Here's Why You Check Potential Families FB Pages...

[finsup]

So I get a fb message this afternoon asking if I have any openings for childcare. I say yes, I have one part time spot available. I check out all families ahead of time so I went to this person's page and right there for everyone to see was how her kids have been sick for a month now. Vomiting all the time, loosing tons of weight, multiple ER trips. But now she has to get back to work and old daycare won't take them due to the constant vomiting and refusal to pay for the spot when the kids were out (they are still out and sick this week according to the dates on the posts/comments). Then get mad because I refuse to take 2 kids when I only have ONE spot available. Yup, bullet dodged. And this is why you check out families first

[Rockgirl]

Wow, she even posted about you not taking both kids?

[Blackcat31]

So I get a fb message this afternoon asking if I have any openings for childcare. I say yes, I have one part time spot available. I check out all families ahead of time so I went to this person's page and right there for everyone to see was how her kids have been sick for a month now. Vomiting all the time, loosing tons of weight, multiple ER trips. But now she has to get back to work and old daycare won't take them due to the constant vomiting and refusal to pay for the spot when the kids were out (they are still out and sick this week according to the dates on the posts/comments). Then get mad because I refuse to take 2 kids when I only have ONE spot available. Yup, bullet dodged. And this is why you check out families first

Honestly, I have little to no faith that Facebook is an accurate portrayal of anyone.

I am glad you feel as though you've dodged a bullet......That is always cause for celebration in this line of work. happyface

[finsup]

Wow, she even posted about you not taking both kids?

Nope, that part was in messages back and forth at least. But it kind of wouldn't surprise me either...it appears like every little detail of her life goes onto fb and everything is public smh...whatever works for them I guess .

[melilley]

I always look at potential clients' FB page! So far, I've only seen one family who I didn't want to take because of what mom posted as far as her child and child care (would not be a good fit at all) and sure enough, at the interview, mom told me basically what she posted. (Child was very "active", mom COULDN'T miss any more work no matter what, etc... and I'm pregnant so I didn't think I could do it)

[permanentvacation]

I'm glad you found that information out! I also check their criminal records. I have had interviews with some fairly shady people. I started getting such a bad feeling on one interview that I checked his criminal record right after he left (he was the first one I checked) He had been in and out of jail for years for violent offenses such as using weapons during home invasions, breaking into people's homes and beating them up with his fists, violent domestic disputes, etc.

I also had one man that I found out towards the end of the first week I watched his son that he had actually kidnapped his son from the boy's mother (his ex). During that interview, I got the weirdest feeling about the family. I couldn't put my finger on it and kept telling myself that my feelings were unwarranted. But I soon found out why I felt that way and have trusted my feelings since. Here's the story on that situation...

The child didn't show up for daycare one day. I called the father and got no answer. Mid day, the father called me and told me the police had come to his house and taken the boy and were trying to say he had kidnapped his son from the child's mother. So I researched his Facebook and found the child's mother's Facebook through his. On her Facebook, she had been saying that her child was missing and that she thought the child's father had him. She was on there constantly saying that she was trying to find her son. I'm still in shock that a man kidnapped his child from the child's mother and then hired me to provide daily childcare for the child!

I had one grandmother follow their grandchild to daycare once without the parents knowing. In the middle of the day, I happened to look out the window to see some woman looking into the living room window watching the children! (This happened a few years ago when I was in a basement apartment) Luckily my assistant was with me. I told her to watch the kids and I went after the woman. I chased her away from my window and confronted her in the parking lot. She told me she was one of the children's grandmother and just wanted to see her grandchild. The parents of this particular child told me on the interview that that the grandmother was crazy so they keep the child away from the grandmother. They told me her name and told me to make sure NEVER to let the grandmother have the child. I think they were right in their opinion of the grandmother!

I sincerely believe we should check out possible clients before working with them. We are inviting complete strangers into our houses to do the interview. Then, if we agree to become the child's provider, we are inviting complete strangers into our houses on a daily basis. Typically we get comfortable with them and start telling them about our personal children, during conversation, mention which bedroom is our room and which is our child's (children's) room(s). We are allowing them around other people's children that we are responsible for. So doing home daycare does make me a little nervous about working out of my home with the general public.

But there are an astronomical amount of home daycares and for the most part, nothing bad happens to the daycare household or daycare kids from a daycare parent. So I try to not dwell on what could happen. But I do check people's background as much as I can through Facebook and criminal records.

[finsup]

I'm glad you found that information out! I also check their criminal records. I have had interviews with some fairly shady people. I started getting such a bad feeling on one interview that I checked his criminal record right after he left (he was the first one I checked) He had been in and out of jail for years for violent offenses such as using weapons during home invasions, breaking into people's homes and beating them up with his fists, violent domestic disputes, etc.

I also had one man that I found out towards the end of the first week I watched his son that he had actually kidnapped his son from the boy's mother (his ex). During that interview, I got the weirdest feeling about the family. I couldn't put my finger on it and kept telling myself that my feelings were unwarranted. But I soon found out why I felt that way and have trusted my feelings since. Here's the story on that situation...

The child didn't show up for daycare one day. I called the father and got no answer. Mid day, the father called me and told me the police had come to his house and taken the boy and were trying to say he had kidnapped his son from the child's mother. So I researched his Facebook and found the child's mother's Facebook through his. On her Facebook, she had been saying that her child was missing and that she thought the child's father had him. She was on there constantly saying that she was trying to find her son. I'm still in shock that a man kidnapped his child from the child's mother and then hired me to provide daily childcare for the child!

I had one grandmother follow their grandchild to daycare once without the parents knowing. In the middle of the day, I happened to look out the window to see some woman looking into the living room window watching the children! (This happened a few years ago when I was in a basement apartment) Luckily my assistant was with me. I told her to watch the kids and I went after the woman. I chased her away from my window and confronted her in the parking lot. She told me she was one of the children's grandmother and just wanted to see her grandchild. The parents of this particular child told me on the interview that that the grandmother was crazy so they keep the child away from the grandmother. They told me her name and told me to make sure NEVER to let the grandmother have the child. I think they were right in their opinion of the grandmother!

I sincerely believe we should check out possible clients before working with them. We are inviting complete strangers into our houses to do the interview. Then, if we agree to become the child's provider, we are inviting complete strangers into our houses on a daily basis. Typically we get comfortable with them and start telling them about our personal children, during conversation, mention which bedroom is our room and which is our child's (children's) room(s). We are allowing them around other people's children that we are responsible for. So doing home daycare does make me a little nervous about working out of my home with the general public.

But there are an astronomical amount of home daycares and for the most part, nothing bad happens to the daycare household or daycare kids from a daycare parent. So I try to not dwell on what could happen. But I do check people's background as much as I can through Facebook and criminal records.

Yikes!! I can't even imagine But yup, I now check all records, google searches and Facebook pages. It's too much of a risk not to. These are strangers coming into my home, wit h my children and know that I'm here with them alone all day. Most likely it won't ever be an issue but I would rather play it safe.

[cheerfuldom]

I check FB too. I don't trust everything I see online but you can gather info about a family. For instance, if the parents post a lot of baby wearing and cosleeping pictures, I know to ask about their expectations regarding nap time and carrying of infants. You can tell from their page that they are AP style parents. I consider myself mildly AP (I do not nap with daycare children! ) so I can then discuss what they want versus what I offer and be more aware of what to ask and what to highlight on my contract. If I see a lot of drama and fighting on their FB page, I know to stay really sensitive to their attitude and respect toward me. If they post a lot of complaints about their kids and their current daycare, I can be on guard and not manipulated by a charismatic attitude at the interview. FB has helped me interview better. It is not the only thing I use though and I do understand that one post does not correctly reflect the whole of a person......but 20 posts on custody and divorce drama does reflect an unstable situation that I don't want to be a part of for instance.

[permanentvacation]

How ironic!

A little while after I posted on here about me checking daycare parents' background, I got a call from someone looking for daycare. She told me some information that made me concerned so I researched all of the adults that would be directly related to the child attending my daycare immediately after getting off of the phone with her. The following is a perfect example of why us daycare providers should research potential clients.

The child's aunt is expecting to obtain legal guardianship of her nephew next month and is looking for daycare for her nephew. I asked what has happened in the parents' lives that would lead to her obtaining guardianship. She told me that the child's mother has lost custody due to her drug addiction. She then told me that the child's father has 'things to take care of' before he can get custody of the child again. But they expect/hope that he will get custody in a few months. SOOOO.... of course, I asked for everyone's first and last names and made sure to research them all!

The mother has been involved in drugs like the aunt said, but she's also been arrested a FEW times for burglary in a variety of degrees including burglary with a deadly weapon, and 'handgun used in committing a crime'.

The father has been arrested numerous times for drugs, violating his exparte/protective order, and assault.

The aunt (the one expecting to get guardianship and who would be hiring me and be responsible for paying me) has a past garnish on her wages and a judgement against her. Now I know I'm broke and I pay my bills late, but I've never been that bad with my finances to actually have my wages garnished or a judgement against me. Since she has handled her finances so poorly that she had that happen 2 times, I'm a bit concerned about her paying me.

I scheduled an interview for next week with her when she called today. After researching all of the adults involved in this child's life, I have decided that I do not wish to enter a business relationship with them. Therefore, I will need to call the aunt to cancel our interview.

[Unregistered]

So, perm vacay, what are you going to say! Or what did you say?... When you called to cancel!

[Annalee]

How ironic!


The aunt (the one expecting to get guardianship and who would be hiring me and be responsible for paying me) has a past garnish on her wages and a judgement against her.

.

What kind of website would have this information.. Isn't this a privacy issue? :confused:

[Little Learners]

All counties are different, but many if you go online you can see all their liens, deeds of trust, divorces, and yes orders for garnishment. The recorders office (recorded docs) is public information, as are civil, justice, and family court cases.

You can get it blocked out online, BUT you have to have good reason like be a victim of stalking, domestic abuse, work in law enforcement etc. and that includes going before a judge and getting it approved. So no it's not a protected privacy issue.

Some years back I dropped the ball, and later after some red flags found out one of my dad's had a warrant out for his arrest. I saw 2 different orders for child support in the family court, and recorded docs from 2 different women. He wasn't showing up for his court appearances and a warrant was issued by the judge. Learned to always check up on clients.

If it's a credit card garnishment or things like that, not a problem but if you see a pattern you will likely have payment problems, imo.

[Little Learners]

What kind of website would have this information.. Isn't this a privacy issue? :confused:

Many search engines will bring those cases up as well as everything from FB, Twitter, Google, even online obits. My poor friend picked up a couple, and had problem from the first week. She punched in their names and their mugshots came up for credit card and identity theft. We should always do a good background check for sure.

[Blackcat31]

What kind of website would have this information.. Isn't this a privacy issue? :confused:

In my state you can access court calendars and individual court cases so it would be easy to see if anyone has any issues with the area credit bureaus as those things are recorded on the court calendars. You can also see criminal cases, driving records and marriage and divorce records too.

The only court records that are private are those having to do with minors.

[Annalee]

In my state you can access court calendars and individual court cases so it would be easy to see if anyone has any issues with the area credit bureaus as those things are recorded on the court calendars. You can also see criminal cases, driving records and marriage and divorce records too.

The only court records that are private are those having to do with minors.

You may can here, but I have never tried. I have never had a reason to check that far into a client's life