Background Checks for Prospective Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Caregivers - Connecticut

Who Needs Records Checks

Citation: Gen. Stat. §§ 17a-114; 17b-749k

The following persons are subject to background checks by the Department of Children and Families:

• Any relative or fictive kin caregiver who wishes to accept placement of a child in the custody of the department
• A prospective adoptive parent
• Any person age 16 or older living in the household of an applicant
• Any person age 16 or older who is not living in the household but who has regular unsupervised access to a child

A 'fictive kin caregiver' is a person who is age 21 or older and who is unrelated to a child by birth, adoption, or marriage but who has an emotionally significant relationship with the child or the child's family amounting to a familial relationship.

The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall, within available appropriations, require any person, other than a relative, who provides child care services and who receives a child care subsidy from the Office of Early Childhood, to submit to comprehensive background checks.

Types of Records That Must Be Checked

Citation: Gen. Stat. §§ 17a-114; 17b-749k

The commissioner shall require each applicant for licensure or approval and any person age 16 or older living in the household of the applicant to submit to State and national criminal history records checks prior to issuing a license or approval to the applicant to accept placement of a child for purposes of foster care or adoption. The criminal history records checks shall be conducted in accordance with § 29-17a. The commissioner also shall check the State child abuse registry for the name of the applicant and for the name of any person age 16 or older living in the household of the applicant.

Comprehensive background checks for child care providers include State and national criminal history records checks and checks of the State child abuse registry.

Any relative who provides child care services to a child and who receives a child care subsidy from the Office of Early Childhood must submit to a check of (1) State and national sexual offender registry databases, (2) the State child abuse registry, and (3) the Connecticut On-Line Law Enforcement Communication Teleprocessing System maintained by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. If that check reveals that the name of any relative appears in those databases or registries, the commissioner may require the relative to submit to State and national criminal history records checks.

Process for Obtaining Records Checks

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 29-17a

When a criminal history records check is required, the check shall be requested from the State Police Bureau of Identification and shall be applicable to the individual identified in the request. The requesting party shall arrange for the fingerprinting of the individual or for conducting any other method of positive identification required by the State Police Bureau of Identification and, if a national criminal history records check is requested, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The fingerprints or other positive identifying information shall be forwarded to the State Police Bureau of Identification, which shall conduct a State criminal history records check. If a national criminal history records check is requested, the State Police Bureau of Identification shall submit the fingerprints or other positive identifying information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history records check, unless the Federal Bureau of Investigation permits direct submission of the fingerprints or other positive identifying information by the requesting party.

Grounds for Disqualification

Citation: State Agencies Regs. § 17a-150-110

The granting of a license or approval shall be denied if any member of the household of a foster family or prospective adoptive family:

• Has been convicted of injury or risk of injury to minor or other similar offenses against a minor
• Has been convicted of impairing the morals of a minor or other similar offenses against a minor
• Has been convicted of violent crime against a person or other similar offenses
• Has been convicted of the possession, use, or sale of controlled substances within the past 5 years
• Has been convicted of illegal use of a firearm or other similar offenses
• Has ever had an allegation of child abuse or neglect substantiated
• Has had a minor removed from their care because of child abuse or neglect

The renewal of a license or approval may be denied if any member of the household of a foster family or prospective adoptive family:

• Has been convicted of injury or risk of injury to a minor or other similar offenses against a minor
• Has been convicted of impairing the morals of a minor or other similar offenses against a minor
• Has been convicted of violent crime against a person or other similar offenses
• Has been convicted of the possession, use, or sale of controlled substances
• Has been convicted of illegal use of a firearm or other similar offenses
• Has ever had an allegation of child abuse or neglect substantiated
• Has had a minor removed from their care because of child abuse or neglect

The granting or renewal of a license or approval may be denied if any member of the household of a foster family or prospective adoptive family:

• Is awaiting trial, or is on trial, for charges as described above
• Has a criminal record that the department or child-placing agency believes makes the home unsuitable
• Has a current child abuse or neglect allegation pending

No license or approval shall be renewed if the holder of the license or approval knowingly arranges for the substitute care of a child by a person described above.