The Office of Professional Standards, Criminal History Unit coordinates the background check and child protection registry check efforts for over 1,600 public and private employers, agencies and homes serving thousands of children and vulnerable adults in Delaware and across the nation. It is a critical, specialized departmental function with effective policies, procedures and regulations for investigating, interviewing and determining eligibility for persons with access to children and vulnerable adults.

Criminal History Unit

Function

The Criminal History Unit is guided by Delaware and federal laws. The unit’s work includes analysis of SBI and FBI fingerprinted criminal history reports, subsequent arrest records, in state and out-of-state child abuse and neglect records and sex offender records. Investigation follow-up is completed with Delaware and out-of-state courts, police agencies, social service agencies, the Delaware State Bureau of Identification (SBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Eligibility determinations and administrative reviews are provided for persons with direct access to children and vulnerable adults at state owned and privately operated facilities, agencies and homes. The unit also provides ongoing technical assistance, support and direction to state and private employers, agencies and applicants.

Background Checks Conducted For:

Criminal Background and Child Protection Registry Checks – DSCYF employees and contractors, child placing agency employees, residential child care facility employees, youth camp employees, prospective foster, adoptive and respite parents and their adult household members, applicants for child care licensure and their adult household members, licensed child care employees, Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) license exempt camp employees and relative child care providers and their adult household members.

Child Protection Registry Checks Only – Health care facility employees, education employees, school transportation employees, family visitation center employees, hospital employees, persons needing professional licensure as well as out-of-state child care persons and foster and adoptive parents and their adult household members.

CHU Regulations

• DELACARE Regulations for child protection registry checks for persons working in health care facilities, public schools, private schools and youth camps
• DELACARE Regulations for Background Checks for Child-Serving Entities

Child Protection Registry Checks

• childprotectionregistry.delaware.gov

For additional questions, please send email to DSCYF_CHU@delaware.gov or call 302 892-4525.

Related Topics:  criminal, DSCYF, history, office, professional, standards, State of Delaware, unit