background checks, part two

[sio]

paying for a background check on a babysitter/nanny/au pair/mother's helper: good parenting, paranoid parenting, or something else

Comments

[mama0807]

Full-time sitter or nanny=background check.

Occasional sitter=references check. But since we so seldom have an opportunity to need a sitter, we just use family.

[papertigers]

pretty much this. I've had to have a background check for every day care center I've ever worked at. I had years of experience in day cares before I worked as a nanny, so I guess the families I worked for felt my professional references were sufficient. I wouldn't pay for a background check for a job, though.

[hiddenglitter]

I would for someone who would nanny. On occasion babysit? Eh.... Probably not unless I didn't already know them.

[lisasimpsonfan]

Of course I would want a background check.

[lightningxsnow]

I know several people who have been arrested or convicted of minor crimes and I would still be okay having them around my (hypothetical) children. I mean, my partner has a criminal record from being caught with a baggie of weed once. So, echoing what other people said, I wouldn't background check for an occasional or one-time babysitter, and I would for a longer-term nanny or au pair...but having been arrested or convicted of a minor crime wouldn't necessarily mean I wouldn't have them around my kids. It would be something I'd have to talk to them more about and look at the big picture.

[idemandjustice]

The sitter companies in my area already background check all of their sitters on a regular basis, so I wouldn't feel the need to do an additional one myself. I'd actually be pretty bothered if they didn't have background checks done already and expected me to pay extra to do it.