Daycare Staff Preemployment Background Screens
It is vital to conduct preemployment background screens when opening a daycare. These checks safeguard both you and the children in your care. They establish two things. The first is to verify that the person applying for the position within your childcare center is indeed the person they claim to be. The second would be to expose any criminal history which could prove detrimental to the safety of all concerned. Preemployment background checks can also incorporate a drugs tests. The safety of staff and children plus avoiding future legal challenges are the main reasons you should conduct said checks.
Anyone who applies for employment at your daycare should be given a preemployment background screen contract. This form should inform the potential employee that they are providing you with the permission to conduct an investigation on them. You may, like many companies, provide an option for them to consent to a drugs test. You can make consent necessary for employment consideration. Being that you are opening a child care service center, this is something you should definitely consider. The safety of the children is paramount.
When conducting preemployment background screens, it is imperative that you find a dependable outside company to work with that will provide these services to you at a good rate. Many of these companies offer discounts to new businesses, and businesses that deal with children, such as a daycare. It is important to inquire about any special rates and/or discounts when researching various companies that provide background check services. You should also contact the insurance provider of your daycare center to determine if you can receive discounts on your insurance costs due to the fact that you require preemployment background screening.
Certain information is not permissible, by law, to be used in determining the suitability of a candidate. For example you cannot use a disability as grounds for deeming someone unworthy of employment. Nor can you use previous debts, low credit scores or medical conditions. These would be considered discrimination and could land you in a lot of trouble. However, you need to assess the overall welfare of your daycare center when considering any of the above because if they were to pose a significant danger to any aspect of your business or the people therein i.e a severely contagious disease, then you may have grounds for not hiring an individual.
Realize that timing is vital when organizing your background checks for potential employees of your new daycare business. The results may take up to two weeks to return although many companies may respond in as little as three days. However, these services will be relatively more expensive. So, plan your recruitment drive with this point in mind. It is important for you to place the returned screening in a file designed to track documents on that particular person in your daycare center. This is sensitive and personal information so keep it in a secure place.
If you are opening a daycare center, it is essential to ensure that you conduct preemployment background screens on all employees. This should even include employees that do not directly deal with the children, such as janitors. It is important to ensure that your center has the highest rated safety in order to succeed.
Fiona Lohrenz drew on her 10 years experience of running a day care to found ChildCareOnly.com and produce a 'How to Start a ChildCare Business' DVD guide: StartChildCare.com Fiona can be reached at her website: ChildCareOnly.com
Published January 10th, 2008
Filed in Women
