Caregiver screening and safety

Letting someone into your home to care for a person you love takes trust. Good screening is how that trust is earned. Here’s what to look for, and what you can check yourself.

What good screening includes

• Credentials checked at the source: a PSW certificate confirmed with the school, and a nurse’s registration confirmed with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• References checked by speaking to past employers or supervisors, not just by collecting letters.
• Supervision and regular check-ins once care begins, with a clear way to raise concerns.

What you can check yourself

Any nurse’s registration (RN, RPN or NP) can be looked up on the College of Nurses of Ontario’s public register. Personal support workers can register with the Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority, which also keeps a public register.

Questions to ask a provider

• How do you check certificates and nursing registrations?
• Do you speak to references directly?
• What other checks do you do before someone starts?
• How do you supervise caregivers, and how often do you check in with families?
• How will we know a visit actually happened?

Safety at home

Keep medications, valuables and important papers organized and secure, agree on how keys or door codes are handled, and make sure the person receiving care knows who to expect. If anything feels wrong, raise it with the provider straight away.