Concerns Surround Child Care Background Check Funding

The Challenges of Child Care Background Check Funding

A childcare background check is a tool that is utterly vital to creating and maintaining safer, more secure environments for children in many settings. From schools to youth sports to non-profits and even churches, there are many places where parents entrust the care of their children to a third party. As concern has grown and headlines have blared about abusive situations in recent years, more cities and states have clamped down on poor vetting practices.

Sometimes lost in the shuffle of this legislative whirlwind is the challenging question of "who pays?" There is broad agreement about the need for better background checks in childcare settings, but less so when it comes to who will foot the bill. With a new California law set to take effect at the beginning of 2024 and rumblings at the federal level, the conversation has come back in force.

Enforcement Deadline for New California Law Approaches

In 2022, a new law concerning childcare criminal background check regulations was supposed to come into effect in California. This law requires fingerprint-based background checks for all employees and volunteers, abuse prevention training, and written policies guaranteeing the presence of a minimum of two mandatory reporters any time children are present. After concerns about costs and compliance, the law was delayed until January 1, 2024.

Despite the delay, many organizations have still not finalized their policies. Others continue to express concerns about how to pay for the expanded background checks. One such organization is the Girl Scouts of America.

Some Organizations Struggle to Meet the Costs of Vetting

According to GSA representatives, the costs of vetting their volunteers will increase by more than six times their present rate under the new law. Typically, such organizations try to help cover the costs of background checks for their volunteers. Otherwise, there is the risk that there might not be enough support from the community to operate. The sharp rise in costs has created a dilemma — should non-profits divert more of their limited budgets or start asking volunteers to share the cost?

Although government grants to support these organizations seem like a logical next step, shortcomings persist here, too. A local politician promised the San Diego chapter of the Girl Scouts a grant of half a million dollars, but the money was never received. The organization will have to make up the shortfall itself.

Why a Childcare Licensing Background Check is So Important

Despite the challenges associated with the costs, the good reasons to conduct such in-depth screening outweigh the price tag. Child abuse can lead to a lifetime of problems for individuals. Preventing such long-lasting harm is essential for all those with children in their care.

Funding remains an issue, but additional advocacy for government support — or donations from private sources — should be a key focus. At the federal level, some senators have begun pushing for a re-engagement with a Department of Justice program authorized in 2018. That program aimed to create a national resource for childcare agencies to conduct multi-jurisdictional searches more easily but has since stalled. Senators hope the Department can adopt new guidelines and make progress on funding availability.

Whether better funding for childcare background check services comes from the public or private sector, one thing remains true: these resources are an invaluable part of protecting children today. Without them, the risk of abuse and mistreatment is simply too high.