People working in childcare centres, family day care and OOSH care are all required to hold a working with children check, however nannies, babysitters and au pairs are not. For this reason, CareforKids.com.au strongly recommends you obtain a police clearance and reference checks for the carer you are considering.
Police checks and references
Police clearances screen for criminal offences for which a person has already been caught. These offences may have been a long while ago so may be of restricted value, however talking to a person's former employer will help you gain a clearer picture of the person you are considering hiring.
- How long did this person work for you?
- What were their job duties and responsibilities?
- Were they flexible and open to change?
- How old was the child or children they cared for?
- Why did they leave?
- Were you satisfied with their job performance? Why or why not?
Working with children checks
You may need to ask them to complete a working with children check if they don't already have a valid, employee card. There are different rules for each state so make sure you're up to date with your state or territories Working With Children Check laws.
Ultimately, the decision and responsibility of hiring any carer rests with you. Be sure you have the facts regarding previous employment, criminal records, driving records, immigration and visa status so that you can make the most informed decision possible.
Agency help
If you are using an agency to source a carer, ensure your chosen agency has completed the required background checks on its candidates. If you can't source this information online, call the agency to discuss their process for interviewing, vetting and reference checking their listed carers.
To check that the agency has completed the background checks simply make sure that when you are viewing the search results and carer profiles on-line that the appropriate icon is listed or that the screening and background check boxes have been ticked.
You can also ring the agency or childcare provider to discuss their process for interviewing, vetting of carers and for the reference check details.
