New Service Helps Parents Really Know Their Nanny

Many working parents hire nannies to take care of their children. Leaving the wee ones to return to work is hard, but finding a suitable nanny that is reliable and gets along with the kids is also a challenge.

To help parents find the right nanny, Carroll Gardens resident and mom Leah Clarkson co-founded a new background check service, Nanny Track.

Finding the right nanny can be "overwhelming," said Clarkson.

"With a nanny, the question is, 'How do you know?'" she said. "[Nanny Track] can give people a real peace of mind, because we're going to check out all the documentation that's available."

Clarkson came up with the idea of Nanny Track by literally combining two aspects of her life: motherhood and work. Clarkson has been working as a private investigator since 2002 and had her daughter in March 2008.

When someone purchases the services of Nanny Track, they receive a detailed report on the nanny in question. Nanny Track's employees scour the public record, looking for information from governmental agencies, county, state and federal courts, educational institutions, past employers, news sources, the sex-offender registry, credit check companies and more. Clarkson said the researchers don't rely on the internet either.

"We have contacts in every county," she said. "If we have to manually pull documents, we hire someone to go."

A report costs $555 and takes two weeks to complete.

But is all of this necessary? Clarkson says that with children you can never be too careful. And with Nanny Track, you can leave the judgment to someone else.

"You might have a great interaction with someone, they may get along with your kids, but if you do some research, and find out some issues, you have to step back from your emotions," she said.

One local child care service provider agrees that checking out nannies is extremely important. 

"Most people get recommendations for nannies from neighbors or friends, but how in depth and reliable is that," asked Barbara Prete, Interim Executive Director at in Cobble Hill. "How could you know too much about the person who's in your home taking care of your children?"

"I think this would be worthwhile," she added.

Local mom Katherine Lavelle said if she needed to hire a nanny she would be interested in a background check.

"I would for sure like a service like Nanny Track to ensure the safety of my children," she said. "It is essential to know your nanny before you leave kids with him or her."

Clarkson says she expects Nanny Track to be successful in Carroll Gardens and throughout South Brooklyn.

"More and more families move in everyday, it's not a demographic that's going to change" she said. "Families that are just sort of starting out need advice."