Screening Nannies

Whether parents decide to hire a nanny with the help of a nanny placement agency or do it themselves on a nanny web site they should understand the importance of background screenings.

While parents and agencies may think that a background screening is thorough, it may or may not include all of the information a parent wants or needs to make an informed decision about hiring a nanny candidate. Similarly, potentially unqualified nanny candidates may be able to secure employment because of an incomplete background screening.

The International Nanny Association (INA) has developed recommended practices for background screenings that nanny agencies or parents may conduct for nanny candidates. Please click here to see the entire publication.

Here are the INA background screening standards:

• Identity verification and authentication to ensure that the candidate is using real and accurate information about his or her own identity.

• Employment and educational history verification and verification of applicable credentials and licenses.

• State and county criminal record searches for every jurisdiction where the candidate has worked and lived, using any and all names the candidate has used, for at least the past seven years, depending upon applicable state laws.

• Sex offender registry search for all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam.

• Driving record review.

• Compliance with Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and all other applicable local, state and federal laws.

• Periodic background screenings on nannies who provide temporary services.

• In addition to these screenings, agencies may wish to consider obtaining a credit report as well as conducting a civil records search to expose lawsuits, liens and judgments.

Permission to post this publication granted by Susan Tokayer, Co-President of International Nanny Association.