a babysitting job. In today's society, it is essential to check out the people charged with caring for our children. Parents must take steps to avoid hiring people who "seemed nice" but turned out to have criminal records or other sources of serious concern. Conducting a thorough background check on a potential babysitter can be cumbersome, but a wealth of good advice on the topic is readily available, as well as experts who can help.
Even parents who use the services of an agency to find a babysitter or nanny often don't know for sure how carefully applicants are scrutinized. In fact, a recent article in The Wall Street Journal Online reported that only about 50-75% of nanny agencies conduct background checks on applicants. Even those agencies that do can still vary widely in the quality of their investigations. No matter how you locate potential candidates, you as the parent bare sole responsibility for evaluating any prospective caregiver before leaving the caregiver with your child.
Checking References
Whether or not you enlist the help of an agency in investigating a candidate's background, checking references is something you can and should do yourself. Many babysitters put one or two references in their Sitters.com profile, allowing you to contact the references directly.
The purpose of checking references is to verify any information you've received about a potential babysitter, and to confirm the initial impression you formed of the sitter based on your interview. The following are questions you might consider asking references:
- How long did this individual care for your children and what were the kids' ages?
- How did you choose the babysitter?
- What were the sitter's specific duties? Did he or she have any difficulty meeting these responsibilities?
- How would you describe your overall impression of this babysitter?
- What would you say are his or her greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- Was the babysitter punctual and dependable?
- Why did he or she stop working for you?
- Would you hire this person again if you needed a babysitter?
- Is there anything else you think I should know?
Since babysitting candidates usually provide their own references, they're likely to choose those who will portray them in the best possible light. Therefore, you should pay close attention to what the references don't say, as well as what they do say. If a reference you talk with appears to be cautious or unenthusiastic in describing the babysitter, you might want to reconsider your choice. Assure references you speak with that the conversation is confidential and encourage them to be completely candid in their remarks. Ask for specific examples whenever possible.
Be sure to take into consideration the credibility of each reference. For example, the comments of a friend or family member who may not have employed this person as a babysitter are less valuable than those of someone who has seen the sitter in action. Also, parents who have only known the babysitter for a few weeks may be less reliable than those with whom the sitter has worked for a long period of time. When you speak with references, you can ask if they know of any other parents for whom the babysitter has worked, and then contact those people. These are known as "developed references" and can sometimes yield important information that a prospective sitter might leave out.
It is a good idea to take careful notes, rather than relying on your memory. Conversations may tend to blur together after talking to several people, and putting your thoughts and impressions on paper will give you something to refer to later when making your decision.
Additional Background Checks
While interviewing and checking references are essential in evaluating a potential sitter, some people want to get even more information, especially if they are looking for someone to care for their children on a regular basis. Criminal record and other background checks are becoming increasingly popular as parents look for ways to verify information from prospective caregivers and to uncover anything critical that might have been left out.
Keep in mind that federal law requires all potential employers to obtain written permission for background checks from candidates. You should tell a potential babysitter that you plan to do a background check and have him or her sign a statement authorizing you do so. Sitters on Sitters.com can indicate in their profile whether or not they will consent to a background check. If the babysitter is reluctant to cooperate, that may be a sign that he or she has something to hide. Background checks are becoming more and more common for all types of employment, and it is certainly reasonable to want to get as much information as possible before entrusting someone with the care of your children.
Background checks can provide a variety of data, from criminal records and marriage records to lawsuits and bankruptcies. You can find out where someone has lived and other names that have been used. What information you search for will depend on your needs. The following are some of the most common types of background checks for childcare candidates.
Criminal Record
A thorough investigation into whether an applicant might have a criminal record can be a complex and arduous process and may be difficult to complete on your own. For example, a search for criminal records in a parent's local area wouldn't reveal a babysitter's record in another state. As a result, a variety of areas often must be searched individually, and the process can be complicated.
Contrary to what many disreputable background search firms claim, there is no way to do a national criminal records check. Only the FBI maintains a national database, called the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which is not public record and is only available to law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies. While some firms advertise national commercial database searches, these investigations often rely on data that is sorely incomplete or inaccurate. In a recent interview with MSNBC.com, Rhonda Taylor echoed this concern. Taylor, who heads a small background checking firm in Washington State, explains, "We've done tests, and the national databases have a 41 percent error rate." She points out that relying on such inadequate checks can produce a false sense of security.
Even state-wide criminal record checks are impossible in many areas. Those states that do maintain state-wide repositories may have a backlog of records, meaning that available data could be outdated; in addition, response times to inquiries are often notoriously slow. Therefore, any search for criminal records should be carried out on a county by county basis in the counties where an individual lived, worked, and went to school, as well as the surrounding counties.
While criminal records are available as part of the public record, the catch is that you have to visit the appropriate courthouse or state repository in person to obtain the records. This can make it difficult for you to complete a criminal background check without help, especially if the babysitter you're considering has lived out of state. As a result, most people hire private background checking firms or use a number of online services (more information below). These companies have investigators all over the country who go to the courthouses on a daily basis to perform record searches.
Social Security Number (SSN)
A Social Security Number trace is often a recommended first step in a thorough background investigation, since it will reveal an individual's current and past addresses for the last 7 to 10 years, as well as any other names that have been used. This information tells you what jurisdictions should be checked for criminal records. A SSN trace can be used to verify what a babysitter has told you and will make it very difficult for a candidate to hide important information about possible criminal history.
DMV Records
Driving records can be a useful element in a comprehensive background check, even if the babysitter will not be driving your children. Excessive speeding violations or accidents may indicate a candidate's poor judgment or carelessness. More importantly, driving records can reveal a substance abuse problem if there are any DUI convictions on the record.
Credit Reports
The primary reason for performing a credit check would be to obtain address information and ensure that all the appropriate locations are being searched for criminal records. Credit reports may also contain information regarding former employment and any other names that have been used.
It is important that parents use their best judgment in determining what type of background check is necessary. Obviously, if you're considering hiring a 14-year-old babysitter from down the street, you most likely will not be doing an extensive criminal record search like some of those described above. In that case, a careful interview and check of the babysitter's references may be sufficient. On the other hand, if you are looking to hire an adult caregiver or "professional" nanny, particularly for childcare on a regular basis, this may warrant a more extensive search. Only you can be the judge of what is necessary to keep your children safe and well cared for.
Experts are quick to point out that all background checks have some limitations, but any background check is better than none. Regardless of what type of inquiry you choose, your best resource in evaluating potential babysitters is often your gut instinct. If for any reason you have a feeling that a caregiver is not trustworthy, it's better to err on the safe side. Get all the information you can, and trust your instincts.