Six tips to keep your kids safe when hiring a caregiver

Whether you’re looking to hire live-in help for your kids, need a five-day-a-week day care center or just need to find a sitter now and then, you want the best care you can give your children while you’re away. Hiring a nanny or day care that you can trust can seem like a difficult task if you don’t know where to start. In order to ensure that your children will receive excellent care from a qualified and trustworthy individual, you’ll want to ensure that any potential caregiver has been properly and thoroughly screened. Here are six ways to ensure that your family will be in great hands. Get references. Do you know other parents who entrust their children to a care center or nanny? Ask those families who they use, and whether they like and trust the people that are around their children. Find out who the individual caregivers are if it’s some kind of group care. Contact previous families. A good nanny or babysitter will have a list of references of previous families they’ve worked for, and that’s a great place to start getting an idea of how this person works with the families and the children. If possible, try to set up an in-person meeting to interview former or current families. Write down questions you have so you don’t forget anything important when you’re interviewing. Look at caregiver agencies. If you’re not able to get references from friends or colleagues, contact local nanny agencies and daycare centers. Speak with the directors and the individuals that work at the center. Ask about what kind of background checks they conduct and how often, and about any certifications or licenses they have. (The latter will help you determine if they are a reputable center or agency, and that they have the proper knowledge to keep your children safe in case of emergency.) Check out individual certifications. Whether you’re checking out a care center or an individual nanny, ask what certifications the individual caregiver(s) have, and ask to see copies of licenses and certificates. Things like CPR and first aid certificates are a good start, and you can usually verify that they are accurate and up-to-date. Conduct your own checks. Utilize a background screening company to conduct criminal history checks and employment verification to ensure the caregiver is who they say they are, and that they don’t have a criminal record. Trust your gut. If something doesn’t seem right, don’t work with that person, center or agency. You have to trust the people that will be working with your family in order to feel confident about the care your kids are receiving. For more information about conducting background checks on childcare providers, contact Mind Your Business.]]>