Background checks are not always mandatory for a new position, however, when it comes to working with children they are. There are a significant amount of reasons why, and each of them is important. The predominant one is safety, these systems are in place to keep children safe. So for example, any person working in the education sector for schools has to get a background check. This would also include criminal background checks, they are thorough and the standard practice in most countries.
The first and most important factor for these checks to confirm, is that the employee in question does not have a history with child abuse or violence.
Who should get comprehensive background checks?
Below is a list of positions that involve working or interacting with children that would require a check such as this.
- Any and every adult living in a family childcare home.
- All staff at childcare centers. This would include directors, teachers, caregivers, bus drivers, janitors, kitchen staff and people with administrative responsibilities.
- Any adult in a volunteering program that would have unsupervized acces to a child.
- Other instructors that may come into a program and have unsupervized access to a child. For example, sports coaches, dance, music and art teachers, etc.
What do these background checks require of childcare providers?
In the United States, federal law mandates that all states execute criminal background checks, via state and federal checks. These must include fingerprints of the childcare providers. The check itself must also make a comprehensive check of the FBIs fingerprint databases. So as to ensure that the subject does not have a history of convictions or crime that could put the child’s health and safety at risk. In addition, childcare staff or potential providers must ensure they are checked that they are not listed as a sex offender. This also goes for any convictions to do with child neglect or abuse.
In summary, there is a list of steps included in a background check as detailed above:
- A thorough search of the National Crime Information Center’s Sex Offender Registry
- A search of where the potential childcare provider’s place of residence has been in the last 5 years. Said background check would search registries, repositories and databses in order to corroborate this information. Including which state the subject lives and all others they have lived in for the aforementioned number of years.
- An FBI fingerprint check
In addition, these background checks must take place every time a new staff member is hired in this sector, and every 5 years after that. If you find yourself in need of a licensed private investigator and their particular set of skills, please feel free to contact us. This link will get you in contact with one of our team members.
