Barbara Correa writes about work and family for the Los Angeles Daily News.Check your Babysitter
I don't know about you, but I have failed so far to find a free, or at least cheap, way to do background checks on potential babysitters. I have even asked for several sitters' addresses and driver's license numbers (I think asking for a social number is a little much). But I haven't had much success getting anywhere with that info.
There are tons of Web sites that will run security checks on people, but most of them seem to cost around $49. Here's one recommended by a subscriber to Jen Levinson's list: www.childcarecheck.com.