Archive for February 24th, 2010

Implementing Safeguards and Avoiding Red Flags When Hiring a Nanny Or Other Domestics

Author: admin

Feb 24



On June 1, 2009, the “Greenwich Time” reported on the arrest of a live-in nanny working in Greenwich, Conn. She was charged with first-degree larceny, eight counts of third-degree forgery, eight counts of fraudulent use of an ATM card and breach of peace. The article discusses how the woman would ace her job interviews, get hired and then go on to defraud her employers. Apparently, she became very adept at her practice as she moved from family to family applying her deceitful trade.

We are always dismayed to read about the “bad apple” getting picked for such an important job. “When you allow someone into your house, you should know who they are,” said Detective Pasquale Iorfino of the Greenwich Police Department. We could not agree more. Unfortunately, more often than not, extensive screening and background checks are not properly conducted or done at all. We were disappointed (at the risk of sounding self-serving) that the article quotes the owner of a Web based “nanny” site for tips on screening and hiring a nanny. The founder of the online nanny site stated that “screening is the most important part of the hiring process.”

That is absolutely true. However, online nanny sites by their very structures are unable to thoroughly screen a candidate. In fact, Web based nanny sites contribute to many parents false sense of security in hiring a nanny. In effect, they are online databases with no barriers to entry. Anyone can post their profile and hold himself or herself out as an experienced and qualified caregiver. They merely list available jobs and caregivers and then offer an a la carte background check. Furthermore, many online sites advertise “National Criminal Checks” which can be very misleading.

Those checks will often only determine if the subject was incarcerated in a state prison. Many online sites omit to inform you that those searches will not turn up persons that were convicted of a crime but not imprisoned or that served time in a county jail. Therefore, depending on the state, a county by county or statewide criminal check should also be done where the domestic worker has been shown to reside. Moreover, a social security trace, the nanny’s valid state and federal identification and the information learned from your pre-employment discussions should be used to determine the counties or states in which to run background checks.

Since the hiring process can be overwhelming to a lot of families, we wanted to offer some additional practical advice. Most importantly, it is vital to meet and get to know the potential nanny in person. Together you should go over a detailed employment application and zero in on gaps in work history, discuss previous jobs and gauge physical and verbal responses to gently probing questions. For example, last week we had a nanny come in to register who seemed perfect.

She was charming, sweet, athletic, a college graduate and had a recent six-year reference working with 3 children in the Tribeca section of Manhattan. However, the reference fell apart because the candidate told us she always lived in with the family but property records showed the apartment was only 600 square feet. Not a very likely scenario for a live-in job with a supposed family of five. Do online nanny sites expect a potential employer to think about that scenario or research it?

Again, we recognize this sounds self-serving, but it is difficult to properly vet a potential in house employee without being a seasoned interviewer. It is imperative to be able to recognize some common red flags from the prospective employee and/or her references. They include:

• Past employers who do not have a landline and can only be reached via cell phone.
• Past employers who do not reside in areas employing a high concentration of nannies and other domestics.
• Tenuous explanations for wide gaps in employment.
• Unstable work history.
• Inability to provide authentic and valid federal and state photo identification.

Oddly enough, in my experience I have found that if a candidate is too perfect or throws around high profile names of previous employers, it is usually a red flag that warrants a lot more digging. The stakes are too high to trust without verifying first.

By: Marc Lenes

About the Author:
Source: http://preemploymentscreeningarticles.infocubic.net/2009/06/03/nannys-arrest-prompts-hiring-advice-from-police/

About the Author- Marc Lenes is the owner of Wee Care Nanny Agency, a household staffing agency founded in 2001 and based in Stamford, Conn. To learn more about our services please visit http://www.weecarenanny.com



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Abusive Nannies Caught on Video

Author: admin

Feb 24



Jerry and Sue were busy with their hectic work schedule, so they decided to hire a nanny to take care of their baby girl. When they met a 42-year-old mother of two, named Kara, they thought their prayers had been answered. After interviewing a dozen candidates, they finally found a nanny they really liked. Gradually, as the weeks went by though, the parents noticed certain changes in their daughters’ behavior. Although she seemed healthy, she developed certain peculiarities that made her parents suspicious.

Jerry and Sue purchased a hidden camera disguised as a stuffed animal that they placed on a shelf in their daughter’s room. When they came home from work at the end of the day, they played the video and were horrified at what they saw. They discovered that their trusted nanny Kara had been shaking their little girl to quiet her down when she cried aloud.

They immediately fired the nanny and called the police who later arrested Kara for endangering the welfare of a child.

Unfortunately, this story is all too common these days. Three other stories that I read about in the news while researching this article were as follows,

New York – A nanny who police said slapped, kicked and smothered a 10-month-old girl with a toy to make her stop crying was arrested this week after an enraged father watched the abuse on a newly installed “nanny cam.”

Los Angeles – A nanny was arrested and charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor after she was observed on videotape hitting, slamming and jerking two 10-month-old twins (1 boy and 1 girl) while they were in her care.

Vermont – A nanny was arrested after being viewed on videotape dropping an 11-month-old boy from a height of three feet above the ground onto a pillow after becoming upset because the youngster wouldn’t eat. This caregiver was also viewed throwing the boy again, kicking him, picking him up by his right arm and throwing him back down again.

These are just some of the disturbing news stories I read while researching this article. In all of these cases, the children were checked out by pediatricians and found to have no serious long-term injuries. (Thank God)
Sadly, some of the other stories I researched did not have the same happy ending.

It’s not easy for a parent to leave his or her child with someone else for the first time, and news stories like these don’t make it any easier. Everyone wants peace of mind when they choose a childcare provider. Generally speaking, most parents feel uncomfortable and a little guilty about leaving their children in the first place. You should do whatever you can do to eliminate some of the concern. A hidden nanny camera can give you the peace of mind you’re looking for and make it easier to leave your children with someone else.

There are many genuinely caring nannies in this world, but how can you tell if the stranger you’ve let into your home is one of the good ones? Covert camera technology makes it possible to make sure your child is getting proper care.

The hidden camera is available in many different forms. It could be the clock on the wall in the baby’s bedroom, a teddy bear on the shelf, or even the VCR or table lamp in the living room. They are easy to install, and can be either wired or wireless depending on your situation. If you are considering purchasing a hidden nanny cam, take the time to do a little research and determine the best one for you. Then decide whether or not you should tell your caregiver that there is a nanny cam in the house somewhere.

While it is perfectly legal to use a hidden nanny cam to keep watch over the nanny without her knowledge, should a nanny find out that she’s being monitored and recorded without her knowledge; you may run the risk of losing a valuable employee. Studies and polls show that most honest nannies are not against the use of video surveillance, just the use of it in secret. If you monitor them in secret and they find out, then any bond of trust between you and your nanny could be instantly broken.

On the other hand, if you tell them that the nanny cams are not there just to monitor her, but they are there for general home security, then she will feel that you trust her, because you told her. And as a bonus, if she knows she’s being video taped, any temptation to lash out at your child may be held in check, even on her most frustrating of days.

When hiring a nanny, parents should complete a background check, which included the person’s criminal, employee and worker’s compensation history as well as licensing verification. But sometimes a check still does not guarantee the children are free from abuse. Parents should try to spend time with a prospective caregiver and observe them in a discreet way. Families should interview the person themselves, not relying solely on the placing agency.

The most important thing is for a parent to know their child and to pick up on clues that something might be wrong, such as a normally energetic child suddenly becoming lethargic or you find unexplained bruises and scratches. Another key sign that something might be wrong is if your child starts to become overly anxious when it’s time for you to leave them with the caregiver.

Hidden cameras can be used for many other reasons than just childcare. The devices can be used while your home is being cleaned, for security reasons, or just to keep an eye on things when you’re not there. However, spy shops indicate the leading reason continues to be to monitor care providers. I personally have noticed a 20% increase in the purchase of hidden cameras over the last two years. While this is good for my business, I’m not sure what it says about our society.

By: SA Rubin

About the Author:
SA Rubin is the owner of North American Security Products, LLC. A company dedicated to providing you with the means to protect and defend yourself against crime. For more information on Hidden cameras, visit http://www.nasecurityproducts.com where you’ll find a complete line of surveillance equipment for your home and business. Copyright: 2006



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3 Ways to Protect Your Kids With a Nanny Background Check

Author: admin

Feb 24



I know, I know – you’re hoping that the second you post your “Nanny Wanted” ad, the perfect candidate will come sweeping into your living room like a modern-day Mary Poppins. I hate to break it to you, but finding a nanny is a lot more complicated these days, when even the nicest-looking of candidates could be hiding a past history of serious criminal convictions.

It’s clear that you need to do something, but how can you weed out the bad apples from the bunch in order to protect your children? Why, with a nanny background check, of course! Here’s how to use a nanny background check to help keep your kids safe:

o Double check basic facts – A good public records search database will allow you to look up things like names (including maiden or other prior names), current addresses and telephone numbers. When you search for a potential nanny’s name, see if the records that come up match what he or she put on the application. Differences between the two might not be serious (for example, the nanny may have recently moved or canceled a land line phone), but they should still be looked into.

o Learn more about the candidate – For example, a nanny candidate who’s moved several times in the last few years may be someone who has a hard time finding and keeping fulfilling work. Or, a record of several past divorces may indicate someone who won’t be a stable role model for your children. Of course, you can’t judge a person’s complete character by his or her public records, but they can provide some interesting insights that won’t come out in the interview, when both of you are on your best behavior.

o Discover criminal records – Of course, the most obvious reason to use a nanny background check is to uncover past criminal convictions. Don’t automatically disqualify a nanny based on what you find – a single petty crime years in the past isn’t unheard of, and as long as the candidate fesses up to the incident and offers a good explanation, it may be nothing to worry about. However, any serious crimes – especially those relating to children – should be deal-breakers in your search for the perfect nanny.

By: Jennifer Dixon

About the Author:
If you’re ready to learn the truth about your nanny candidates, visit http://www.Pro-Public-Records.com. For just a few dollars a month, you get unlimited access to more than 400 million public records, including criminal records, birth records, marriage records and more!

Don’t get taken advantage of! Protect yourself – and your children – with a nanny background check today!



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