Guide for Parents Performing a Background Check In today’s world, performing a background check on a potential babysitter is essential. Considering that there is no national or state regulation of babysitters; anyone can apply, and these people are charged with the task of caring for our children. There are agencies out there that assist parents in finding the right babysitter or nanny, but you really don’t know how carefully these applicants are scrutinized. The following guidelines will assist you in making sure that you hire the right person to care for your children. Criminal Records This is likely the single most important aspect of the background check. Checking the criminal records in the counties/states where the applicant has resided AND worked for the last 7 to 10 years will tell you if the person has a criminal record of which you need to be aware of. There are websites out there that claim they can perform a nationwide background check, but don’t be fooled. There is only one reliable source for a nationwide background check and that’s the database utilized by the FBI. The most accurate criminal background check will come from checking records at each county courthouse. Sexual Offender Registry This one seems like a no-brainer, but there are quite a number of individuals out there who don’t even know that these registries exist. Checking the State Sexual Offender Registry for each state the applicant has lived and worked in for the last 7 to 10 years will not cost you a lot of money, but it will provide you with valuable information should your applicant be listed. Check References The purpose of checking references provided by your potential babysitter is to first confirm the character of the person in question and second, to ensure that they’ve told the truth about their previous babysitting positions. Applications Researchers® will customize its questionnaire for a babysitting position and ask questions specific to the job. Social Security Number Scan (SSN Scan) A social security number scan will not only tell you if this person has provided you with a valid social security number, it will also provide you with the correct spelling of the individual’s name. If the person hasn’t given you the correct spelling of their name, then the results of the other services could be incorrect. Additionally, this service denotes current and former addresses reported by your applicant and any former names they have reported as well. This information is very helpful in completing a comprehensive background check. Motor Vehicle Reports This service will provide you with the security of knowing that this person has a good driving record and a valid license. This is important if the individual will be driving your children to or from school or doctor’s appointments, etc… Application Researchers® can expertly perform a background check on your potential babysitter and, in turn, provide you with a feeling of security knowing that you hired a good person to care for your children. The following is a service package that can be used to run a thorough background check. If your applicant has lived in more counties than this check allows, we can always add services onto your request. Also, if your background check would end up costing less individually than the service package price, we will charge you the lesser price. Babysitter / Nanny Service Package………………….$125 - Criminal background check in the last four counties that the applicant has lived and worked or for the last 7 years, whichever comes first. - Sexual Offender Registry review for the last four states or 7 years, whichever comes first. - Previous employment history verifications for the last 2 childcare positions held. - Social Security Number Scan - Motor Vehicle Report