It can be stressful trying to figure out the best childcare solutions for your kids. One of the more popular options out there is hiring a nanny to take care of your children while you're away at work.
Finding an experienced nanny who is trustworthy can seem like a daunting task on the surface, but once you break down the hiring process you'll see that it isn't quite as difficult as it seems.
We understand the dilemma many parents face during the hiring process -- you don't want to leave your child with just anyone. There are far too many instances where parents have hired who they believed to be the "perfect nanny" only to return home to find their children neglected and abused. From checking references to investing in a camera, let's look at the checklist you should implement to find the perfect nanny for your children.
- How To Hire A Nanny
If your child-care needs aren’t nine to five or you have more than one kid, a nanny (live-in or live-out) might make sense for your family. - 7 Fundamentals of Effective Nanny-Hiring
You may not know the facts that support it. But you don’t have to know the facts. Because your gut is telling you all you need to know. - Hire A Nanny
Finding and hiring the right nanny for you and your baby (or babies) - Nanny Questions
If you are a working parent, finding good child care is paramount. Finding good child care for your family is important and requires many steps. - Child Care Cost
Child care can be expensive and is often the second highest monthly expense for families behind rent or a mortgage.
Check four or five references
As you're on the hunt for the perfect nanny you'll want to look at more than just their resume. You'll also want to talk to at least four or five references to verify that your prospective nanny is trustworthy. As you speak to these references you'll want to answer the following questions:
- Are there any red flags to be aware of?
- Did this nanny have good experiences with other families?
- Is this someone trustworthy enough to leave alone with your children?
- How to Check Babysitters’ References
The typical babysitter will have two references that have already agreed to serve as such in the hiring process. - Hiring A Nanny: How To Do A Proper Reference Check
Having children is probably the most amazing thing that can happen to a woman and her family. - 5 Things To Remember When Hiring A Nanny
There is so much more to employing a Nanny than just these five things, but these are the most important things to consider at the start. - Tips on Hiring Nannies
The search for a nanny can be daunting, but these tips can make hiring a nanny easier. - How to Hire a Nanny
Hiring a nanny should be handled in the same way that you would search for and select any new employee.
Hire someone with professional experience
Professional experience shouldn't just be a preference during your nanny search -- it should be a requirement. Professional experience can include work as a teacher, work as a nurse in a children's hospital, or simply ample experience with childcare.
You should never settle when you're looking for the person who will be responsible for your kids while you're away from home. You'll want to find someone who knows how to interact with children and who has enough experience to give you the peace of mind that if something were to go wrong, they would be able to handle the situation on their own.
- Here's How to Hire a Nanny From Start to Finish
Hiring a nanny can seem stressful, especially when you don't know where to begin. - 25 Characteristics of a Great Nanny
If you’re considering hiring a nanny or becoming one, here are 25 characteristics we believe great nannies have in common. - Seven Mistakes To Avoid When Hiring A Nanny Or Private Educator
Here are seven common mistakes to avoid when hiring a Nanny or Private Educator. - 9 Nanny Skills That Will Have Families Fighting Over You
When looking for a nanny position, it’s always nice to have your pick of a few different options - What Makes A Good Nanny
There are certain qualities that a good nanny must have, regardless of the number of children she will take care of, their ages, their background
Do a background check
Let's say you've found the perfect nanny. They seem like the best person for the job and you seem to connect well with them over your phone/email correspondence. The next step is to get a background check.
Background checks are comprehensive reports that reflect an individual's educational, financial, and criminal history. Simply put, a background check will ensure you're not inadvertently putting your children at risk and compromising the security of your household by hiring the wrong person for the job.
- What Does a Thorough Background Check Look Like?
How to apply these recommendations to get the most from your background checks. This post will provide some guidance on these issues. - Reasons to Conduct a Social Security Number Trace on a Nanny
One of the most important pieces of information that you can ask a potential nanny for on the job application is her social security number. - Screening, Interviewing and Nanny Background Checks
Nanny Background Checks: All you need to know guide to nanny background checking. - Background Checks and Employee Screening for Your Nanny
There are many ways to ensure you are hiring a qualified nanny who can be trusted, including running a background check. - Background Checks for Nannies, Better Safe Than Sorry
Many nannies who pass a standard background check will fail this check due to a DUI, DWI, excessive driving tickets, ticket for texting while driving, or a suspended license.
Verify their social security number
During the background check ask your nanny to produce their social security number and proof of citizenship or permanent residence. This will provide the evidence needed to prove that your nanny can work in the United States legally.
If you find a nanny that you absolutely love and you decide to hire them, it's now up to you to notify the employment office in your state that you have hired an employee. At that point have your nanny fill out an I-9 form which will verify their eligibility to work in the United States.
- Doing a Background Check on Your Nanny
Any story that makes us take a deep breath to quell our fear or that makes us reach for a tissue to dry our tears will make its mark on our psyche. The scope of our tragedy-meter is not limited geographically. - Don’t Skimp on Nanny Background Checks
Why and how to do a background check on your nanny - 5 Reasons Why Nanny Background Checks are Important
When you consider hiring an in-home caregiver, you are allowing a complete stranger access to all that you hold dear. - 5 Most Important Factors When Hiring a Live-In Nanny
There are so many factors in finding the right nanny; a nanny that stays with your family and creates the types of bonds we all hope for in a live-in nanny. - Nanny Background Checks Are Good for Everyone
When your family hires a nanny, you aren’t only hiring someone to provide for your children’s basic needs.
Take a look at their driving record
Why does your nanny's driving record matter? That's because they may have to pick your kids up from school or take them out to get something to eat. In worst case scenarios they may even have to rush your child to the hospital.
You'll want to know your nanny is a capable driver with a good driving record. Not all driving offenses are as bad as others. Parking citations, for example, aren't an immediate cause for alarm. However, DUIs should raise a red flag that cannot be ignored. Keep that in mind as you comb through your prospective nanny's driving record.
- 6 Things to Check When Nanny Drives Your Kids
We all know that no matter how much you trust or know a nanny, it’s always hard to hand over control of your kids to them - Car Safety Advice for Nannies
A typical aspect of being a nanny involves driving the children you care for to and from activities, appointments, grocery shopping etc. - 10 Things a Thorough Nanny Background Screening Should Include
Whether you find your nanny through on online service, word of mouth or traditional nanny placement agency, parents have the ultimate hiring responsibility when it comes to deciding who will be caring for their children - How To Hire A Nanny, Live-In Nanny & Part-Time Nannies - What You Need To Know
While having children is one of the most rewarding milestones of your life, it can be challenging to have a career, maintain a relationship with your partner and still care for the next generation without an extra pair of hands to make things easier. - Qualities To Look For In A Nanny
Hiring a nanny can be an intensely stressful experience—no matter how many background checks and interviews you perform, it is hard to shake the feeling that you are essentially leaving your child with a stranger.
Check if they are on the sex offender registry
The biggest blunder you could possibly make is allowing a sex offender access to your home. This information should become evident through the background check mentioned earlier but do a bit of extra digging to ensure your nanny isn't a registered sex offender. The extra effort you put into vetting your nanny will ensure you're not bringing a threat into your household.
- Sex Offenders Hiding in Plain Sight
A new study by Utica College estimates that nearly one in six convicted sex offenders is avoiding court-imposed or statutory restrictions by altering their digital identity. - Sex Offender Search: Frequently Asked Questions
We address many frequently asked questions regarding sex offender searches. - Sex Offenders Living with Minors, Part II
Several provisions placing restrictions on residency and employment may, however, come close in certain situations. - Burn Your “Sex Offender” Map
From a Free-Range standpoint, it is appalling that these sex offender registries make it seem as if children are unsafe on any street. - Sex Offenders, Social Media And Freedom Of Speech
Some organizations throughout the country are fighting to lessen restrictions on sex offenders because many of the restrictions make it difficult for them to continue to live their lives normally after they have served their sentence.
Go through their social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
It has become common practice for people to live out their entire lives on social media, posting their opinions, activities, and other like things. Digging into someone's social media can reveal a lot about them. One way to get a better idea of who you're hiring is by going through their social media. You'll be surprised by the type of things you can learn about someone by visiting their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
- Nannies, Social Media, and Family Privacy
Social media era, where our friends are called "contacts", our thoughts "comments" and experiences "posts" - Babysitting Your Nanny's Smartphone?
Social media has become an integral part of daily life – both in and out of work. - Which Parental Control Software is Best for Social Media Monitoring?
In terms of cybersecurity, there’s no such thing as being too safe online, especially when it comes to protecting your children. - The Importance of Nanny Background Checks
Making sure they wear a helmet while riding their bike; teaching them how to be safe on social media; and ensuring their caregivers are who they say they are. - Social Media Safety Tips for Nannies and Mannies
Social media can be an amazing tool used to connect people all over the world. It helps us keep up with friends and relatives, enables us to share news from around the world in an instant, and also enables us to share our vacation photos, thoughts, and feelings.
What to do after you've hired your nanny
Even after you've hired a nanny your work isn't quite done. You'll still want to keep an eye on them to watch how they interact with your kids. One way you can go about doing this is by installing a security camera or, as it's fondly known in the world of child care, a "nanny cam."
Nanny cams are affordable and a great way to catch any red flags. Does your nanny raid your fridge and neglect your kids the moment you're gone? Are they the perfect nanny? A nanny cam will reveal the answers you're seeking. However, you'll still want to use more than just a security camera to keep an eye on your nanny.
If you can manage it, pay your nanny a visit when they least expect it. Simply walk in the door in the middle of the day when you're supposed to be at work. You may catch your nanny off guard, but this is a great way to ensure they're doing their job the right way.
The safety of your children should be your utmost priority. Take the time to properly vet your nanny by implementing a checklist. That way you can have the peace of mind that your children are in safe hands.
- The Pros and Cons of Using a Nanny Cam
The use of nanny cams, the personal surveillance cameras that are either hidden or installed in plain sight to record a nanny’s activities on the job, is a hotly debated topic. - Thinking About Installing Nanny-cam? Think About These Things First!
The use of electronic recording devices does offer peace of mind to some employers but ultimately, the decision to use them is a very personal one. - Are you being watched? The risks of “nanny-cams” in residential aged care
With the increased availability and affordability of nanny-cams, many families are choosing to install these in their loved ones' rooms. - Hidden Surveillance Cameras at Home: A Guide for 2018
Video surveillance around the home is one of the most effective home security measures for capturing culprits in a home invasion. - Should You Invest In a Nanny Cam To Keep Your Belongings Safe?
In this way, a nanny cam is much like a home security system: even if we trust our neighbors, a level of verification is welcome comfort when the potential for harm is high.
