Several surveys reveal that most households in the USA with kids have both parents working full-time. This leaves the parents with no other option but to seek childcare services. Depending on the budget, convenience, and circumstances, parents opt for private childcare experts or enroll their young kids in childcare facilities. Irrespective of the option chosen, the main concern for parents is the ones interacting and taking care of their kids. This is where Child Care Background Checks come into play.
Mandatory Comprehensive Background Screening
Parents can be stress-free enrolling their young children in registered and licensed childcare facilities because background screening for childcare providers is mandatory by Federal law. Hence, it can be assured that such service providers hire only trustworthy and reliable individuals to look after and interact with kids. Since young children are vulnerable, they can be hurt, injured, kidnapped, and molested easily. Thus, a comprehensive background screening must be conducted in every childcare facility in the country.
Things Included in a Background Check
Parents of young kids can expect the following aspects included in detailed Child Care Background Checks.
● State Registry of child abuse and Neglect
● State registries for criminal and sex offenders
● National Crime Information Center conducted by the FBI
● FBI fingerprint assessment
● National Sex Offender Registry undertaken by the Department of Justice
The above-mentioned advanced-level background screening is done for the current state the childcare applicant works in, along with their state of residence in the last five years. When childcare facilities can get such a comprehensive database across the country, they can 100% guarantee a reliable, competent, and suitable candidate for looking after kids without any problem.
Who Needs to Take a Background Screening?
Federal law states that every adult who volunteers or works in a childcare center must undertake advanced background checks. It also includes those individuals above the age of 18 years residing in family childcare homes. The list of people who need to take the childcare background screening are:
● Each staff member of the childcare facility, like caregivers, janitors, drivers, kitchen staff, teachers, administrative employees, directors, and so on, must undertake an employee background evaluation.
● Volunteers must take the screening as they often have access to young children without supervision.
● Other adults, like sports and dance instructors, are also included in the list to take background checks.
It is important to note that regulations and policies for Child Care Background Checks run in every state. Some states might mandate volunteers to undertake the background screening, or others won’t. Furthermore, when a childcare provider is serving their own family or distant relative, they don’t necessarily have to take the background evaluation. It is generally
recommended by state law and Federal law that anyone who is working as a childcare provider has to undergo comprehensive Child Care Background Checks.
Why is Childcare Background Verification Essential?
Childcare facilities conducting strict background screening help to establish a belief that the childcare provider recruited is experienced, well-qualified, and, most importantly, suitable for childcare responsibilities. Furthermore, the objective of a comprehensive background screening also helps to determine whether a potential candidate has any history of criminal activities.
In addition, the background screening also helps to verify the candidate’s identity and whether they have any history of abuse and neglect of childcare responsibilities. Any negative behavior or criminal record can pose a considerable risk to young children’s safety and health whenever the screening result of a potential childcare provider shows any personal information discrepancy, negative references, fabricated education and employment history, false identity, criminal convictions, etc.
Conclusion
A childcare provider’s primary responsibility is children’s health and safety. Parents of young children always look for childcare facilities that employ only trustworthy and reliable providers. Owing to the utmost safety of children, every childcare facility must conduct stringent Child Care Background Checks on potential candidates. This is necessary to rule out the possibility of hiring candidates with records of abuse, criminal activities, and neglect of responsibilities. Federal government authorities also mandate that service providers conduct a comprehensive background assessment of employees regularly.
