Online classifieds can be super helpful because they allow you to see and compare a ton of options immediately. Parents have flocked to Care.com — an online childcare marketplace founded in 2006 — that aims to “help families make informed hiring decisions.”
However, a report published by The Wall Street Journal earlier this month revealed poor vetting procedures on the site. Now, a new report shows that Care.com has deleted about 72 percent of daycares (or around 46,594) from its site.
The original report showed that Care.com only did a “preliminary screening” of providers. This didn’t include a full background check, verifying credentials, or vetting day-care centers. In some cases, providers were unlicensed or responsible for the deaths of children in their care.
The Wall Street Journal also found that in about nine instances over the past six years, a provider listed had a criminal record and “were accused of committing crimes while caring for customers’ children or elderly relatives.”
Care.com does offer screening tools on its site. However, people have to pay for a monthly membership to use them, as outlined on the company’s own website.
As Care.com scrambles to address the report, it opens up a lot of questions regarding the responsibility of online classifieds. These are kids, after all. If Care.com claims to help families make “informed hiring decisions,” that suggests it would put more time into vetting providers.
In addition to removing listings, Care.com has begun to implement new security policies, including a new board to oversee safety and cybersecurity programs.
