CRB and other checks

[PaddingtonBearLondon]

We're hiring a nanny privately and have only ever used agencies before. Do you have any advice about getting a CRB or other security checks done please? We've heard back, very positively, from one verifiable referee so far.

your new nanny can ask a nanny agency to put a recent/new crb through for you.

(you can't put one through yourself)

You cannot apply directly for a CRB check, you need to apply through an umbrella body (e.g. a nanny agency) and it can take some time - longer probably than a (good) nanny is likely to hang around waiting for a job offer.

I believe that most experienced nanny employers place much more reliance on references (good written references, not just 'X worked for us from A to B' followed up in person by phone and/or post) than a CRB check.

If she is/will be registering with Ofsted they do a CRB check as part of the registration.

Crbs don't always take a long time mine was 2 weeks over Xmas!

In London/home counties a good nanny will get another offer within two weeks.

Thanks everyone.

She's going to be registering with Ofsted and in the meantime we've had 2 excellent written references, one of them confirmed by phone. Still trying to contact the other referee but the reference is likely to be reliable judging by the first one. So we're going ahead with a contract.

Hi PaddingtonBearLondon, if she is registering with OFSTED they will do a CRB! Good luck, hope it works out well :-)

Oooops sorry MrAnchovy... you'd already said that!