Instructions for Child Care Comprehensive Background Checks
All licensed, regulated, and registered child care providers and all child care providers eligible to deliver CCDF services (except for those individuals who are related to all children for whom child care services are provided) are subject to background check requirements.
- All adults who work or live in a family child care home and are age 18 or older.
- All child care program staff, including directors, teachers, aides, assistant teachers, caregivers, bus drivers, custodians, kitchen staff, administrative employees, and contract employees or self-employed individuals.
- Every volunteer in the program who will have unsupervised access to children.
- Other individuals who may come into the program and will have unsupervised access to children, such as therapists and art, dance, or sports instructors.
- Child care programs must submit requests for background checks before the staff member is hired and then at least once every 5 years.
- If an applicant has not been employed in child care within the last 180 days, a new comprehensive background check must be completed.
The background check process required by the State of Alabama Department of Human Resources (SDHR) for child care ensures staff do not have a history of convictions that could put children’s health and safety at risk.
Here is a list of the specific required checks:
- A national FBI criminal history check using fingerprints
- A search of the National Crime Information Center’s National Sex Offender Registry
- A search of the following state registries and databases where the child care staff member currently lives and each state where the staff member has lived in the past 5 years:
- State criminal registry or repository (fingerprints are required in the state where the staff member currently lives and are optional in other states)
- State sex offender registry or repository
- State-based child abuse and neglect registry and database
Child Care Licensing In-State and Interstate CA/N Background Check
There is no fee for the processing of this form.
1. Click on the link below
https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-protective-services/central-registry-clearance/
2. Select Form 1598 Instructions- Instructions for Completing the Child Abuse/Neglect Central Registry Clearance Request (DHR-FCS-1598)
3. Select Form 1598 – Alabama Department of Human Resources Child Abuse/Neglect (CA/N) Central Registry Clearance. Complete and print the forms.
4. Send the 1598 form (along with a copy) to the: State of Alabama DHR; Office of Child Protective Services; CA/N Central Registry; 50 N. Ripley Street; Montgomery, Alabama 36130. Requests may be sent via U.S. Mail, UPS, or FedEx. This office MUST RECEIVE THE ORIGINAL REQUEST(S), not just copies.
Child care programs that have child care program staff or potential staff who have lived in other state(s) within the last five years must submit a request for an Interstate Child Abuse/Neglect (CA/N) Background Check.
There are no fees for the processing of these forms.
1. To start, click on the link below.
https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-protective-services/central-registry-clearance/
2. Select Form 1598 Instructions- Instructions for Completing the Child Abuse/Neglect Central Registry Clearance Request (DHR-FCS-1598)
3. Select Form 1598 – Alabama Department of Human Resources Child Abuse/Neglect (CA/N) Central Registry Clearance. Complete and print the forms.
4. Select Form 1598-B Instructions-review the instructions for completing the Supplemental Child Abuse/Neglect Central Registry Clearance Request (DHR-FCS-1598-B)
5. Select Form 1598-B - complete and print forms.
6. Send the 1598- B And the Form1598 to the:
State of Alabama DHR; Office of Child Protective Services; CA/N Central Registry; 50 N. Ripley Street; Montgomery, Alabama 36130.
Requests may be sent via U.S. Mail, UPS, or FedEx. This office MUST RECEIVE THE ORGINIAL REQUEST(S), not just copies.
Child Care Licensing Criminal History Background Check
The fee for Fieldprint is $47.20 per application.
The DHR State Office of Criminal History may be reached Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. CST at 334-353-5400.
1. To start, click on the link below.
https://fieldprintalabama.com/individuals
2. Click on the Schedule Appointment tab to electronically schedule an appointment with one of the Livescan sites in Alabama.
3. Visit a Livescan site location to complete the fingerprint collection process.
4. Fingerprints will be routed directly to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA)
https://www.alea.gov/sbi/criminal-justice-services/criminal-records/alabama-background-check
5. The completed background check results will be shared with SDHR Office of Criminal History and SDHR Child Care Licensing
There are no fees for the processing of these forms.
1.To start, click on the link below.
https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-protective-services/central-registry-clearance/
2. Select Form 1598 Instructions- Instructions for Completing the Child Abuse/Neglect Central Registry Clearance Request (DHR-FCS-1598)
3. Select Form 1598 – Alabama Department of Human Resources Child Abuse/Neglect (CA/N) Central Registry Clearance. Complete and print the forms.
4. Select Form 1598-B Instructions-review the instructions for completing the Supplemental Child Abuse/Neglect Central Registry Clearance Request (DHR-FCS-1598-B)
5. Select Form 1598-B-complete and print forms.
6. Send Form 1598- B AND DHR-FCS-1598 form and sent to the: State of Alabama DHR; Office of Child Protective Services; CA/N Central Registry; 50 N. Ripley Street; Montgomery, Alabama 36130.
Requests may be sent via U.S. Mail, UPS, or FedEx. This office MUST RECEIVE THE ORGINIAL REQUEST(S), not just copies.
An Alabama name-based criminal history record check can be requested by mail. Criminal history record checks are processed by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Criminal Records and Identification Unit. For public background check purposes, please complete the ALEA Application to Review Alabama Criminal History Record Information (CHRI).
Mail the request to P.O. Box 1511
Montgomery, AL 36102-1511.
There is a $25.00 administrative fee required.
Please allow a minimum of 4-5 weeks from the date the application is received by ALEA for ALEA to process your request for review.
If you have any questions, please call 1-866-740-4762 or 334-676-7897.
Obtaining a Sex Offender Registry Check
The instructions for requesting an Alabama sex offender registry check can be found on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency website at Sex Offender Registry | Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
The Alabama sex offender registry check is free of charge, and immediate result will be received from the search.
Common disqualifiers include but not limited to:
• Refuses to consent to the criminal background.
• Knowingly makes a false statement.
• Is registered, or is required to be registered, on a state sex offender registry or repository or the National Sex Offender Registry.
• Has been convicted of a felony, including the following crimes: murder, child abuse or neglect, crimes against children including child pornography, spousal abuse, crime involving rape or
sexual assault, kidnapping, arson, physical assault or battery, or drug-related offenses committed during the preceding 5 years; and
• Has been convicted of a violent misdemeanor committed as an adult against a child, including the following crimes: child abuse, child endangerment, sexual assault, or any misdemeanor involving child pornography.
Disqualifiers for Employment in Child Care
You may contact the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) regarding the Alabama Background Check program by calling 1-866-740-4762 or 334-676-7897.
