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Safety Center

CareProtect™ — Safety guides

Hiring in-home care

We’re proud of our investments in safety, but it’s important that you also take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones before and during the time you have a caregiver in your home.

Step 1

Get acquainted

  • Use Care.com’s messaging to get to know your top candidates or possible matches and avoid sharing your contact info before you’re comfortable. Communicating through Care.com protects your privacy and allows our internal safety systems to help identify improper or scam content.

  • Conduct phone or video interviews before meeting in person, whether you’re hiring a one-time sitter or a long-term caregiver.

  • For recurring care jobs, meet with your favorites in person before making a final decision.

Step 2

Get comfortable

  • Search the caregiver’s full name online and check their profiles on social media or networking sites. If care will take place in the caregiver’s home, look up their address and schedule a visit.

  • Run a background check. While all individual caregivers listed on our platform must complete a Care.com Background Check before they can interact with families, it doesn’t guarantee they’ve never had any interaction with law enforcement or the courts. Running a background check at the time of hire gives you access to additional records and provides a full report so you can apply your own standards to whatever information is present.

  • If you’re booking one-time care, allow time at the start of the visit to observe the caregiver’s behavior and make sure you’re comfortable before you leave.

Step 3

Stay alert

  • Do online searches regularly, and whenever possible, drop in unexpectedly.

  • Ask neighbors for feedback and trust your instincts.

  • If something feels off, don’t ignore it. Report a safety concern or call 911 if it is an emergency.

Safety tips & resources