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Hiring a nanny to care for your child is a very important decision. Your candidate will be responsible for the well-being of your child and you need to know if they are up to the task. While you're away from the home, the last thing you should be worrying about is whether or not you made the right decision selecting an individual. There must be no doubt in your mind that you have confidence in your nanny.

1. Criminal Check - One of the most important aspects to consider for your potential candidate is the need to know if he or she has been involved in criminal activities. However, not all criminal activities can be damaging to an individual or those around them. For instance, it is possible to face jail time if someone repeatedly drives without insurance. They can be the safest drivers in the world, but the law requires that slip of paper in order to operate a vehicle. Does that mean he or she could put your child in danger? Not necessarily. If an accident was to occur, it would happen regardless if the driver is insured or not.

2. Experience - Dig deeper into the experiences of the candidate. Questions involving his or her experience could help determine if the fit is right between you. Ask about further details regarding his or her responsibilities during their employment elsewhere. He or she may have skills that you would like to see in a candidate but didn't think to add in the application. For those without previous child care experience, still inquire about responsibilities at other locales. You'd be amazed by how many skills are picked up for child care at some of the most mundane of employment types.

3. Training - Find out if your candidate has had any formal training in fields that could be incorporated into your needs. Child care training of any kind is always welcome, but if he or she has had a cooking class or other extracurricular activity for the home it could be a good sign. Ask about first aid or CPR background training as you want someone who can respond to an emergency should one arise. Find out if the candidate would be averse to taking a child care course provided by your local social services office. Many of these locations will provide the course for free and it could be very intuitive. In fact, it wouldn't hurt to join your employee at these courses to further hone your own child care abilities.

4. Background Check - In order to collaborate and compare what you have learned about your prospective candidate, you need to have a background check completed. This will help you determine if the candidate is truthful or if they are hiding bits of their past that they don't want you to know about. The more detailed the check, the more information you can gain. The more you know about your candidate, the more confident you will become when deciding on whether or not he or she is the right person for the job.

Your nanny needs to be a person that your child can look up to and respect. They may be spending a great deal of time together and you need someone that can be a positive role model for behavior and life. Your child is a sponge and they will integrate specific behaviors from those they wish to emulate. Make sure you have confidence in your decision and choose the best candidate that suits your needs.

Author Bio

Sara is an active nanny as well as an active freelance writer. She is a frequent contributor of www.nannypro.com.  Learn more about her http://www.nannypro.com/blog/sara-dawkins/.