The main types of check
Most nanny background checks bundle several separate searches. Knowing what each one does helps you read the report and spot the gaps.
Identity and SSN trace. This confirms the person is who they say they are and lists the names and addresses linked to their Social Security number. It isn’t a criminal check on its own. Its job is to tell the screener where else to look.
County criminal court records. Most criminal cases are filed at county level, so this is the core of a good check. A solid report searches every county where the person has lived in recent years. Ask which counties were searched and how far back.
Statewide repositories. Many states keep a central criminal records database. It can catch cases in counties you didn’t think to search, but coverage varies. Some state databases are complete and current. Others miss courts or lag behind.
Federal court records. Federal crimes, such as some fraud, drug and firearms cases, are tried in federal court and won’t show up in a county search. A federal search covers them.
Sex offender registries. The National Sex Offender Public Website, NSOPW.gov, is run by the US Department of Justice. It searches state, territory and tribal registries in one place. It’s free, and you can search it yourself by name.
Driving record (MVR). If a nanny will drive your children, even now and then, get their motor vehicle record from the state that issued their license. It shows license status, suspensions, accidents and violations such as DUIs and speeding.
Credit checks. These are rarely appropriate for a nanny. A credit history says little about how someone cares for children, and several states limit when employers can use one. Unless the job involves managing household money, skip it.
What a background check misses
A clean report means nothing turned up in the records that were searched. It doesn’t mean nothing ever happened. These are the common gaps.
Name-matching errors. Many searches match on name and date of birth. A common name can pull in someone else’s record. A misspelling or a name change can hide a real one.
Records that aren’t digitized. Some county courts still keep older records on paper or offline. A database search won’t find them. Someone has to check at the court.
Sealed and expunged records. These have been legally removed from view and shouldn’t appear on a report.
Charges in other counties. County searches usually follow the person’s address history. A case filed in a county where they never lived, say while traveling or working away, can be missed.
Anything never reported. Most worrying behavior never becomes a police report, let alone a charge. A nanny who was let go for falling asleep on the job or losing their temper with a toddler can have a spotless record.
Federal law also limits how far back screening companies can report some records. For most jobs, arrests that didn’t lead to a conviction generally can’t be reported after seven years, and some states set tighter limits.
Using a screening company: the FCRA basics
If you pay a background screening company to run a check for hiring, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) applies to you as an employer, even when you’re hiring one nanny for your own home. Here are the basics.
Written disclosure. Tell the candidate in writing that you’ll get a background report. This must be a standalone document, not a line buried in an offer letter or application.
Written consent. Get the candidate’s signed permission before the check is run. Most screening companies supply both forms and collect the signature for you.
Pre-adverse action notice. If something in the report makes you lean toward not hiring, you must first send the candidate a notice with a copy of the report and a summary of their rights under the FCRA. Then wait a reasonable time, so they can point out mistakes. Records do get mixed up.
Adverse action notice. If you then decide not to hire, send a final notice. It must name the screening company, say the company didn’t make the decision, and explain the candidate’s right to dispute the report and get a free copy.
Searching NSOPW.gov or a public court website yourself isn’t the same as ordering a report. If you find something that worries you, talk to the candidate before you decide. It may not be them.
Background check and hiring rules change and vary by state and city. If you’re unsure what applies to you, talk to an employment lawyer, a household payroll provider or the screening company you plan to use.
State rules vary
On top of the FCRA, many states and some cities have their own rules. They can limit which records a report may include, how far back it can go, when in the hiring process you can ask about criminal history, and whether you can use credit checks at all. Some of these fair-chance laws exclude household employers. Others don’t.
Before you order a check, ask the screening company which rules apply in your state and city. A reputable one will know, and will set up the report to match.
How often to re-check
A background check is a snapshot. It’s accurate on the day it was run and gets older every day after that.
Many families re-run the check once a year for a long-term nanny, with fresh written consent each time. Pull a new driving record before a nanny starts driving your kids, and again if they move states. You can search NSOPW.gov whenever you like.
It also helps to agree up front that your nanny will tell you about any new charge or license suspension. Put that in your work agreement.
On findanannyonline.com, a verified badge means we checked that one specific thing, such as an ID, a certificate or a license, on the date shown on the badge. It isn’t a background check, an endorsement or a promise about anyone’s conduct. Use badges to narrow your list, then do your own checks.
Why references and a trial day still matter
A background check screens out some known risks. It can’t tell you whether someone stays patient with a tired toddler at 5pm, shows up on time, or follows your rules when you’re not home.
That’s what the other steps are for. Call references from recent families and ask about specific situations. Pay for a trial day and watch how the person works with your child. Then trust what you notice. If something feels off and you can’t say why, it’s fine to keep looking.