In recent years, news of abusive or dishonest nannies and daycare services has become more common. It is extremely important to research a nanny’s background before leaving your children alone with one. The same can hold true for daycare services and live-in housekeepers.

Many people don’t know that there are significant problems with child abuse and stealing by nannies. In 2001, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention reported that 4 percent of child abuse cases were caused by caregivers, nannies and baby-sitters. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publishes annual reports on the number of child abuse cases. In 2002, the report showed that 44,000 cases were perpetrated by people other than parents, foster parents, guardians or relatives. That means this group was mostly comprised of daycare providers, nannies, baby-sitters and in-home employees. In the 2005, the number had grown to more than 46,000. These chilling statistics alone offer motivation to perform nanny background checks. Below, we have included links to a few news reports involving nanny abuse or crimes.

Now you may be thinking back to your previous research and may be questioning your child’s safety. “Did I do my research and background checks? Does my child seem happy with our nanny or daycare provider? Is my child getting the best care available?

One way to know for sure is to invest in a ‘Nanny Cam’. A ‘Nanny Cam’ is short for nanny camera or hidden camera. One or more can be easily placed in your home to video record daily activity. Now with advanced modern technology, a parent can even view what is happening in their home while at work or on vacation, as long as they have Internet access. This is done with a DVR recording device.

Digital Video Recorder (DVR) – Unlike VCRs, DVRs record video to a computer hard drive or other media such as a CD or DVD. This makes a DVR easy to maintain because there are no bulky tapes to change or the risk of losing video quality when recording over previous footage. Except for the World’s Smallest DVR, all of our other DVRs can be operated and monitored remotely from anywhere in the world using the Internet. While the surveillance video data is stored on the DVR it can be protected from loss caused by operating errors, tampering and accidents.

There are many different types of hidden cameras to choose from, all with various transmissions, power options, prices and brands. Choosing the best one with the features you are looking for can be another obstacle. A recommended place to begin learning about video surveillance and hidden cameras is at http://www.USAHomeWatch.com. There you will find an array of cameras and recording systems, but the most popular, in this case, is the “Nanny Cam Bear”. Click this link to view: http://www.usahomewatch.com/teddybear-hidden-camera.htm.

If you can’t “bear” the thought of something bad happening to your child then make sure their room includes a Teddy Bear hidden camera. This is a medium sized (14 inches) bear has a velour texture. The teddy bear hidden camera is powered by a 12 hour rechargeable battery pack, no wires or cords to plug in.

Prices at www.USAHomeWatch.com for this particular item range from $312.00 to $340.00, depending on transmission strengths, power options and either black & white or color camera preferences.

Black & White

•HC-BRBRN-G Wireless Camera with FREE 2.4 GHz Receiver

•HC-BRBRN-G-X Wireless Camera with FREE 2.4 GHz Receiver and X-Vision

Color

•HC-BRBRN-GC Wireless Camera with FREE 2.4 GHz Receiver

Includes:

• Wireless cameras include FREE 2.4 GHz receiver (a $160.00 value)

Options:

• X-Vision (.003 Lux) is a feature only available on black and white cameras. Allows best possible images in virtually complete darkness.

Specifications:

Image Sensor: 1/3″ Sony CCD (B/W) 1/4″ CCD (Color)

Resolution: 400 Lines(B/W) 380 Lines(Color)

Min. Illumination: .05 Lux (B/W) 1 Lux (Color)

Lens: 3.7mm Wide Angle

Power Required: 12 V DC/110V AC

This cute bear contains a wireless camera that is not visible from a distance or in-hand; therefore it can record true interaction in your home or day care. This nanny cam will eliminate those doubts or enable you to know what is happening when you’re not there. Hopefully you will not discover any kind of neglect or child abuse, but if you do, video footage will be your eye witness in a prosecution.

USAHomeWatch.com is an excellent source to shop for various DVR devices and hidden cameras because they provide detailed information of each product and they have very competitive prices. Individual situations differ and you may not know what steps to take next and still question if a nanny cam is right for you. USAHomeWatch.com provides free consultations and estimates to help you make the best informed decision for your child’s safety. They are also happy to answer any of your questions or concerns.

Note: USAHomeWatch.com will soon integrate their own hosting services to enable you to view your cameras 24 hours a day and 7 days a week by logging into your secured account. This will eliminate using two different companies, one for hosting and one for purchasing video equipment. Visit USAHomeWatch’s website to learn more about their plans to be a full service video recording provider.

Here are links to related articles, news releases, background check sources and national statistics on child abuse.

In the News:

Police Release New ‘Nanny Cam’ Video In Abuse Probe – NBC6.net: http://www.nbc6.net/family/2551632/detail.html

Nanny Accused of Abuse After Child’s Father Videotapes Her – New York Times: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9804E7DB123DF937A35751C1A961958260

Related Articles:

Nanny accused of abuse to be arraigned – Palo Alto Online: http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=2716

Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect: Signs and Symptoms – http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/signs.cfm

Related Links:

Sex Offender Registry Review – http://sex-offender-registry-review.toptenreviews.com/

Try a nanny background check from one of our top-rated background check services:http://background-check-services-review.toptenreviews.com/

Child Abuse Statistics:

2006 US Child Abuse Statistics – http://www.childhelp.org/resources/learning-center/statistics

Child Welfare and Information Gateway: Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect – http://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/

Get Rid Of Those Doubts… Find Out For Yourself What’s Going On When You’re Not There!

Don’t Wonder…WATCH!

http://www.USAHomeWatch.com

The Top Ten 10 Home Security Alarm Items:

1. Smoke Detectors – Add another layer of protection to your home, especially when they are integrated into the home alarm system. Not only do smoke detectors indicate a fire and give you time to escape safely, but when included in a home security package, they automatically notify the managing company and the fire department. Some systems even integrate the power supply to the smoke detectors. That means you will not have to ever replace the batteries!

2. Back-Up Power Supply – Is important in maintaining home security even during a power outage, when the risk of break-ins and looting is increased. Your home alarm should be effective even when your power is not. The easiest to maintain back-up power supplies use standard size batteries. Look for a model that uses rechargeable batteries to lower your maintenance costs.

3. Master Control Panel – Is vital to any home alarm system. The heart of the home security alarm system, the master alarm control panel is typically installed on a wall in a location with easy access. The panel receives information from all other sensors and key pads, computes it, and transmits relevant information to the monitoring company. If you choose to arm the system from the panel when you leave the house, the master control panel also receives the disarm code when you return home. Some can even be disarmed by telephone!

4.Talking Devices – Make it easy for you to comprehend the status of your home security alarm and monitoring system and also make programming your alarm system simple and quick. Some security systems feature talking master control panels, key pads or remotes.

5. Installation, Monitoring, and Repair Services – These services increase not only the level of safety but the convenience of keeping your home safe. A house alarm alone cannot notify the police or fire department in the event of an emergency. The most complete systems include buttons to notify police departments, fire departments and medical help instantly. Another advantage offered by the best monitoring companies is live customer support and full service installation and repair of the system by employees who have been background checked, licensed and drug tested to ensure your safety. Finally, some companies even offer relocation services to keep you secure even when you move.

6. Wireless Systems – Safeguard your residence without adding excessive wires which may create a tripping hazard or require professional installation of behind the wall alarm cable. In wireless home security alarm system magnetic alarm contacts, keypads and other devices transmit information to the master alarm control panel using radio signals or through available previously installed wiring in your residence. A burglar will never be able to disarm the system by snipping the alarm cable. This ensures the system is fully integrated and monitoring all parts of your home without using up your outlets or creating an obstacle course of alarm cable for you.

7. Key Pads – May not always be enough to keep burglars out. Magnetic Alarm Sensors on Windows and Doors decrease the chance of a home invader entering undetected and are a vital component of a residential security alarm system. The degree of security protection is elevated when Security Alarm Motion Detectors are installed within the residence. The most sophisticated security motion detectors include a feature to ignore pets’ movement to avoid constantly setting the alarm off inadvertently.

8. Extra Key Pads – Are also important. Exterior mounted key pads can provide secure key less entry to your family. Some systems also offer remote control key pads which are lightweight and portable. A home alarm system that features a security code with a key pad increases the security of your home. A monitored system can also lock down entry after several repeated, failed attempts at entry which indicate a possible break-in attempt.

9. Yard Signs and House or Window Decals – Advertise your home’s protection. The Greenwich Study of Residential Security found that homes without alarms were 2.7 to 3.5 times more likely to be burglarized, and that the most effective deterrent was the alarm monitoring company’s yard sign (SIA Research Update, Security Industry Association, October 2001). Some choose to post the signs to deter possible break-ins without actually installing a home alarm system. While this effort will lower the odds of an attempted burglary, a yard sign alone cannot fully protect your home.

10. Extra Key Fobs and Remotes – Some home alarm systems include extras like Key Fobs and Remotes to control the system at a distance. Somewhat similar to a car’s key fob, home security key fobs include buttons to activate and deactivate the house alarm system. Some even include a “panic” button that activates the house alarm and alerts the proper authorities in the event of an emergency. Remote controls are similar and often larger. The features of remotes vary greatly and can include a full key pad, a talking feature and a panic button as well. The talking feature may not result in great conversation, but it will help you understand your system a little better.

Of course, this list is not comprehensive, and the needs of every home and homeowner are different.