For Nannies:
Nannies should always be hesitant about meeting any families for the first time through online nanny services as well as sites like Craigslist. It is recommended that you ask the families for a personal reference before you meet with them. You should also ask them for their full names and occupations so that you can research who they are before your in-person interview. Google is a great way to verify information. Also, always meet families at a Starbucks or other location where there are a lot of people present.
You will need to decide when you feel comfortable giving the family your phone number since we only allow family members to see your email. We strongly recommend that you speak with the family on the phone in order to determine if the job sounds like a good fit. Don’t be afraid to ask the family questions of your own. Most families appreciate it when the nanny inquires about them and wants to know specifics about their job.
Never respond to any emails asking for cashier checks or asking for your bank account information since this could easily be a scam. There have been many occurrences of scammers acting as families and contacting nannies with a fake job offer that requires the nanny to cash a fake check or give the family their bank information.
For Families:
Families should always conduct a background check on any nanny or babysitter they hire. You will need to have the nanny fill out a background check consent form before you can attempt to run any background check. There are very strict laws about this, so make sure you act accordingly. If you need a background check release form, NannyCare.com offers a sample background check release form. If the family is going through NannyCare.com they don’t have to worry about the background check since we do an extensive background check on every nanny listed on our site. The recommended background check for nannies and caregivers is one that includes a Social Security number verification, a National criminal database search, a National sex offender registry search, county criminal searches in every city the nanny has resided in for the past 7 years, a Federal search in the main county the nanny has resided in during the past 7 years and a Department of Motor Vehicles Search to make sure they haven’t had any DUI/DWI’s, extensive tickets or accidents. This is especially important if they will be driving the children around. You can also ask the nanny to give you a copy of her DMV records and car insurance.
It is very important that your nanny have current CPR and First Aid. It is recommended that all caregivers take a class, whether it’s your first time or you just need to freshen up. It is also recommended for all parents (especially new parents). NannyCare.com has partnered with ProTrainings.com to offer it’s members great deals on online CPR and First Aid classes. Our special rate for the ProFirstAid online class (adult, child, and infant CPR and First aid certification) is only $34.95.
NannyCare.com has put together sample tools and forms to help you safely find your nanny. These forms include sample interview questions, sample reference calling questions, a sample nanny contract, sample background check release form, medical release forms and orientation forms. It is a great idea to use these forms since they have been formed by a nanny agency expert who has been placing nannies for almost 20 years. We’ve also included several articles on the website that are safety related and very informative. Click here to see all of our sample forms.