Corra Newsboy - Background Checks

Checking Out Caretakers

Nanny Natalie Sessions loves to play with six month old Jazz Wilson. But
before the fun and games began, Jazz's parents ordered a background check, to
check out Natalie's past.

"You're kind of nervous about giving your
child to a complete stranger," Jay Wilson, Jazz's father, said.
The Wilsons
are part of a growing trend, people ordering in-depth background checks on
nannies, housekeepers, caregivers, tutors, even personal assistants! Why?

This person is going to be in close proximity to vulnerable family
members," Kathleen Webb, of 4nannies.com said.
4nannies.com is a company
that processes thousands of background checks every year. Webb says consumers
are now going way beyond the basics when it comes to identity verification.
Webb says it's "because of a growing awareness of what types of information
is actually available."

Collecting the information from numerous sources
can take days. Webb says these in-depth checks are not like the instant offers
you see advertised. Those instant offers often depend on online databases only.
"Most of them don't have data any more recent than 90 days to six months
from the date that you're actually searching the records," Webb said.
Even
if you get the extra protection an in-depth search provides, Webb says you
should still be careful.
"There's no such thing as a foolproof background
check because records in the United States are not in any type of central
repository," Webb said.
So be sure to check out personal references on your
own like the Wilsons did with Natalie. It gave them peace of mind and gave Jazz
a new playmate.
Keep in mind that if you're interested in having an in-depth
background check done, you will need consent from the person you're interested
in hiring. The cost of a report is typically 100-200 dollars, depending on what
kind of information you're looking for.

posted by Nicholas Gustavson @ 9:19 AM