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Home | Clients | Client Services | Screening & Background Checks

Screening and Background Checks

The Imperial Checklist

Nanny Screening and Background Checks

Nanny Agency London Screening

We specialise in placing Nannies and Governesses who are able to fulfil our Agency criteria as set out below.  

Our criteria to select the best Nannies & Governesses

  • A minimum of 3 years’ full-time household childcare experience
  • Certificates
    to support all qualifications
  • Recent references to validate their experience and that will also recommend their suitability to work in a childcare role
  • A valid Passport
  • Proof of home address
  • An Enhanced Data Barring Service Certificate (DBS), which is a police check. If the candidate is not a UK Resident, their country will offer the equivalent check and certificate which we can assist with
  • An valid Paediatric First Aid Certificate


Those who fulfil our criteria are then interviewed by the specialist Consultant. Their work history including duties, experience, skills, and expectations are all discussed to assess the position they would be most suited to at this stage of their career.

Once interviewed, we will verify written references before deciding if they are suitable to be an Imperial Candidate. It should be noted that not all applicants who are interviewed make the grade, generally as their expectations don’t align with our values. However, those who do are effectively known as ‘Imperials’ and we are proud to introduce them to our clients!

Enhanced DBS check for Nannies Explained

What is a DBS Disclosure?

The DBS Disclosure is a certificate which shows whether or not the Certificate holder has a criminal record. The Certificate is issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service which is a Home Office Agency dedicated solely to checking criminal records. This has replaced the former checking service known as the CRB (Criminal Records Bureau).

As part of our screening and background checks, and to give our Clients peace of mind, we ask that all Candidates apply for the Enhanced DBS Check.  

There are two levels of checks, Standard and Enhanced. All of our candidates are required to apply for the highest level as they will be working with children.

The Standard DBS check will contain details of all spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings from the Police National Computer (PNC)

The Enhanced DBS check will include any information from the PNC and may also contain:

  1. Information held by local police forces
  2. Confirmation if they are on the list of people barred from working with children as listed by the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

Some candidates when they apply to our Nanny Agency they already have their Enhanced DBS Certificate. Those candidates who do not hold a Certificate, we can assist with their on-line application. We will send them a link to complete their application in confidence where they apply directly for their DBS and upload the necessary documents. The process generally takes from 2-4 weeks depending on how many different addresses and locations the applicant has listed but we find a 2 week turnaround is more common.

The cost to registered candidates and non-registered candidates is £53. This is paid directly to the Home Office and we do not add any charges to this whatsoever.

When applying for the DBS, we highly recommend opting for The Update Service which saves time and money. By doing so, this ensures the candidate’s DBS Status is constantly up to date.
We would recommend all candidates opt for this as once the initial application is processed, the candidate’s status is always up-to-date.

The DBS Disclosure gives information held on the police database up to and including the date the Disclosure was issued. For this reason we are recommending to our candidates that they subscribe to the Update Service for £18 (£13 per annum plus £5.00 Admin Fee) so that they can give any potential employer up-to-date information at all times.

We are able to obtain information pertaining to overseas police records held on official databases for candidates who have worked overseas or who are from an overseas country.

A DBS check usually takes 2 weeks but can sometimes up to 9 weeks. You will receive a copy of the DBS Certificate at your home address stated on the application form. Depending where you are in your job search, please keep the DBS Certificate safely once it arrives. If you have already found a new job, please show it to your new employer.

References

In order to assess the applicant’s suitability to register with our Nanny Agency, we always speak to previous employers.

When applying to the Agency, the applicant will list their current and previous employers stating their contact details for us to use. We then put into process verifying references and will ask a number of questions including the childrens’ ages, their duties, their standard of work and dates of employment. All must tie up with what the applicant has advised us both on the Application Form and during the interview held with the consultant.

References enable us to gain an invaluable insight into the applicants’ work history and skills they can offer to potential employers. We will always relay the information given by previous employers to our clients which help them form an opinion on whether they would be a suitable fit for their family when considering the selection to chose from.

We always check the following:

  • A minimum of 2 references, verbally checked and verified to confirm proficiency and expertise for roles sought
  • That the Applicant has a National Insurance Number
  • Their Passport and eligibility to work in the UK including visas, if required
  • Original certificates for qualifications
  • That the candidate has an Enhanced DBS Certificate, and if not, we assist them in their application
  • Paediatric First Aid certificate is valid and up to date
  • Reasons for any gaps in employment


We confirm all candidates’ availability and their interest in the position before making the introduction. We arrange all interviews and relay feedback as quickly as possible. We also assist with the job offer and advise on the contract of employment to ensure a smooth settling in. We can also provide on-going support regarding annual pay rises, holiday entitlement, etc.

Paediatric First Aid Qualification 

All Imperials will come armed and ready with a Paediatric First Aid Certificate. Valid for 3 years, this qualification meets the Ofsted Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Childcare Register requirements for Paediatric First Aid training.

The course offers a practical, hands-on approach that delivers the training and confidence to use first aid knowledge in a real-life situation. The students are assessed throughout the course using a range of practical demonstrations, question and answer sessions, quizzes and engaging activities designed to coach and support them.

They also learn basic adult first aid skills, from how to note details of an accident to how to administer medication.

A number of organisations offer the Ofsted Recognised Qualification and run their courses in person.  

The qualification enables Imperials to understand the role and responsibilities of the Paediatric first aider and includes being able to assess an emergency situation safely.

Your Imperial will be taught to:

  • Provide first aid for an infant and a child:
  • Who is unresponsive and breathing normally, including child and infant resuscitation
  • Who is unresponsive and not breathing normally
  • Who has a foreign body airway obstruction
  • With external bleeding
  • With injuries to bones, joints and muscles(including spinal injuries)

Understand how to administer emergency first aid to an infant and a child with a chronic medical condition or sudden illness such as:

  • Sickle cell crisis
  • Diabetic emergencies
  • Asthma attack
  • Allergic reaction including anaphylactic shock
  • Meningitis
  • Febrile convulsions
  • Seizures
  • Sickness or fever

Understand how to administer first aid to an infant and a child:

  • Who is experiencing the effects of extreme heat and cold
  • Who has sustained an electric shock with burns or scalds
  • Who has been poisoned
  • Who has been bitten or stung
  • With minor injuries, including cuts, grazes, bumps and bruises, small splinters and nose bleeds
  • With conditions affecting the eyes, ears and nose
  • With head and spinal injuries
  • With anaphylaxis
  • Who is suffering from shock

Understand how to complete records relating to illnesses, injuries and emergencies.

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