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              Background Check Unit Training. The Background Check Unit has made significant changes
to its policies functions in FY 08 in order to expedite processing of background authorizations
for foreign applicants, exchange students and day care employees with convictions and pending
charges. This allows the licensing representatives to obtain the current background information
and notify facilities immediately of convictions to ensure the health and safety of children in
licensed facilities. Some of the enhancements and changes of the Background Check Unit
policies are described below:
• Foreign applicants to wish to be fingerprinted must have a Social Security Number or
Identification number.
• Foreign exchange students must submit an Authorization for Background Check,
however they do not need to be fingerprinted since INS completes a thorough check on
students prior to entering into the country.
• Only convictions and pending criminal charges for employees can be released to
employers at licensed child care facilities. Non-conviction information can be released to
the supervising agency for foster home applicants, but applicants cannot be denied on the
merit of non-conviction information (although the Department’s Rule 402.12c, requiring
applicants to be stable, law abiding citizens can be cited for denial of a license on
background information).
• Authorizations with clearances no longer will be returned to the facility by mail.
Notification of SACWIS and Sex Offender registry hits, Illinois State Police & FBI
clearances will be sent to the facility electronically.
• Adopted youth in foster homes or subsidized guardianship are subject to age-appropriate
background checks.
• Foster homes that are dual licensed (also licensed as day care or group day care homes)
and have a Department ward living in the home are subjected to the background check
process for day care and group day care home licenses.
Illinois State Police Training (Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act). This training
addresses Department licensing standards, in compliance with requirements of the Adam Walsh
Child Protection and Safety Act, which require background checks of prospective foster and
adoptive parents prior to final approval for placement. This training provides licensing staff with
additional information to determine the suitability of a day care applicant and employees in their
facilities. The following are enhancements to the licensing process:
• All licensing staff has been trained by the Illinois State Police.
• An applicant now has the ability to go to any police department and ask for an “Access
and Review” if they believe that criminal history information incorrectly identifies them.
The police department will fingerprint them and send the information to the Illinois State
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