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Five Safety Tips to Keep in Mind When Hiring and Employing Nannies

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If you are hiring a nanny, there are numerous steps you can take to ensure your child is as safe as possible. Wondering what to keep in mind? Here's a look at five tips to help you:

1. Trust your instincts

When you are hiring anyone to work with your kids, it's critical to trust your instincts. If something in you cries, "no" to a particular candidate, you should honour that feeling, regardless of the nanny's credentials on paper. Additionally, once you hire a nanny, continue to listen to that little voice of caution in your head, and if your children bring up any misgivings, listen to them as well.

2. Arrange care in your home.

If possible, have the nanny take care of your child in your own home. That gives you control over the environment. It also ensures that you can childproof the house in whatever way you find suitable. If you have the nanny care for your child in their home or a daycare facility, you have limited control over how potential risks such as staircases and outlets are managed.

3. Consider a camera.

Instincts are an age old protective tool, but in contemporary parenting, technology plays a role as well. So that you can check in on the nanny at any time, consider setting up a nanny cam. Many cams let you check in on what's happening using your smartphone or a laptop with internet access.

4. Schedule random check ins.

Nanny cams can be moved and tampered with, and in addition to using a camera, you may want to schedule a few random drop bys. Rather than telling the nanny when you will be home, stop by your house in the middle of the day. If that isn't possible, have a neighbour or relative stop by. This allows you to get a candid look at what is happening at any random point in the day.

5.  Use a security system with individual codes.

In addition to ensuring your children are safe with the nanny, you also want to ensure that your home is safe. If you have a security alarm, set it up with a few different codes. Then, give the nanny his or her individual code. That way, if the nanny enters the home when you are not there or gives the code to a thief, you can immediately tell that it was them and not someone else.

Finally, consider working with a staffing agency. These companies can vet potential candidates for you to ensure they have the right credentials and background to safely care for your children.

 


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