Screening Process
Because Who You Welcome Into Your Home Matters
Whether you’re hiring a nanny for your children, a caregiver for a loved one, or someone to work within your household, knowing more about the person you’re considering is an important part of making an informed hiring decision.
At Plum Wings Family Care Agency, screening goes beyond simply reviewing a résumé.
We use a thoughtful, role-specific screening approach based on the responsibilities of the position and the information that is relevant to the hiring decision.
Whether we’re helping you find and hire a candidate through our placement service or you’re bringing us someone you’ve already found, we’re here to help you take a closer look before you hire.
How We Screen Candidates
Different Roles. Different Responsibilities. Different Checks.
A nanny caring for young children, a family driver, a housekeeper, and a Registered Nurse do not have the same responsibilities.
Their screening shouldn’t be exactly the same either.
Rather than relying on a single checklist for every position, we consider the responsibilities of the role and determine which screening and verification steps are appropriate.
Depending on the position and circumstances, screening may include:
Candidate Interview
We learn more about the candidate’s experience, previous responsibilities, availability, expectations, and the type of position they are seeking.
Where appropriate, interviews may also explore practical situations relevant to the role.
Identity Verification
Applicable identity information may be verified to help establish that screening and verification information relates to the correct individual.
Employment & Experience Verification
Relevant employment history or experience may be reviewed or verified, particularly where previous experience is important to the position.
Professional Reference Checks
Professional references may be contacted to help verify previous work experience and provide additional insight into the candidate’s responsibilities and work history.
Criminal Record Screening
Applicable criminal record screening may form part of the screening requirements depending on the position.
Vulnerable Sector Screening
For positions involving children or other vulnerable individuals, a Vulnerable Sector Check may be required where applicable and where the candidate is eligible for that type of screening.
Qualifications & Certifications
Where a position requires particular training, education, certification, or qualifications, applicable information may be reviewed or verified.
This may include, where relevant:
First Aid or CPR certification
Health Care Aide training
Role-specific education or training
Other relevant certifications
Professional Credential Verification
For regulated professionals such as Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses, applicable professional registration and credentials may be verified as part of the screening requirements for the position.
Driving Verification
Where driving is part of the position, applicable screening may include driver’s licence verification, driving-record review, relevant driving experience, or other position-specific driving requirements.
This may apply to Private / Family Drivers as well as nannies, caregivers, Family Assistants, Nanny-Housekeepers, or Nanny–House Managers who will be transporting family members.
Role-Specific Screening
We Screen for the Position Being Filled
The screening process should reflect what the person will actually be doing.
Nannies
Screening may place greater emphasis on childcare experience, professional references, applicable background and vulnerable-sector screening, relevant certifications, and driving verification where transportation is part of the position.
Caregivers
Screening may focus on caregiving experience, references, relevant training and qualifications, applicable background and vulnerable-sector screening, and the candidate’s experience with the type of support required.
LPNs & RNs
Where a family is hiring a regulated nursing professional, applicable professional registration and credentials may also be verified.
Household Staff
For Housekeepers, Family Assistants, Personal Assistants, House Managers, Nanny-Housekeepers, Nanny–House Managers, Family Cooks, and other household professionals, screening may focus on relevant experience, employment history, references, background screening, and skills appropriate to the position.
Private / Family Drivers
Where transportation is the primary responsibility, screening may place greater emphasis on driving credentials, driving history, experience, references, and other applicable requirements.
The goal is not simply to complete checks. It is to conduct screening that makes sense for the position you’re hiring for.
Screening as Part of Your Plum Wings Placement
When Plum Wings is recruiting for your position, screening forms part of our overall recruitment and matching process.
We begin by understanding the position you’re looking to fill — including the responsibilities, schedule, experience, qualifications, and other legitimate job-related requirements.
We then recruit and assess potential candidates, complete applicable screening and verification, and consider how their experience and availability align with your position.
Suitable candidates can then be presented to you for consideration.
You decide who you would like to interview and ultimately who you want to hire.
Already Found Someone You'd Like to Hire?
You Found the Candidate. We Can Help You Take a Closer Look.
You don’t need to use Plum Wings to recruit your candidate in order to access screening support.
Perhaps you found someone through:
A personal referral
A friend or family member
An online job board
Social media or a community group
A previous employee or professional connection
Your own recruitment efforts
If you’ve already identified someone you’re considering hiring, our Independent Candidate Screening service allows you to request applicable screening and verification without using our full recruitment and placement service.
How Independent Candidate Screening Works
1. Tell Us About the Position
Complete a Screening Request with basic information about the position, its responsibilities, and the candidate you’re considering.
2. We Review Your Screening Needs
We review the position and determine which screening or verification options may be appropriate.
We’ll provide applicable information about the screening requested, requirements, and fees before proceeding.
3. Candidate Consent
The candidate is contacted as appropriate to provide the information and authorization required for the screening process.
We do not expect families to collect or send us unnecessary sensitive candidate information on the candidate’s behalf.
4. Screening & Verification
Applicable checks and verifications are completed or coordinated through the appropriate process or independent third-party screening providers.
5. Review the Results
Applicable screening information or results are reviewed and communicated in accordance with the screening service and relevant requirements.
6. You Make the Hiring Decision
The screening process provides information to support your decision.
You decide whether to hire the candidate.
Screening Helps You Make a More Informed Decision
Screening can provide valuable information about a candidate’s identity, experience, employment history, references, qualifications, credentials, background, or other role-specific requirements.
But screening is only one part of a thoughtful hiring process.
A candidate may successfully complete applicable screening requirements and still not be the right fit for every family or household.
That’s why we encourage families to combine screening with:
Candidate interviews
Clear job expectations
Discussion of responsibilities and schedules
Reference information
Appropriate employment practices
Their own assessment of the candidate and fit
Screening provides information. The final hiring decision remains yours.
Screening Helps You Make a More Informed Decision
Screening can provide valuable information about a candidate’s identity, experience, employment history, references, qualifications, credentials, background, or other role-specific requirements.
But screening is only one part of a thoughtful hiring process.
A candidate may successfully complete applicable screening requirements and still not be the right fit for every family or household.
That’s why we encourage families to combine screening with:
Candidate interviews
Clear job expectations
Discussion of responsibilities and schedules
Reference information
Appropriate employment practices
Their own assessment of the candidate and fit
Screening provides information. The final hiring decision remains yours.
Two Ways We Can Help
Need Us to Find the Candidate?
We’ll help you define the position, recruit potential candidates, complete applicable screening, match suitable candidates, and support you through the placement process.
Already Have Your Candidate?
Use our Independent Candidate Screening service to request applicable screening and verification before making your final hiring decision.
Important Screening Information
Screening requirements vary depending on the position, candidate, circumstances, and screening requested. Not every screening or verification described on this page will apply to every candidate or placement.
Certain screening and verification services may be completed or provided through independent third-party screening providers or other authorized sources.
Candidate consent and additional information may be required before certain checks can be completed.
Screening and verification can provide useful information to support an informed hiring decision but cannot predict or guarantee a candidate’s future conduct, performance, reliability, compatibility, or suitability.
Plum Wings Family Care Agency provides employment agency services, including recruitment, screening, matching, and placement support. Where Plum Wings provides recruitment and placement services, the client makes the final hiring decision and the successful candidate is employed directly by the client unless expressly stated otherwise.
Ready to Get Started?
Whether you need us to find the right person or you’ve already found someone you’d like to screen, choose the option that fits your situation.
