How To Run A Nanny Background Check On Someone

When you find a great nanny, you want to just seal the deal. “We like you. You like us. When can you start?”-type of thing. But a great hire needs to be contingent on great references and a clean background check. Getting a look at someone’s history is the best way to set your family (and the other family, if you're in a nanny share) up for success.

Here are some ways to check your nanny’s background:

Google their name

Make sure to look for newspaper reports, their Facebook page, LinkedIn, and Twitter. See what articles come up about them and how they're represented online.

Google image search their name

Even more importantly, what photos do they have online? Does this look like the same person you interviewed?

Call references

Ask the tough questions. Learn how well they know each other (and Google this person, too). Ask specific questions about their work experience together. This type of background experience will give you a good gut instinct on whether you’re hiring the right person. Here are some questions you can ask your nanny's references.

Ask for extra references

If their only references aren’t giving you the depth you’re looking for, ask for more. Perhaps they worked at the mall or were on the college soccer team. Your goal is to learn how responsible and mature they are, as well as their communication style. Hopefully, two or more people can give you an adequate glimpse into their professionalism.

Run a formal background check

There’s nothing like hard data to tell you about someone’s past. This background check service will do everything from identity verification to criminal record checking, and even a drug screening.