Daycare background screening goes unchecked

background checks on its workers, as you would expect and as is the legislation in other states. However, the state reviews those checks multiple times a year at licensed facilities; but it can’t review them at unlicensed faith-based day cares. Ultimately, this means that you’re trusting the individual in charge of the daycare that everyone has been screened, rather than the authorities making sure themselves. “Right now, someone can write a letter saying I guarantee every one’s been screened, and we have to take them that on faith, and that’s just not good,” said Kathleen Reynolds, the director of Southwest Florida’s Early Learning Coalition. “If we know that it’s the single biggest violation in this state, improper background screening, why would we not want to put every security measure in place to keep kids safe? Particularly, since taxpayers are paying for their care,” said Reynolds. As we have discussed before, this is an issue elsewhere too. In Southwest Florida alone, violations of proper worker screening in unlicensed faith based day cares doubled between 2008 and 2009. If there’s any reason to rectify it, then this is it – the numbers don’t lie. If there’s one thing we need to be doing as a society, it’s protecting our children. Let’s hope they sort this out sooner rather than later.]]>