Mary Poppins Is Not Coming to Watch Your Kids

How to protect your family when hiring outside help.
by Alana Trocchia


Ray Hayes thought he could trust his nanny. He and his wife Kristin had nothing but great references for Bella Zalamea, who had worked for other families in the Manhattan building they used to live in.

Last November, on a whim, the couple decided to install surveillance equipment in their home to monitor the nanny. On day one, the camera caught Zalamea kicking, slapping and smothering their then-10-month-old baby, who was trying to walk.

Zalamea’s sentencing is scheduled for the end of March, says Ray Hayes. His daughter is fine now, despite the treatment she sustained.

In the wake of this and other incidents of nannies caught on tape, the ever-important question of where to find quality, trustworthy childcare providers resurfaces. Despite challenges, parents can take steps in order to feel secure about leaving their children in someone else’s care.

According to Steve Finkelstein of www.homestepsafety.com, “one of the greatest tools that parents can use when hiring outside help is to consider hiring only those individuals that have been personally recommended by friends, family or other trusted people.” Maria Landecho, manager of The New York Nanny Company (www.thenewyorknanny.com), which has offices in Queens and Manhattan, agrees. “Word of mouth is best. As a rule of thumb, good nannies refer good nannies.” She recommends asking around at schools, churches and places where nannies congregate— local parks, for instance.

Another option is to use an agency. Sylvia Basdeo, president and owner of Best Choice Domestics, Inc. agency in New York City, emphasizes the importance of checking references. Basdeo says that her agency pre-screens and personally interviews candidates. They also use an outside company to perform criminal and DMV background searches for felony, misdemeanor and serial offenses, plus a multi-state social security number check.

Whatever your search method— word of mouth, classified ad, agency or referral— make sure your candidate is legal, says Landecho. If problems arise, you have no recourse with an illegal United States resident. Do a background check, including a social security trace, and verify that the candidate has a work visa or green card with their name and picture on it.

A good demeanor and a good attitude— no bitterness towards former employers— are important when interviewing prospective employees, says Basdeo. She also looks for employment stability— for instance, at least two years with one family and checkable references. Landecho seeks punctual, presentable candidates and checks their ability to read and write English with a ten-page, multiple-choice application and essay. She watches for gaps in employment history and reasons for leaving prior jobs.

Hayes advises others to check references of people who’ve had the person work for them. However, “All checks don’t mean jack if that woman decides to kick your infant,” Hayes says. “You have to watch. Behind closed doors, you’ll never know. Thank God for surveillance.”

Finkelstein concurs. “Surveillance systems should be implemented at the beginning of employment and should continue for at least three to six months thereafter. If caregivers were going to perform their job at a substandard level, they tend to do this once they become comfortable in their working environment. Typically, caregivers try to make a good impression at the beginning… when a caregiver ‘feels out their territory’— they learn when the parent(s) telephone them, who stops in, who the doorman is, neighbors, etc.— they may be more likely to perform poorly.”

“If you have any inkling [of misdoing] you should have it checked out. There are probably thousands of nannies out there— some good, some not. Mary Poppins is not coming to watch your kids,” says Craig Erkus, president of Nanny Check (www.nannycheckonline.com/), a company that provides totally undetectable covert surveillance in homes so parents can prosecute if needed.

Erkus cautions parents about background searches. Background investigations are expensive and may be limited to locality and/or one county searches. A CEO in Seattle who embezzled money may flee to New York and get hired here. A company searching only New York will miss the criminal activity in Seattle, he explains. Many nannies and au pairs are in the U.S. illegally, he adds.

Covert methods of surveillance are the most effective, says Erkus. Popular methods include cameras hidden inside of clock radios and wireless devices that send signals back to a receiver in the VCR. Another option is the Digital Video Recorder (DVR), which records locally on a hard drive and streams video over the Internet.
Finkelstein suggested checking local, state and federal laws pertaining to the legality of surveillance systems. The price range for surveillance methods varies according to product quality, field of view, luxe rating and channel selection. Finkelstein also cautioned parents about lower price systems from local or Internet dealers: such devices may not work effectively or may be built poorly, creating a potential fire hazard.

As for Ray Hayes, his family now uses a nanny that they found through a referral. She is aware that her performance is monitored through audio and video surveillance.

Alana Trocchia is a freelance writer.