Daycare Background Check Regs to Take Effect
California Political Desk
December 19, 2007
Ashburn quest for Trustline oversight to be achieved in February.
SACRAMENTO – Senator Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield ) was notified Monday that regulations requiring background checks for state funded daycare providers have been adopted by the Office of Administrative Law and will take effect February 1, 2008. Senator Ashburn has been working for greater oversight and background checks of state funded daycare providers since 2005 through legislation and administrative regulations.
Dr. Larry Reider, Kern County Superintendent of Schools said, "We've waited a long time to see this happen. We're grateful to Senator Ashburn and all others who made these added regulations a reality because they care about our children. Quite frankly, I can think of no greater gift than to make a child's life more safe and secure."
After Senator Ashburn introduced legislation to remedy the problem, ongoing negotiations resulted in the Department submitting new regulations to correct the problem in November of 2006. Today’s announcement was the culmination of that regulatory review process.
A review by the Sacramento Bee in 2005 found that the background-check process could be so slow that it sometimes took years to bar people who had committed serious crimes from watching the children of CalWORK’s recipients. In the meantime, Californians convicted on assault, domestic-violence and weapons charges, among other offenses, were allowed to earn state funds.
Parents moving from welfare to work are eligible to place their children in subsidized child care so they can work or go to school and train for an employable job. They may choose licensed child care or "license-exempt" providers who are subject to criminal background checks. However, regulations of the Department of Social Services previously required payment to begin immediately, while awaiting the criminal background check which may take weeks or months, leaving children vulnerable.
Welfare recipients and their families deserve the same assurances that everyone else does in the hiring of caregivers for their children. Dangerous felons and child abusers have no business watching anyone's kids, and the state most certainly shouldn't be paying them to do that,” said Senator Ashburn. “I am pleased to have been able to be part of these new regulations which will protect some of California’s most vulnerable children.”
SACRAMENTO – Senator Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield ) was notified Monday that regulations requiring background checks for state funded daycare providers have been adopted by the Office of Administrative Law and will take effect February 1, 2008. Senator Ashburn has been working for greater oversight and background checks of state funded daycare providers since 2005 through legislation and administrative regulations.
Dr. Larry Reider, Kern County Superintendent of Schools said, "We've waited a long time to see this happen. We're grateful to Senator Ashburn and all others who made these added regulations a reality because they care about our children. Quite frankly, I can think of no greater gift than to make a child's life more safe and secure."
After Senator Ashburn introduced legislation to remedy the problem, ongoing negotiations resulted in the Department submitting new regulations to correct the problem in November of 2006. Today’s announcement was the culmination of that regulatory review process.
A review by the Sacramento Bee in 2005 found that the background-check process could be so slow that it sometimes took years to bar people who had committed serious crimes from watching the children of CalWORK’s recipients. In the meantime, Californians convicted on assault, domestic-violence and weapons charges, among other offenses, were allowed to earn state funds.
Parents moving from welfare to work are eligible to place their children in subsidized child care so they can work or go to school and train for an employable job. They may choose licensed child care or "license-exempt" providers who are subject to criminal background checks. However, regulations of the Department of Social Services previously required payment to begin immediately, while awaiting the criminal background check which may take weeks or months, leaving children vulnerable.
Welfare recipients and their families deserve the same assurances that everyone else does in the hiring of caregivers for their children. Dangerous felons and child abusers have no business watching anyone's kids, and the state most certainly shouldn't be paying them to do that,” said Senator Ashburn. “I am pleased to have been able to be part of these new regulations which will protect some of California’s most vulnerable children.”
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