Another news story hit this week that reported a “nanny” hired from care.com was discovered to be drunk, passed out on the job, then in a car accident after leaving the home. A terrible situation for the mother coming home to a neglected child and a drunk, passed out adult. The article referred to the adult as a “nanny” who was hired by an “agency” care.com.
The reporting reminds us of how much work we still have to do in educating the public that there are stark differences in a brick and mortar agency and that of an online resource. Many parents do not realize the limitations that surround the cursory vetting of candidates found though on line resources. Whether the parent is hiring a babysitter or a nanny, there is a depth of investigating that must be done before leaving a child alone with a new caregiver. The big take away from this story is that the candidates found on an online resource have the most minimal, if any, sort of background checking completed. And, exploring just a few pieces of an individual’s background should never give anyone a complete comfort level about a caregiver. It is about ALL the work that goes into assessing candidates –in person interviews, extensive reference checks, and professional background checks together that give the truest full picture of a new caregiver.
A safer option for parents would be to go to a nanny referral agency, sometimes referred to as a household staffing company. With a full service, all candidates have been vetted and often times have already worked with clients of that agency. Seeking an agency who is a member of APNA, the Association of Premier Nanny Agencies, can add to the comfort level of using a vetted agency who has committed to uphold the highest principles of the in-home child care and domestic staffing industry.
These services can offer not just full time, long term caregivers for hire but also short term nannies and babysitters. There are agencies who offer an “A La Carte” service which is more of the Do-It-Yourself approach with expert help as well as their full service. The idea of the “A La Carte” is that the parent who found a seemingly suitable candidate can use the agency’s experience in screening, to be certain the candidate is acceptable.
Ultimately, hiring a new caregiver whether for a few hours of babysitting or as a long term child care solution should be viewed as putting together a full puzzle and not stopping until all the pieces are in place.