In recent years, news of abusive or dishonest nannies has become more common. Even though most home staff are trustworthy, it is extremely important to research a nanny’s background before leaving your children alone with one. The same can hold true for all other staff such as
house managers, live-in housekeepers etc. Its not safe to hire any home staff without doing proper vetting of them. Many online nanny agencies and staffing companies do not offer nanny background searches or other background searches to check the background history for any problems or convictions at previous jobs. While the most important course of action is checking a nanny’s previous references, a nanny background check is sometimes a good idea in order to uncover things that previous employers didn’t know about. Only a
reputable nanny agency or
reputable domestic staffing agency will be able to help with this.
By conducting a nanny background check, you can verify whether your potential nanny has any past criminal record or accusations of wrongdoing. You can also verify previous employment and possibly even certifications they have earned. A nanny background check does for example, include: reference checks (verbal and/or in writing), CRB checks (we do them in house at the agency), check of ID and certificates. We also meet with all our nannies in person or if we have to, on skype.
Many people don’t know that there are significant problems with stealing by domestic home staff that haven’t been vetted properly. Chilling statistics on theft and abuse by staff that haven’t been officially checked or placed by an agency offer motivation to only hire a nanny with a nanny background check or staff that are reference and CRB checked.
Keep in mind that these statistics still represent a small percentage of the annual cases of child abuse and theft. Don’t begin thinking that you shouldnt hire nannies or other home staff. Most domestic staff and nannies do not pose a threat. Nevertheless, using a reputable agency that will check the nanny’s or housekeepers previous employment and do a general background check is a good way to find out the facts.
Your English Home Staff and Nanny Agency in Europe