General Safety
What type of precautions does Care.com take help maintain a safe community?
We take certain precautions to help maintain a safe community. For example, we may check certain member information against various databases and other sources for criminal or other inappropriate activity. In addition, our dedicated safety team reviews profiles for suspicious and inappropriate content and investigates job posts, profiles, and messages that are flagged by our members as objectionable. If based on these activities we determine a member may be unsafe or inappropriate to participate in Care.com we will terminate the member’s participation.
While we view these safety precautions as important, any screening of a member and his or her information by Care.com is limited and should not be taken as complete, accurate, or conclusive of the member’s suitability as an employer or carer. Members are solely responsible for selecting an appropriate employer or carer for themselves or their family, and employers are solely responsible for obtaining and reviewing any necessary DBS (CRB) or other identity, verification, background, or reference checks before hiring a carer. Each employer is also responsible for verifying the age of the carer they select, as well as that carer’s eligibility to work in the UK.
Does Care.com verify the information members provide in their profiles or job postings or post in other areas of the site?
Generally, we do not verify the accuracy of the information members post on the website. Please be sure to verify the information that is important to you before hiring a caregiver.Â
What steps does Care.com take to protect my information?
We have built a secure messaging system that enables you to communicate through Care.com instead of your personal email. That way, you only share your contact information if and when you feel comfortable.
We have also set up industry-recognized safeguards to help protect your information from unauthorized access, including:
- Using SSL (Secure Socket Layer), the industry standard method for computers to communicate securely without risk of manipulation or recipient impersonation. We utilize SSL in the online registration process, in the login process, and in the account management section of the site.
- Using strong encryption technology to protect sensitive information.
- Employing firewalls and system monitoring to protect against unauthorized access of our systems.
Your user accounts are also protected by the password you use to access your online account with Care.com, and we urge you to take steps to keep your password safe. If you feel your password has been compromised, you should change it immediately by logging into your account and visiting the “Account Info & Settings” section. And after each visit, you should log out of your Care.com account and exit your browser.
We take these precautions in an effort to protect your information against security breaches. However, this is not a guarantee that such information may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by breach of such firewalls and secure server software.
What does Care.com do if it learns a member is unsafe or has acted inappropriately in Care.com’s opinion?
If Care.com learns a member may be unsafe or has acted inappropriately, we immediately remove the member from Care.com. In the event of an investigation, Care.com cooperates fully with the authorities.
What are my responsibilities in making safe decisions for my family and me?
Ultimately, all hiring decisions are up to you. Please make sure you have done your research and feel comfortable with the carer before hiring.
Hiring Carers
What types of third-party checks should I do on a carer?
It’s important to perform your own independent search on your candidates to narrow your search. Search the web for their name to see if there are any news articles about them. Contact your local council’s children’s services team or Sure Start Children’s Centre to obtain publicly held lists or information which may include your candidates’ details and work history. You should also try to locate them on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social networks.
What should I do if I find out negative information after doing my own search?
Please contact our Member Care team if you uncover any suspicious or inappropriate information, so that we can take the necessary actions.
What is a DBS (CRB) Check and how do I review a DBS (CRB) Check?
From 1st December 2012, CRB checks became DBS checks. The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is now called the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) – CRB checks are now called DBS checks.
A DBS check may be needed for certain jobs or voluntary work – like working with children, or in healthcare. The Disclosure and Barring Service will now replace the old CRB check. Don’t forget that there are difference rules for those resident in Northern Ireland and Scotland, please click through for those regulations.
Carers have indicated on their profiles whether or not they’ve completed a DBS (CRB) check, but carers’ DBS (CRB) checks have not been verified by Care.com. You can use whether or not they’ve completed a DBS (CRB) check as a preliminary screening tool to narrow your list of candidates, but you should be sure to ask carers to bring their DBS (CRB) checks to their interviews so that you can review them.
Here’s what’s covered in both a standard and an enhanced DBS (CRB) check:
Standard Disclosure
- Unspent convictions
- Spent convictions
- Cautions, warnings, reprimands
Enhanced Disclosure (plus with lists):
- Unspent convicions
- Cautions, warnings, reprimands
- Children’s barred list
- Vulnerable adults’ barred list
- Relevant information held by the police forces
How accurate are the results of DBS (CRB) checks?
DBS (CRB) checks may not always be 100% accurate or complete. In addition, they only relate to activities that occurred prior to the date of the check, so they may not cover recent activity. Nevertheless, they can uncover important information you may not get from an interview or other screening you may do, so we encourage all families seeking care to request them from each candidate they are seriously considering.Â
Where should I conduct my in-person interview?
It’s a good idea to conduct your first in-person meeting at a public location, such as a coffee shop.
What should I ask the carer to bring to the interview?
Request to see a photo ID of the potential carer to confirm that he or she is who they claim to be. Also, request documentation to verify any other information that is important to you, such as a copy of their DBS (CRB) check.
When should I introduce my final candidate to my family?
Have your top choices individually meet your family after the initial meeting. Bonus: this practice run might actually give you the best insight into which applicant will be the best fit.
For Carers
Why should I communicate through Care.com’s messaging system?
Privacy – We suggest you send all of your initial messages through Care.com instead of using your personal email. That way, you only share your contact information if and when you feel comfortable enough. So instead of sharing your contact information every time you apply for a job, you only share it with a select few potential employers.
Convenience – All of your messages, such as replies to job posts, are in one central place. No searching through hundreds of emails in your inbox, no hunting for a sticky note that’s wandered off. Simple and fast, just the way you want it.
What types of third-party checks should I do on an individual or family seeking care?
It is important to perform your own independent search to ensure you are being hired by someone you would be comfortable working for. Search the web for their name to see if there are any news articles about them. It is also possible to obtain public information in other ways, such as via your local authority. You should also try to locate them on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social networks.
What should I do if I find out negative information after doing my own search?
Please contact our Member Care team if you uncover any suspicious and/or inappropriate information so that we can take the necessary actions.
What types of things should be reported to Care.com?
Any inappropriate activity—whether it’s spam, a scam, or suggestive—we’d like to know.
How do I report inappropriate content to Care.com?
If you experience any type of inappropriate interactions with another member or see anything inappropriate on the site, email MemberCareUK@care.com.
What does Care.com do when someone has been reported?
We have a dedicated Safety team that investigates all flags by our members. Once a flag is received the Safety team investigates on a case-by-case basis. If the content violates our terms, we will immediately close the user’s account.
Where should I schedule my in-person interview?
It’s a good idea to have your first in-person meeting at a public location, such as a coffee shop.
I received a job offer that seems “too good to be true.” What should I do?
If a job offer seems “too good to be true,” then it probably is. You should be extra cautious if you receive a message offering employment and advance payment by cheque without an interview with the family or even a phone call.
What should I do if a potential employer wants to send me advanced payment?
Carers should be extra cautious if they receive messages offering employment and advance payment by cheque without an interview with the family or even a phone call. This is a common internet job scam, which occasionally targets sites offering babysitters, nannies, and other carers. Never accept payment without having first met the employer and gone through an interview process. Never accept payment by cheque for an amount which is greater that what you agreed upon. Never wire or transfer money back to someone who pays you by cheque.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns or with reports of any suspicious activity within the Care.com community. You can find out more about internet job scams at Fraud.org.