Background Check vs Reference Check: What’s the Difference When Hiring a Nanny?

A great interview is just one step in the hiring process. For families looking to hire a nanny or household staff, understanding the difference between a background check and a reference check—and ensuring you execute both effectively—ensures you hire with confidence, clarity, and true peace of mind.

Hiring a nanny, family assistant or newborn care specialist is a complicated, multi-step process. If you’ve gotten past the interview stage and have settled on a candidate, you may think to yourself: let’s just extend an offer—they seem so nice, qualified and great.

But before you draw up the paperwork and skip to the finish line, one of the most important steps in the entire hiring process is the background check and reference checks. Because just like you’d never let your kiddo ride in a car without a seat belt or allow them to cross the street without holding your hand, you shouldn’t skip the essential safety checks when hiring a nanny to care for them. 

Understanding the difference between a background check vs reference check—and how both play distinct and critical roles in the vetting process—helps ensure you’re making a confident, informed hiring decision.

What’s a Nanny Background Check?

A nanny background check is table stakes when hiring and inviting any caregiver into your home. It typically includes: 

• Criminal history search both on the local and federal level
  
• Sex offender registry check
  
• Identity and address history verification
  
• Driving record check (if applicable)

To commence a nanny background check, you do need written consent from the candidate. Results, which typically take 1-2 business days for basic checks and 3-5 business days for more comprehensive checks including employment and education verification, will ideally verify that all information provided by your prospective nanny is accurate and truthful. 

What a nanny background check won’t reveal is the nuances of finding the right fit for your family and child’s needs. Think: temperament, reliability, emotional compatibility and skill. These factors, which are just as important as what’s on your candidate’s resume, can be evaluated during a paid working trial.

This is why a multi-step hiring approach matters. Like peeling an onion, each layer reveals new insight, ultimately, giving you the clarity and confidence to make a truly informed decision.

Want support navigating background and reference checks the right way? Start your family intake form and we’ll guide you through every step.

What’s a Nanny Reference Check?

While background checks are typically handled by a third-party service or agency like Hello Nanny!, a nanny reference check involves speaking directly to former employers via phone or video call. We suggest not checking references by email since having an honest parent-to-parent conversation is more meaningful and will likely reveal takeaways that would not normally be conveyed in an email exchange. 

If you’ve narrowed down your candidate pool and are serious about hiring, ask your candidate for a minimum of 2-3 past professional references. When reaching out these former employers, consider asking questions about your candidate’s:

• Reliability and punctuality
  
• Child engagement style
  
• Discipline approach
  
• Communication habits
  
• Reason for leaving
  
• Would they rehire?

A reference check reveals much more than dates of employment history. The conversation will hopefully leave you with an impression of how the candidate showed up to their former job, how they handled conflict or challenging situations and their caregiving style. 

Professional nanny placement agencies, like Hello Nanny!, are experienced in identifying red flags, verifying employment history, and knowing which questions reveal meaningful insight. Whether families screen candidates independently or work with an agency, thorough reference checks are a non-negotiable best practice for hiring and managing a nanny with confidence.

Related: 5 Nanny Screening Tips Every Family Should Know

Background Check vs Reference Check: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to hiring a caregiver, it’s important to understand what each step will actually tell you and reveal about your prospective employee. The simplest way to think about background check vs reference check is this:

• Background checks verify facts.
  
• Reference checks verify experience and behavior.

While both matter, they each serve very different purposes in the hiring process. They each reveal different information and together, will provide a full picture of your prospective employee. 

	Background Check	Reference Check
What It Tells You	What’s in public record	What it’s like to work with them
Focus	Verified facts	Real-world experience and fit
Includes	Criminal history, identity verification, sex offender registry search, driving record and more.	Conversations with past employers focused on reliability, temperament, fit, communication and performance.
How It’s Conducted	Run through a screening service with candidate’s written consent	Direct phone or video conversations with former families
Who Does It	Third-party service or an experienced placement agency like Hello Nanny!	Hiring family or an experienced placement agency like Hello Nanny!
What Is Confirms	Safety and legal history	Character, caregiving style, strengths and areas for growth
Best For	Risk mitigation and compliance	Culture and lifestyle fit, and daily compatibility

Need help executing your background check or reference check? Connect with our team and learn more about our background check options here. 

Why You Need Both When Hiring a Nanny

A nanny background check ensures there are no legal or safety concerns hiding beneath the surface or that your candidate provided misleading or inaccurate information. A nanny reference check ensures the glowing in-person impression holds up when you speak to families who’ve actually employed them.

Here’s why you need both:

• A background check protects your household from preventable risk.
  
• A reference check protects your day-to-day experience.
  
• Together, they give you a 360° view of the person caring for your children.

One without the other leaves a gap because a clean record doesn’t automatically mean someone is reliable, communicative, or aligned with your parenting style. And, rave references don’t replace the need for verified safety screening.

When you’re inviting someone into your home—and into your child’s world—you want to feel as confident as possible in your hiring decision with absolutely no grey area or second guessing if you made the right choice. With a background check and reference check, you’ll get a birds eye, 360° view of your candidate as a whole, ensuring you’re able to make the most informed and responsible hiring decision. 

How an Agency Can Help with a Background Check and Reference Check

Parents are multi-tasking wonders, but even the most adept parent can use help, especially when it comes to hiring a nanny or household support. Because by the time you’ve narrowed down a candidate, you’re already juggling interviews, schedules, and the emotional weight of the decision. Adding legal compliance, screening logistics, and reference outreach on top of that can feel overwhelming.

This is where working with an agency changes the experience.

A reputable and experienced agency doesn’t just run a nanny background check—they ensure it’s done properly, with written consent, compliant screening processes, and the appropriate level of search based on your family’s needs. They know what to look for, how to interpret findings, and when something requires context versus concern. And, they’re able to flag and interpret any potential red flags that you may have overlooked. 

On the reference side, agencies go deeper than a quick call. A thorough nanny reference check includes structured conversations, specific scenario-based questions, and follow-ups that uncover patterns in reliability, communication, and caregiving style. Because agencies conduct these calls regularly, they’re trained to listen for nuance and not just surface-level praise.

Most importantly, an agency brings objectivity to the entire process. When you’re excited about a candidate, it’s easy to hear what you want to hear. A third party ensures the entire screening process remains consistent, thorough, and unbiased.

Hiring shouldn’t feel complicated. Finding the right candidate—and ensuring you’re following the proper steps to do so—should make you feel confident and secure in your final decision. And when both the background check and reference check are handled professionally, you move forward knowing the decision rests on more than instinct alone.

If you’re ready to find a nanny or household staff you can wholeheartedly trust, begin your family intake form—we’ll take it from there.

Background Check vs Reference Check: Don’t Skip on Either

We completely understand the urge to cut corners when you think you’ve found the right candidate to hire: you like them, can picture them in your home, and their résumé seems stellar. When childcare feels urgent—or you’re simply relieved to have found someone wonderful—it’s tempting to move quickly and trust your gut.

While a parent’s intuition is nothing to ignore, it’s equally as important to adhere to the proper hiring protocols, which include a background check and reference check.

A nanny background check protects your family from avoidable risk, while a nanny reference check protects the day-to-day rhythm of your home. Together, they give you clarity, confidence, and the kind of peace of mind that lets you fully welcome someone into your child’s world without any ‘what ifs’ or hesitation.

When it comes to background check vs reference check, the answer isn’t one or the other. You need both. And, if it’s simply too overwhelming to do it all yourself, there are plenty of resources like Hello Nanny! who can step in to help. 

The right caregiver deserves a thoughtful and thorough process, and your family deserves peace of mind as you take the big step of inviting a new person into your home and family. 

Ready to hire with confidence instead of just hoping for the best? Complete the family intake form and let’s build your search the right way.

FAQs

When do I need to re-run a background check? 

It’s smart to re-run a background check if there’s been a long break in employment (typically a year or more) or if your nanny’s role changes significantly — like adding driving duties. Many families also re-screen periodically for peace of mind during long-term placements.

How much does a background check cost?

Costs vary depending on how comprehensive the screening is, but most professional nanny background checks range from about $50 to a few hundred dollars. The depth of the search— county, state, federal, driving record—impacts the price. Our agency has three different tiers, depending on your needs, with fees starting at $59 per candidate. 

How long does a background check take?

Most checks are completed within a few business days, though more in-depth searches can take a bit longer. Timing can also depend on how quickly courts or public agencies return records.

How many references should I ask for?

Aim for a minimum of two to three recent childcare references, ideally from families where the nanny worked in a similar role. More than quantity, you’re looking for quality—detailed, specific feedback matters most.

Is a nanny background check enough?

No, a background check is only one piece of the puzzle. A background check confirms what’s on record, but a reference check tells you how someone actually shows up in a home day to day.

What does a nanny background check include?

Typically, it includes identity verification, criminal history searches, a check of the public sex offender registry, and often a driving record if the role involves transportation. Some screenings may also verify past employment.

Do nanny agencies run background checks?

Yes, reputable agencies run professional background checks as part of their vetting process. They also handle written consent and ensure the screening complies with employment laws. For Hello Nanny!’s nationwide background check options (all which are human-led), click here. 

Can I skip a background or reference check if my nanny has a lot of experience?

Experience is wonderful, but it’s not a substitute for verification. Even highly experienced caregivers should go through both a background and reference check to protect everyone involved.