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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Reference Check on Parents?
Unregistered 12:29 PM 07-23-2019
Does anyone do a reference/Background check on the parents? Is this a good practice? do you think parents will get offended? Thanks!
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Cat Herder 12:49 PM 07-23-2019
I do.

I don't care if they get offended.

Then again, I don't ask their permission so I am not sure why or how they would be offended.
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knoxmomof2 01:32 PM 07-23-2019
I do informally. It amazes me how unaware people still are that their social media says a lot about them and people check it. If they're constantly posting selfies of them sitting in their car all made up, a billion drama filled statuses and memes about how they don't need drama and toxic people blah blah blah.... I don't want to work with them. They're drama and they're also self absorbed 😉😁 Bonus negative points if they mention fighting anyone! Haha....I've been right every time I had a negative impression of someone based on their Facebook page. I don't let it stop me from interviewing, but they're walking in with 1 red flag already.
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Meeko 05:24 PM 07-23-2019
Originally Posted by knoxmomof2:
I do informally. It amazes me how unaware people still are that their social media says a lot about them and people check it. If they're constantly posting selfies of them sitting in their car all made up, a billion drama filled statuses and memes about how they don't need drama and toxic people blah blah blah.... I don't want to work with them. They're drama and they're also self absorbed 😉😁 Bonus negative points if they mention fighting anyone! Haha....I've been right every time I had a negative impression of someone based on their Facebook page. I don't let it stop me from interviewing, but they're walking in with 1 red flag already.
I do the same.
I once checked out the FB page of a parent who seemed nice on the phone. Her FB was full of obscene language and memes, video of her laughing as her son threw up in the bathroom and comments that made me do further research. Turned out both she and her husband were felons for drug trafficking!!! PASS!!!
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e.j. 06:07 PM 07-23-2019
Originally Posted by Meeko:
I do the same.
I once checked out the FB page of a parent who seemed nice on the phone. Her FB was full of obscene language and memes, video of her laughing as her son threw up in the bathroom and comments that made me do further research. Turned out both she and her husband were felons for drug trafficking!!! PASS!!!
As I read your reply I was thinking, "It can be hard to tell what people are really like on FB. My own adult kids post things that make me cringe sometimes but they're good people - just lack some judgement at times " but wow! Felons for drug trafficking! Good thing you did some additional research!
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Unregistered 08:07 PM 07-23-2019
OP here. Thanks for everyones responses. Just to follow up. Do you or is it ok to call the previous daycare as why they're trying to switch? Most family will talk about it but is it ok to confirm it yourself?
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Blackcat31 06:22 AM 07-24-2019
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
OP here. Thanks for everyones responses. Just to follow up. Do you or is it ok to call the previous daycare as why they're trying to switch? Most family will talk about it but is it ok to confirm it yourself?
I don't and wouldn't call previous care providers.

I set my program policies up to protect me and my business.

Any prior issues a family/child had in another program is none of my business nor does it effect my business in any way.

As a provider if another provider called me and asked about a past family I wouldn't give any information to them other than confirming I no longer provide care.

Anything beyond that is a breach of confidentiality and is unprofessional in my opinion.

Most child care programs have a trial period to figure out if a family or child is or isn't a good fit.
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Cat Herder 07:17 AM 07-24-2019
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
OP here. Thanks for everyones responses. Just to follow up. Do you or is it ok to call the previous daycare as why they're trying to switch? Most family will talk about it but is it ok to confirm it yourself?
I can't tell you why they left and can only discuss the childs academic and care needs with you with parent permission.

Many times a child will thrive in a new environment so it really benefits no one. Blank slate is best for kids.

Now, payment issues can be reported but are not as often as you would think.
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Cat Herder 07:26 AM 07-24-2019
To clarify, I am really only screening for adult violent offenses and recent drug charges. I respect those who have turned their lives around and don't hold that against them.

This is my home and I am alone with six small children all day. That is more souls than I can carry and run, so a little prevention is common sense. Nothing more.
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Unregistered 01:05 PM 07-24-2019
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
I can't tell you why they left and can only discuss the childs academic and care needs with you with parent permission.

Many times a child will thrive in a new environment so it really benefits no one. Blank slate is best for kids.

Now, payment issues can be reported but are not as often as you would think.
OP here again. Thank you and totally make sense. I’ll be building a different relationship with them than they did previously to other daycare. I’m interested to know how can I screen for major offenses?
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MelissaP 01:46 PM 07-24-2019
I honestly check facebook first and then I also check our states public records. If a parent has any felonies at all, specifically drugs, domestics, kid related things.. I don't even tour. I also do a general google search. I'm sure they are doing the same with me, so I don't find offense with anything.

You can usually bank on if the parent is looking for care for a 3-4 year old, they were asked to leave the last place or they left because of some certain reason *the parent not getting their way*. I had a family with two kids come in and tour last fall and the kids (3 and 4) were on great behavior. Awesome kids.. turns out it was just a show. They were awful and had so many discipline issues I had to term after a month. They told me they left the last place because the kids were getting sick so much. They were awesome on their own (without each other, with exception for the little one having serious separation anxiety from his older brother) but together it was bad. Mom and dad knew and were excepting of the suggestions that I gave. I've ran into this more then once over the years of being in child care.
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Cat Herder 01:59 PM 07-24-2019
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
OP here again. Thank you and totally make sense. I’ll be building a different relationship with them than they did previously to other daycare. I’m interested to know how can I screen for major offenses?
Public records.

https://www.publicrecordsofficial.co...c6b300bd42a845
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amazingchristianacademy 01:28 PM 08-02-2019
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I don't and wouldn't call previous care providers.

I set my program policies up to protect me and my business.

Any prior issues a family/child had in another program is none of my business nor does it effect my business in any way.

As a provider if another provider called me and asked about a past family I wouldn't give any information to them other than confirming I no longer provide care.

Anything beyond that is a breach of confidentiality and is unprofessional in my opinion.

Most child care programs have a trial period to figure out if a family or child is or isn't a good fit.

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Meeko 01:55 PM 08-03-2019
Checking up on parents is something I always do now.

I found out about the drug traffickers (see above post) that way. I found out one of the DCD's that used to come and hang out was a registered sex offender (rape of a child)...that one changed EVERYTHING.
We also did a "trade" deal with a DCD who was very handy. He did good work, but was slow and would whine to my husband and myself about how hard up he was and wished we were paying him cash instead of daycare services. I checked up on him and found he has a rap sheet for check fraud, theft, conning seniors etc. He had been very insistant on getting work done here when we weren't home. We always refused and are now very glad we did. I am sure stuff would have gone missing.

You can NEVER be too careful. Our training rep told us at a licensing training class that she recommended running a check on parents. She said you have a right to know who is coming into your home.
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trix23 08:40 AM 08-06-2019
Originally Posted by Meeko:
Checking up on parents is something I always do now.

I found out about the drug traffickers (see above post) that way. I found out one of the DCD's that used to come and hang out was a registered sex offender (rape of a child)...that one changed EVERYTHING.
We also did a "trade" deal with a DCD who was very handy. He did good work, but was slow and would whine to my husband and myself about how hard up he was and wished we were paying him cash instead of daycare services. I checked up on him and found he has a rap sheet for check fraud, theft, conning seniors etc. He had been very insistant on getting work done here when we weren't home. We always refused and are now very glad we did. I am sure stuff would have gone missing.

You can NEVER be too careful. Our training rep told us at a licensing training class that she recommended running a check on parents. She said you have a right to know who is coming into your home.


Wow, that's absolutely crazy, both of those! I definitely don't have someone work in my home when I'm gone for any reason, unless I've worked with them numerous times before and feel I can trust them. Not many get that freedom.
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Mom2Two 11:29 AM 08-09-2019
Originally Posted by Meeko:
Checking up on parents is something I always do now.

I found out about the drug traffickers (see above post) that way. I found out one of the DCD's that used to come and hang out was a registered sex offender (rape of a child)...that one changed EVERYTHING.
We also did a "trade" deal with a DCD who was very handy. He did good work, but was slow and would whine to my husband and myself about how hard up he was and wished we were paying him cash instead of daycare services. I checked up on him and found he has a rap sheet for check fraud, theft, conning seniors etc. He had been very insistant on getting work done here when we weren't home. We always refused and are now very glad we did. I am sure stuff would have gone missing.

You can NEVER be too careful. Our training rep told us at a licensing training class that she recommended running a check on parents. She said you have a right to know who is coming into your home.
and woah!!!!

Facebook can tell you some things about personality, but there are those who are pretty fake on facebook.
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Tags:background check, criminal records check, provider watch, public records, social media
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