SAN DIEGO -- Whether you're hiring someone to pick up the kids from day care, or to watch your baby full-time, your No. 1 priority is protecting your home and family.

According to 10News, many parents are turning to background checks to keep their children safe.

Jay and Heather Wilson went through an online company called 4Nannies.com to order a background check on Natalie, before they hired her to watch their 6-month old son, Jazz.

"You're kind of nervous about giving your child to a complete stranger," Jay Wilson said.

Background checks make sense, says Kathleen Webb, president of 4Nannies.com, because "this person is going to be in close proximity to vulnerable family members."

While most parents do some sort of checks on the caregivers they hire, Webb said there is a wealth of information available, if you choose to look for it. A thorough background check can turn up aliases, past addresses, Social Security traces, employment histories, criminal histories and court records.

"Many families also add optional items such as sex offender registry checks as well as DMV checks," Webb said.

But even with a professional background check, you still need to do a little of your own legwork. You should ask the applicant for at least three references, and contact every single one. Contact the nanny's former employers to verify the information provided is correct. And if any relatives are listed on the nanny's employment sheet, contact them, too.

Keep in mind, to get any background check, you first need to get a consent from the person you're interested in hiring. Costs can range from $200, for an in-depth check, to free, if you choose certain Internet sites.

Webb said no matter how in-depth a background check seems, "there's no such thing as a foolproof background check because records in the United States are not in any type of central repository."

The Wilsons were reassured by their background check, and by their nanny's clean slate.

"(It was) just golden recommendations for her so we just had absolutely no reason to say no," Heather Wilson said.