Background Check For Families

[Anonymous]

I want to be clear ANYONE working privately in your home should be checked through their background and references. My concern is, why are nannies so passive when it comes to asking a family for the same information they're being asked for? We live in a time where safety should be considered not just for the family but also for the nanny. A family can ask a nanny for all her information to run a background check and at least three references. Why can't a nanny, housekeeper, cook, maid do the same? International Aupair agencies get every piece of information on a family before sending out their aupairs, so why aren't nannies who live here in the US not requesting the same thing? It's mind blowing! Nannies please advocate for yourselves, you are working in a private home, not a corporate company in a large fancy building, you're in someone's home, someone you don't know personally when going to these homes be sure to ask questions and protect yourself just like they protect themselves in case you're not who you say you are. If a family had more than two nannies in a short period of time ask questions, ask for references because they would. Bottom line do the same amount of research on potential families before you accept any job or even an interview.

[Anonymous]

OP I understand what you're saying but unfortunately these parents are stuck in their ways they would feel offended if a nanny were to ask. its a double standard

[Anonymous]

Some states have free online court searches. Good place to start.

[Anonymous]

just google them, it is very simple. You can get lots of info that way.

[Anonymous]

I have to say this poster is correct. Nannies should be able to ask families to undergo the same background check we have to go through. I come from a family of law enforcement and I once worked for a family where the husband made me feel so uncomfortable, I was a live in during the week. he was aggressive and not the easiest to talk to. I report to work every Monday morning early and one Monday I came in and a police car was outside so of course I was curious as to what was going on the mom told me they thought they heard someone shaking their door handle to come in the house. My gut didn't buy that story one bit. That entire week it was weird energy between both parents in the house it just felt strange. When I left on Friday I asked my brother (he's a cop) to run a check on them and sure enough the police has been called to that residence several times for domestic abuse, the dad was arrested and removed from the residence a lot of times in 2020.I started looking for another job immediately found one and moved on. Before I work in a home I check the family out because after that situation I never want to take a chance like that again.

[Anonymous]

It should be mandatory everybody cray cray these days

[Anonymous]

+10000

This is an excellent PSA OP.
It really is.

Nannies need to be proactive regarding their own safety as well & should be able to run a background check on potential families before agreeing to enter their home.

Because after all - these potential families are still strangers at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I understand what you're saying but unfortunately these parents are stuck in their ways they would feel offended if a nanny were to ask. its a double standard

This is very true.
If a potential employer balks at the suggestion of a b/g check then that would raise a red flag for me.
It could be that they are hiding something that they do not want their nanny to be privy too. It could also be because they consider themselves “above” the potential nanny and both of these things would completely deter me from working for them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to say this poster is correct. Nannies should be able to ask families to undergo the same background check we have to go through. I come from a family of law enforcement and I once worked for a family where the husband made me feel so uncomfortable, I was a live in during the week. he was aggressive and not the easiest to talk to. I report to work every Monday morning early and one Monday I came in and a police car was outside so of course I was curious as to what was going on the mom told me they thought they heard someone shaking their door handle to come in the house. My gut didn't buy that story one bit. That entire week it was weird energy between both parents in the house it just felt strange. When I left on Friday I asked my brother (he's a cop) to run a check on them and sure enough the police has been called to that residence several times for domestic abuse, the dad was arrested and removed from the residence a lot of times in 2020.I started looking for another job immediately found one and moved on. Before I work in a home I check the family out because after that situation I never want to take a chance like that again.

Wow.
What a terrible situation to go through PP.
So glad you got out of there.
Goes to show that a nanny’s intuition should never be ignored or discounted…

[Anonymous]

That is why nannies should go through agencies. Agencies make sure the families are safe to work for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is why nannies should go through agencies. Agencies make sure the families are safe to work for.

Agencies don’t always have jobs though and there are a lot of families who prefer to find a nanny in their own rather than go through an agency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:just google them, it is very simple. You can get lots of info that way.

Not enough unfortunately! If it were that simple companies would just use Google instead of going through a background check agency

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just google them, it is very simple. You can get lots of info that way.

Not enough unfortunately! If it were that simple companies would just use Google instead of going through a background check agency

+1

[Anonymous]

Great post! I totally agree and I’m a parent.

[Anonymous]

I second this!