Do You Need a Background Check For Your Nanny?

When you need to entrust your children to someone else in order to go to work or handle other responsibilities, it can be very daunting, especially if you don’t have a recommendation from a trusted friend or family member. Hiring a nanny can be a great solution to your childcare needs, but with approximately 945,900 childcare workers in the United States, how do you choose the right one to care for your precious children? That’s where a private investigator in Knoxville, TN, can help by conducting a background check on your potential nanny.

What is a Nanny Background Check

There are a number of ways to source a qualified nanny to take care of your children. You might post a job advert, work with an agency, or ask around for recommendations. However, regardless of where you find your nanny, it is highly recommended that you run a background check to make sure they are as trustworthy as they seem. A nanny background check can be conducted by a private investigator in Knoxville, TN, and is essentially the same as any other employment background check. It will not only help to authenticate the information that your nanny has provided with their application but can also dig deeper into their background to establish their experience with children and uncover any past criminal behavior that they may be trying to conceal.

What Is Included in a Background Check?

When you work with a private investigator in Knoxville, TN, to obtain a background check, there are several different types to choose from. The information that each type includes will vary, so it is important to discuss with your PI what your needs are so they can guide you toward the most appropriate background check. Some of the checks you will want to consider include the following:

  • Identity Confirmation - If you can provide a private investigator in Knoxville, TN, with your nanny’s full name, social security number, and driver’s license, they will be able to pull up all of the information you could ever want regarding their identity. If you are considering hiring a nanny from overseas, you should also provide your PI with their work permit and, if possible, their passport number.
  • Criminal Records - If you want to ensure that your nanny does not have a criminal record, a private investigator in Knoxville, TN, can carry out a seven-year criminal background check. This will pull up information relating to arrests, convictions, court records, outstanding warrants, and details of any sexual offenses.
  • Driving Records - If you will expect your nanny to drive your kids around, then you will want the peace of mind that they are a safe and responsible driver! A private investigator in Knoxville, TN, can help you to access their driving records in search of any offenses.
  • Sex Offender Registry - One of the biggest fears many parents have when leaving their child in the care of another adult is that they will suffer sexual abuse. As part of a nanny background check, your private investigator in Knoxville, TN, can check the sex offender registry to confirm that your childcare provider has never been found guilty of sexual assault.
  • References - As with any job, a nanny will likely provide some references from previous employers. It is important to verify that these are accurate so that you can make an informed decision about hiring a nanny to care for your children.

Why Do I Need a Private Investigator?

It is important to note that a private investigator in Knoxville, TN, will not do anything illegal to provide the background information you wish to collect about your nanny. The majority of this information is going to be a matter of public record. You might be wondering why you would need to hire a private investigator in Knoxville, TN if you can access the records yourself. The answer is that obtaining all of the information you need is more complex than it sounds. There is no single database that holds all of this information. In fact, because the criminal record system in the United States is decentralized, there is no reliable national database. It is going to be necessary to check records in every state that your nanny has worked or lived in. The same goes for driving licenses and other public records. It may be necessary to check and cross-reference multiple different sources in order to build a reliable background check. Suppose you are hiring a nanny to look after your kids while you are busy with other responsibilities. In that case, it is highly unlikely that you have the time to systematically check state, county, and federal records to determine if they will be trustworthy! It’s best to leave such a task in the hands of a professional private investigator in Knoxville, TN.

Uncover the truth!

--

Ken Shull served as a Special Agent with the FBI for almost 25 years and was head of the FBI Polygraph program until his retirement in 2001. At that time he set up the Kendall Investigations practice as a private investigator in Knoxville, TN offering Polygraph services, private investigations, and security guards. Ken is a member of the American Polygraph Association and The American Association of Police Polygraphists.

The Truth is Still the Truth Even if No One Believes it, A Lie is Still a Lie Even if Everyone Believes it.