If a single parent has a new dating partner, then it is always safer to do a background check on the person before introducing him or her to the children. Then if something significant comes up in a background check, then one needs to be extra vigilant.
Some people seem to believe that it is not polite to do a background check on someone you are trying to get to know. Well, when it comes to protecting your children, you need to do whatever is necessary to eliminate risks for your children. Your children needs to come first because they are dependent on you for their protection.
Some people also believe that a person might be offended if you do a background check on him or her. Again, if the person is offended, then maybe it wasn’t a good fit to start with. Most responsible people would understand that it is important for a single parent to make sure that the person they are dating will be safe around their children.
I am not saying that anyone with some type of criminal record should always be rejected. But if you know the background of a person, then you can prepare yourself appropriately keeping the safety of your children in mind. In most cases, it is important to take a good amount of time to get to know the person well before introducing your children to him or her. Maybe he or she is a good person but just made a mistake and had to pay for it. But one needs to take time to make sure that the person is truly reformed.