If you need to hire a childcare provider, consider conducting an online background check for the people who make your short list. The same is true if you want to put your little ones in a daycare center.
There is nothing wrong with wanting information about someone with whom you trust your children’s safety. The last thing you want to do is leave your children in the hands of someone who is a convicted pedophile.
No Apologies Necessary for Keeping Your Family Safe
Initially, you might feel uncomfortable with requesting a background check. You will meet several people who appear to be wonderful human beings, but none of that should make you feel awkward or embarrassed. Peace of mind about who is with your children for several hours is too important.
You are doing what any parent should do to protect your family. Besides, a legitimate childcare provider is equally concerned about the wellbeing of your family. They will understand that an online background check is simply part of the process.
Any potential provider that questions your request is not the right one to care for your children.
What a Comprehensive Online Background Check Includes
Actual records may vary, but a comprehensive background check may include information from several sources such as:
- Child abuse and neglect registry in your state
- Criminal and sex offender registries in your state
- National Sex Offender Registry
- FBI fingerprint check
- FBI National Crime Information Center
Types of Background Checks
Types of online background checks may also vary. However, the information you receive may include one or all of the following based on what is recorded for each potential childcare provider.
Credit Report Check. This type of report may indicate whether a potential provider is reliable and mature enough to handle their financial obligations.
Criminal Background Check. Some states do not allow statewide searches. Others may require fingerprints before processing a search request. Check with the requirements in your state to know what you can find out about childcare applicants.
Department of Motor Vehicles Check. Most criminal records checks might have some information about a provider’s driving record. However, you can get a more thorough accounting directly from the DMV.
Tracing a Social Security Number. A trace of a SSN helps to reveal if a potential provider is hiding parts of their past. Generally, this type of check reveals where the person has lived for the past seven years. You may also uncover inconsistencies in their employment record.
If you are interviewing applicants for an in-home position, you may want to complete the checks through a resource like Intelius instead of accepting records provided by an applicant. This is a way to ensure you get accurate information before trusting someone to be alone with your children.