Do both.

Get a police check. There are two. One is for general criminal record and the other is a vulnerable sector check which details crimes such as child abuse, elder abuse, crimes against mental health patients or any other group of society which are more vulnerable than fully functioning adults. Because these groups are particularly vulnerable, crimes against these are kept on a separate register as they are deemed more serious since the offender was in a position of advantage by default.

Also, in some areas, Community services will provide a letter confirming someone is not on the child abuse register at that current time.

BUT just because someone hasn't been caught and convicted of a crime, that doesn't mean they are all good people. It just means they might be. They could equally be extra slick and have therefore avoided being caught and prosecuted.

Get references too.

I suggest getting a reference from a long term client whose child was with the provider for all of the stages of development yours has yet to reach. If a provider doesn't have a long term client, ask yourself why? Are they just starting up or have they never managed to keep a family long term?

Make sure that one of your references comes from someone who has left the day care. Most current clients are presumably happy with their carer at the current time or they would pull their child. An ex client has nothing to gain from providing a reference and therefore, it's more likely they had a good relationship with the carer, and down to circumstances they left. If an ex client speaks highly of me, especially if they've moved out of area and have a new provider to compare me to, then that's a good source of information.

Finally, get a reference from a parent (past or current) whose child is fully verbal. A 10 month old child cannot tell their parent what they had to eat, or what their day involved, but a 4-year old is likely telling their parents all about their day. This is the best way to determine if your provider really does what she claims to be doing during her day.