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Kentucky

All Kentuckians are mandated reporters. If you believe a child is being abused or neglected, call the Child Protection Hotline.

1-877-KYSAFE1 or 1-877-597-2331

For contact information in other states, please visit our Report It page.

Additional Support:

Child help: National Abuse Hotline:
1-800-4-CHILD
or 1-800-422-4453

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Ensuring Safe Caregivers for Your Kids

With summer in full swing, your children could be spending time with new adults, including babysitters and camp counselors. One way to help keep your kiddos safe this summer is to review important information, such as background checks, when deciding to hire someone to work with your children or send them off to summer camp.

Since the passage of Senate Bill 236 in 2017, parents and caregivers have been given the ability to request a background check of the child abuse and neglect registry when employing a child care provider for his or her child in their home. It also closes gaps in background checks for public schools and youth camps.

There are different types of background checks you can complete for adults that could be caring for your children. Those recommended checks include: Criminal Background Check, Sex Offender Registry Check, and Central Registry Check. Keep reading below for information on how to request these different background checks.  Background checks are one of the ways to ensure your children are safe with other adults. Other ways to keep your child safe include asking for professional references and interviewing the person before they come into your home.

 Criminal Background Check

The Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) offers the general public, including individuals, businesses, and other entities, criminal background checks of the Kentucky criminal records.  The information comes from CourtNet, the AOC’s statewide database that collects court information from all 120 Kentucky counties. The CourtNet database contains more than 4 million records that cover all misdemeanor and traffic cases for the last five years and felonies dating back to 1978.

Step One: Visit the AOC Criminal Records Report

Step Two: Choose Online Options.

Those seeking background checks have two options for online checks. They can either do the AOC Fast Check or the One-Time Request.

Step Three: Online Request

The AOC Fast Check is designed for employers, businesses, or other entities that regularly utilize the site for criminal background checks. It requires a login ID and password.

The One-Time Request can be used for a one-time check.

The person requesting the criminal background check must fill out the top portion with their information and the bottom portion with the information of the person being checked, including their social security number and date of birth.

After you click submit, it will direct you to a site to pay online via credit card, personal check, or business check.

Criminal record reports are processed in the order in which they are received and response times will vary depending on the volume of requests.

 

Sex Offender Registry Checks

There are several websites available that allow you to check the national and state sex offender registry databases by a number of criteria. The U.S. Department of Justice’s National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR) website is the only U.S. government website that links public state, territorial, and tribal sex offender registries into one national search site.

 

Step One: Search by name

Go to the following website: https://www.nsopw.gov/en/Search

You can do a quick search by entering the first and last name of the person being checked.

To narrow down the search results, you can do an advanced search. Do so by entering the first and last names of the person being checked as well as any other identifying information, such as county, city/town, and/or zip code.

 

Step Two: Search by address radius

Go to the following website: https://www.nsopw.gov/en/Search

Enter an address and select a distance to search for offenders by location. The search will return offenders with a registered address that is within the specified radius around the location searched.

 

Central Registry Check – Step-by-Step Guide

Since the passage of SB 236 in March 2017, parents and caregivers have been given the right to request a background check of the child abuse and neglect registry when employing a child care provider for his or her child in their home. The child abuse and neglect registry, also known as the “central registry,” is maintained by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Parents wishing to request a central registry check must have the signature of the child care provider and mail the form DCC-374 (download here) and a $10 check or money order to CHFS.

 

Step One: Complete the DCC-374 form.

Click here to download the form.

On form check “Private Child Care Employee (KRS 199.466)”

The individual on whom the registry check is being requested should fill out the “PERSONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE INDIVIDUAL SUBMITTING TO A CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT CHECK” section.

The individual submitting to the registry check, along with a witness, must sign and date the form on the second page.

The next section asks for the name and contact information of the employers or agency. Parents requesting the background check will fill this section out with their information.

The final section is for the use of the Cabinet.

Step Two: Identifying information

Ensure that a copy of the driver’s license, social security card, or birth certificate of the individual submitting to the background is attached.

Step Three: Fee

Include a $10 check or money order.

Step Four: Mail to CHFS

Mail above materials to:

Cabinet for Health and Family Services

Department for Community Based Services

Division of Child Care

275 East Main St., 3C-F

Frankfort, Kentucky 40621