Our agency was approached by a young mother with a question familiar to many parents: can you fully trust a future nanny? The candidate seemed ideal: excellent references from previous jobs, a pleasant appearance, a friendly character. The mother wanted to find the most reliable and caring person for her baby — someone who would become almost part of the family.
References No One Wrote
The check quickly showed that first impressions were deceptive. Despite the glowing reviews, the woman had no real experience working with children. All her references turned out to be forged: they had been written on behalf of people who had never dealt with her.
Registered with a Psychiatrist
But the main discovery was yet to come. For several years the candidate had been registered with a psychiatrist, and her diagnoses could seriously affect how she would behave with a child in a stressful or conflict situation. For the mother this came as a shock — and at the same time a relief: she saw the danger before leaving her child with this person.
Behind a sweet smile there may be a person completely unprepared to care for a child.
Why a Nanny Must Be Checked
A child needs not only care but also safety, and appearances and words can be deceiving. Forged documents, invented references, a hidden medical history — these are only part of what can lie behind the image of the “perfect” nanny. And this happens far more often than people think.
A nanny check answers several questions:
- do the people who gave the references exist, and did she really work for them;
- does she have real experience with children;
- are her documents genuine;
- is there anything in her past that makes her dangerous to a child.
Parents can rarely get these answers on their own: calling the number on a reference does not tell you who actually picked up the phone.
A background check is not a formality but a necessary step. It is better to spend time on it than to pay for carelessness later. We check a nanny, a housekeeper or anyone else you trust with your family — and you make your decision knowing who will really come into your home.