Healthy Kids, Healthy Care: Background Checks

Healthy Kids, Healthy Care:
Background Checks
National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care
1-800-598-5437
http://nrckids.org

Key Questions

Have background checks been conducted on every prospective caregiver, staff person, substitute and volunteer* who comes in contact with your child at the child care program?

Have background checks been conducted on adult family members who live in the family child care home and come in contact with your child?

Does the caregiver have a current child care license?

Note: Most states, but not all, require background checks of licensed child care programs, so be sure to ask if checks have been conducted. Some states do not require family home caregivers to be licensed. See the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care State Child Care Licensing Database. Click on your state to find out the latest licensing requirements. If your program is not licensed OR is not required to be licensed in your state, contact your local police department or your State Bureau of Investigation to find out how you can get a background check conducted. There will be a charge for this service.

*Volunteers who assist caregivers with special events (like holiday parties), and who are always working in the presence of a caregiver, may be not be required to have background checks.

Want to know more?

• Questions to ask your state child care licensing department about background checks in your child care program:

Have the caregivers I'm interested in had background checks?

What does the background check include?

Fingerprints?
Child Abuse Registry?
Employment References?

Are caregivers screened through state and national databases?

Is there a system in place to monitor problems that could come up after the original background check?

How often do the adults need to repeat their background checks?

How can I review the complaint history and inspection reports for the caregivers I'm interested in?

What types of convictions would disqualify a person from child care work?

• Questions for a potential caregiver:

Are volunteers always in the presence of the caregiver?

Note: In states where volunteers are not required to have a background check, another adult should always be present. If the child care program needs a volunteer to work alone with children, then a background check should be conducted.

May I check references with current and former clients?

What types of complaints have been registered against your program?

Were the complaints or violations found to be true?

How did you correct the problems?

Some states do not require family home providers to be licensed. In this case:

Ask the family caregiver if they would be willing to have background checks conducted for all adults living in the home, adults substituting for them and adults working with the children while in their care.

Contact your local police department or your State Bureau of Investigation to find out how you can get a background check conducted. There will be a charge for this service.

For more information on complaints about child care programs see Complaints Section.

How to help your caregiver with this topic

If background checks have been conducted is an important question to ask when choosing a caregiver. Your child's safety is essential and a good caregiver will be open to sharing that information with you.

If you find out a problem with the licensing record, talk to the caregiver. S/he may not be aware of the written problem in the program's licensing record and this gives her/ him a chance to explain their method of solving the issue.

Once you have checked out and chosen your caregiver, focus on building a positive relationship and finding ways to support him/ her. Your child will feel more secure if you feel good about his/her caregiver.

When your child has a new caregiver in a center or a new substitute or volunteer, ask if background checks have been done.

If you volunteer regularly at your child's program and are asked to have a background check, don't be offended. This is a safeguard for everyone involved.

Additional Resources

State Child Care Licensing Agency Contact Information:
http://nrckids.org/STATES/states.htm - (then click on state)

For Referrals to Child Care Programs, contact Child Care Aware
http://www.childcareaware.org
(800)424-2246

Healthy Kids, Healthy Care is based on Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, 2nd Edition, 2002, (American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, and National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care)

STANDARD 1.008 REFERENCES AND BACKGROUND CHECKS

Disclaimer: Healthy Kids, Healthy Care is for reference purposes only and shall not be used as a substitute for medical consultation, nor be used to authorize actions beyond a person's licensing, training, or ability.