Background Checks
It is extremely important to run a background check on the caregiver or nanny that you decide to hire. If the candidate has opted to run a background check on themselves, it is highly recommended that you also run a background check since a person can control what type of background check is being ran. It is also extremely important to do a National background check since local county searches are only limited to individual counties. If you only run a background check in the nanny’s current county, you may be missing any crimes the nanny may have committed previously in different counties.
At the very least, a nanny background check should include a Social Security Number Search (this usually includes a name alias search and address history search), a National criminal database search, National sex offender search, and most importantly a 7 year county criminal search in the main counties the nanny has resided (ideally all counties). In addition to the background check, we recommend running a Department of Motor Vehicle search to make sure the candidate hasn’t had extensive tickets, an accident, a DUI or DWI.
Here at NannyCare.com, parents can ask nannies to undergo a preliminary background check. If you end up hiring the nanny, you will want to use NannyCare.com’s A’ La Carte background check searches to add additional searches to this check or use a reputable third party background checking company to ensure that your nanny has a more extensive check performed. Make sure you do a comprehensive background check that will enable you to make the smart hiring decision for the safety of your family.
Background Check Services
The NannyCare.com Preliminary Background Check is $24.99 and includes the following: (This check is not to be used as the nanny’s sole background check, but only as an indicator of a possible criminal past and history such as where they’ve lived, names used, work eligibility etc..)
Social Security Address Trace Report-This is usually an instant check. It provides insight into the applicant’s residency and movement patterns by returning the full name, age, and date of birth, complete address history and may contain dates and phone numbers at listed addresses. The data is crosschecked through the Social Security Death index which is designed to prevent stealing of a deceased person’s identity.
Nationwide Criminal Intel Search & National Sex Offender Search– Usually instant. A powerful multi-jurisdictional search of state and county criminal records using the caregiver’s maiden name. This database is complied from counties, Department of Corrections (DOC), Administration of the Court (AOC), and state sex offender registries from across the country. Also included in each search are national and international terrorism sources such as Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). This search includes the National Sex & Violent Offender Database, P.R.I.O.R.S. And the Foreign Nationals Database (Global Report).
Ready to run a more comprehensive check? Check out our A’ La Carte add-on background check searches.
Call us for a quote at 888-638-0860.
Click Here for all County Court Access and MVR State Fees.
Descriptions of the above a la carte searches.
One County Criminal Search- Turn around time is usually 3-5 days.This is a court record pull of the main county the nanny has resided in during the last 7 years. We recommending running all counties the nanny has resided in during the past 7 years.
One Federal Criminal Records Search- Turn around time is usually 12-48 hours. Returns Federal Criminal Filings/Records for the main county they’ve resided in during the past 7 years. Helps identify convictions for crimes that may not fall under state or local-laws. Examples of records returned are: Kidnapping, bank robbery and counterfeiting.
Motor Vehicle Report (MVR)– Usually instant. Searches information compiled from an individual state’s Department of Moto Vehicles. Reports access 3-7 years of license data or longer (depending on the state) and may include such information as license status, suspensions, revocations, moving violations, DUI’s, point accumulation, chargeable accidents, court appearances and departmental actions.
Additional Services Offered
Reference Verification $49.99– A nanny councilor will call, verify & notate up to four references. We speak personally with all nanny references to ensure their previous employer was happy with them and make sure they would recommend them again. We have been checking references for almost 20 years and know the right questions to ask and we always compare the family’s notes to what the nanny’s tell us. Every family receives a copy of our reference notes. Let us use take some of the burden off with our years of experience. Included are up to three nanny references ($20 for each additional reference).
Limits On Background Checks
It’s important to understand that background checks are not always accurate and may not reveal a person’s complete criminal history. With that said, we can do our best and attempt to find anything that might be there. NannyCare goes back 7 years when doing it’s searches.
NannyCare uses a third party to run comprehensive background checks on all nannies listed on it’s site. It’s important to understand that there are limitations to criminal record searches per state. This is due to each state having variations in laws as well as variations in state and county criminal record reporting systems. A well known factor is that many states prohibit reporting records that are more than seven years old. In some states, such as California, Kentucky, New Mexico, and New York, vendors can only report criminal convictions (not arrest or other non-conviction information, no matter how old it is). Some states, such as Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Jersey and various counties in Illinois and Michigan, the vendor does not search every courthouse. In states where all courthouses are not searched, only certain felonies and some gross misdemeanors (in the case of New Jersey), are revealed. There are also additional limitations in certain jurisdictions on the Federal level. Furthermore, if the person being checked provides false information related to their home address, social security number, date of birth and name, the check will be ran with incorrect information and this can highly impact the results and validity of the check. Lastly, there is always human and electronic error that can effect results. If information is put in inaccurately or there is incomplete reporting, the results can be be invalid. To put it simply, even the most thorough, comprehensive background check may not disclose the presence of a criminal record.
We believe that every family should conduct a thorough background check on their nanny or caregiver. We believe that our preliminary background check is a good indicator of any red flags and helps determine if the nanny is a viable candidate, BUT it should not be used in leu of a thorough background check. Background checks are not always accurate and they should not solely be relied on to determine a person’s complete criminal history. A background check should just be one part of the hiring process. We strongly recommend that a background check only be used as one part of a candidate selection and hiring process. A background check is not a substitution for interviewing & screening candidates and references should always be verifying. Parent’s should always conduct in-person interviews, obtain copies of the applicant’s identification (such as social security card and driver’s license), verify references, conduct social media searches and continue to monitor any person they hire to care for their children.
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