Virginia Law

Article 5. Background Checks.

For purposes of this chapter, convictions for any barrier crime as defined in § 19.2-392.02 shall include prior adult convictions and juvenile convictions or adjudications of delinquency based on a crime that would be a felony if committed by an adult within or outside the Commonwealth.

2020, cc. 860, 861.

A. No child day center, family day home, or family day system licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, child day center exempt from licensure pursuant to § 22.1-289.031, registered family day home, family day home approved by a family day system, or child day center, family day home, or child day program that enters into a contract with the Department or its agents or designees to provide child care services funded by the Child Care and Development Block Grant shall hire for compensated employment, continue to employ, or permit to serve as a volunteer who will be alone with, in control of, or supervising children any person who (i) has been convicted of any barrier crime as defined in § 19.2-392.02 or (ii) is the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside the Commonwealth. All applicants for employment, employees, applicants to serve as volunteers, and volunteers shall undergo a background check in accordance with subsection B prior to employment or beginning to serve as a volunteer and every five years thereafter. However, pending the results of all background check components set forth in subsection B, an applicant for employment or an applicant to serve as a volunteer may work in the child day center, family day home, or family day system, provided that (a) the applicant has received qualifying results on a fingerprint-based background check through the Central Criminal Records Exchange or the Federal Bureau of Investigation and (b) the applicant is supervised at all times by a person who received a qualifying result on a background check conducted in accordance with subsection B within the past five years.

B. Any individual required to undergo a background check in accordance with subsection A shall:

1. Provide a sworn statement or affirmation disclosing whether he has ever been convicted of or is the subject of pending charges for any offense within or outside the Commonwealth and whether he has been the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside the Commonwealth;

2. Submit to fingerprinting and provide personal descriptive information described in subdivision B 2 of § 19.2-392.02;

3. Authorize the child day center, family day home, or family day system described in subsection A to obtain a copy of the results of a search of the central registry maintained pursuant to § 63.2-1515 for any founded complaint of child abuse or neglect against him; and

4. Authorize the child day center, family day home, or family day system described in subsection A to obtain a copy of the results of a criminal history record information check, a sex offender registry check, and a search of the child abuse and neglect registry or equivalent registry from any state in which the individual has resided in the preceding five years.

The applicant's fingerprints and personal descriptive information obtained pursuant to subdivision 2 shall be forwarded by the Department or its designee or, in the case of a child day program operated by a local government, may be forwarded by the local law-enforcement agency through the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of obtaining national criminal history record information regarding such applicant. Upon receipt of an applicant's record or notification that no record exists, the Central Criminal Records Exchange shall forward the information to the Department or its designee, and the Department or its designee shall report to the child day center or family day home whether the applicant is eligible to have responsibility for the safety and well-being of children. In cases in which the record forwarded to the Department or its designee is lacking disposition data, the Department or its designee shall conduct research in whatever state and local recordkeeping systems are available in order to obtain complete data before reporting to the child day center, family day home, or family day system.

C. The child day center, family day home, or family day system described in subsection A shall inform every individual required to undergo a background check pursuant to this section that he is entitled to obtain a copy of any background check report and to challenge the accuracy and completeness of any such report and obtain a prompt resolution before a final determination is made of the individual's eligibility to have responsibility for the safety and well-being of children.

D. Any person making a materially false statement regarding the sworn statement or affirmation provided pursuant to subdivision B 1 is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

E. Further dissemination of the background check information is prohibited (i) other than to the Superintendent's representative or a federal or state authority or court as may be required to comply with an express requirement of law for such further dissemination or (ii) except as provided in subsection J.

F. A person who complies in good faith with the provisions of this section shall not be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission in the performance of duties under this section unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

G. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, a child day center may hire for compensated employment persons who have been convicted of not more than one misdemeanor offense under § 18.2-57, or any substantially similar offense under the laws of another jurisdiction, if 10 years have elapsed following the conviction, unless the person committed such offense while employed in a child day center or the object of the offense was a minor.

H. Fees charged for the processing and administration of background checks pursuant to this section shall not exceed the actual cost to the state or the local law-enforcement agency of such processing and administration.

I. Any individual required to undergo a background check pursuant to subsection A who is (i) convicted of any barrier crime as defined in § 19.2-392.02 or (ii) found to be the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside of the Commonwealth shall notify the child day center, family day home, or family day system described in subsection A of such conviction or finding.

J. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, a background check shall not be required for any individual who has completed a background check under the provisions of this section within the previous five years, provided that (i) such background check was conducted after July 1, 2017; (ii) the results of such background check indicated that the individual had not been convicted of any barrier crime as defined in § 19.2-392.02 and was not the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside the Commonwealth; and (iii) the individual is currently or has been, within the previous 180 days, employed by or a volunteer at a child day center, family day home, family day system, or child day program described in subsection A. Except as otherwise provided in subsection A, prior to hiring or allowing to volunteer any individual required to undergo a background check pursuant to subsection A without the completion of a background check under the provisions of subsection B, the child day center, family day home, family day system, or child day program shall, upon the individual's written consent, obtain written certification from the Department or its designee that such individual satisfies all requirements set forth in this subsection and is eligible to serve as an employee or volunteer. If the individual meets all requirements set forth in this subsection and is eligible to serve as an employee or volunteer at the child day center, family day home, family day system, or child day program, the written certification shall also state the next date by which another background check for such person shall be completed in accordance with subsection B. Such written certifications shall not reveal the nature of any disqualifying barrier crime or founded complaint of child abuse or neglect or any other information about the individual.

K. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection E, the Virginia Council for Private Education (the Council) or its authorized designee may review background check information for current employees of child day centers accredited by the Council for the purposes of seeking or maintaining accreditation by the Council as permitted pursuant to § 22.1-19.

L. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection E, the Department, upon receiving a written request for such a written certification from an individual, shall provide written certification to an entity designated by the Department that provides staffing for child day programs that such individual satisfies all requirements set forth in this section and is eligible to serve as an employee, temporary employee, or volunteer in a child day program. Each such written certification shall also state the date by which the individual is required to complete a new background check in accordance with the periodic requirement for such background checks that is established in subsection A. No such written certification shall reveal the nature of any disqualifying barrier crime committed by or founded complaint of child abuse or neglect against the individual. Any such written certification may be shared among child day programs for the purpose of facilitating the creation and maintenance of a child day program substitute staff pool system.

2020, cc. 860, 861, 936; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 251, 510; 2023, c. 253; 2024, cc. 289, 477.

A. Every (i) applicant for licensure as a child day center, family day home, or family day system, registration as a family day home, or approval as a family day home by a family day system; (ii) agent of an applicant for licensure as a child day center, family day home, or family day system, registration as a family day home, or approval as a family day home by a family day system at the time of application who is or will be involved in the day-to-day operations of the child day center, family day home, or family day system or who is or will be alone with, in control of, or supervising one or more of the children; and (iii) adult living in such child day center or family day home shall undergo a background check in accordance with subsection B prior to issuance of a license as a child day center, family day home, or family day system, registration as a family day home, or approval as a family day home by a family day system and every five years thereafter.

B. Every person required to undergo a background check pursuant to subsection A shall:

1. Provide a sworn statement or affirmation disclosing whether he has ever been convicted of or is the subject of any pending criminal charges for any offense within or outside the Commonwealth and whether or not he has been the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside the Commonwealth;

2. Submit to fingerprinting and provide personal descriptive information described in subdivision B 2 of § 19.2-392.02;

3. Authorize the child day center, family day home, or family day system specified in subsection A to obtain a copy of the results of a search of the central registry maintained pursuant to § 63.2-1515 for any founded complaint of child abuse or neglect against him; and

4. Authorize the child day center, family day home, or family day system described in subsection A to obtain a copy of the results of a criminal history record information check, a sex offender registry check, and a search of the child abuse and neglect registry or equivalent registry from any state in which the individual has resided in the preceding five years.

Fingerprints and personal descriptive information obtained pursuant to subdivision 2 shall be forwarded by the Department or its designee or, in the case of a child day program operated by a local government, may be forwarded by the local law-enforcement agency through the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of obtaining national criminal history record information regarding the individual. Upon receipt of an individual's record or notification that no record exists, the Central Criminal Records Exchange shall forward the information to the Department or its designee. The Department or its designee shall report to the child day center, family day home, or family day system described in subsection A as to whether the individual is eligible to have responsibility for the safety and well-being of children. In cases in which the record forwarded to the Department or its designee is lacking disposition data, the Department or its designee shall conduct research in whatever state and local recordkeeping systems are available in order to obtain complete data.

C. If any person specified in subsection A required to have a background check (i) has been convicted of any barrier crime as defined in § 19.2-392.02 or (ii) is the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside the Commonwealth, and such person has not been granted a waiver by the Superintendent pursuant to § 22.1-289.038, no license as a child day center, family day home, or family day system or registration as a family day home shall be granted by the Superintendent and no approval as a family day home shall be granted by the family day system.

D. Information from a search of the central registry maintained pursuant to § 63.2-1515 and any child abuse and neglect registry or equivalent registry maintained by any other state in which the applicant, agent, or adult has resided in the preceding five years, authorized in accordance with subdivision B 3, shall be obtained prior to issuance of a license as a child day center, family day home, or family day system, registration as a family day home, or approval as a family day home by a family day system.

E. No person specified in subsection A shall be involved in the day-to-day operations of the child day center, family day home, or family day system, or shall be alone with, in control of, or supervising one or more children, without first having completed any required background check pursuant to subsection B.

F. Any person making a materially false statement regarding the sworn statement or affirmation provided pursuant to subdivision B 1 is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

G. If an individual is denied licensure, registration, or approval because of information from the central registry or any child abuse and neglect registry or equivalent registry maintained by any other state, or convictions appearing on his criminal history record, the Superintendent shall provide a copy of the information obtained from the central registry, any child abuse and neglect registry or equivalent registry maintained by any other state, or the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the individual.

H. Further dissemination of the background check information is prohibited other than to the Superintendent's representative or a federal or state authority or court as may be required to comply with an express requirement of law for such further dissemination.

I. Fees charged for the processing and administration of background checks pursuant to this section shall not exceed the actual cost to the state or the local law-enforcement agency of such processing and administration.

J. For the purposes of this section, "agent" means a person who is authorized to act on behalf of the applicant or licensee.

2020, cc. 860, 861, 936.

A. The Superintendent may revoke or deny renewal of a license or registration of a child day program or family day system, and a family day system may revoke the approval of a family day home, if the child day program, family day system, or approved family day home has knowledge that a person specified in § 22.1-289.035 or 22.1-289.036 required to have a background check (i) has been convicted of any barrier crime as defined in § 19.2-392.02 or (ii) is the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside the Commonwealth, and such person has not been granted a waiver by the Superintendent pursuant to § 22.1-289.038 or is not subject to the exceptions in subsection G of § 22.1-289.035, and the agency or home refuses to separate such person from employment or service or allows the household member to continue to reside in the home.

B. Failure to obtain background checks pursuant to §§ 22.1-289.035 and 22.1-289.036 shall be grounds for denial, revocation, or termination of a license, registration, or approval or any contract with the Department or its agents or designees or a local department of social services to provide child care services to clients of the Department or its agents or designees or the local department of social services. No violation shall occur if the family day system, family day home, or child day center has applied for the background check timely and it has not been obtained due to administrative delay. The provisions of this section shall be enforced by the Department.

2020, cc. 860, 861.

A. Any person who seeks to operate, volunteer, or work at a child day program or family day system and who is disqualified because of a criminal conviction or a criminal conviction in the background check of any other adult living in a family day home regulated by the Department, pursuant to § 22.1-289.035, 22.1-289.036, or 22.1-289.039, may apply in writing for a waiver from the Superintendent. The Superintendent may grant a waiver if the Superintendent determines that (i) the person is of good moral character and reputation and (ii) the waiver would not adversely affect the safety and well-being of children in the person's care. The Superintendent shall not grant a waiver to any person who has been convicted of any barrier crime as defined in § 19.2-392.02. However, the Superintendent may grant a waiver to a family day home licensed or registered by the Department if any other adult living in the home of the applicant or provider has been convicted of not more than one misdemeanor offense under § 18.2-57 or 18.2-57.2, or any substantially similar offense under the laws of another jurisdiction, provided that (a) five years have elapsed following the conviction and (b) the Department has conducted a home study that includes, but is not limited to, (1) an assessment of the safety of children placed in the home and (2) a determination that the offender is now a person of good moral character and reputation. The waiver shall not be granted if the adult living in the home is an assistant or substitute provider or if such adult has been convicted of a misdemeanor offense under both §§ 18.2-57 and 18.2-57.2, or any substantially similar offense under the laws of another jurisdiction. Any waiver granted under this section shall be available for inspection by the public. The child day program or family day system shall notify in writing every parent and guardian of the children in its care of any waiver granted for its operators, employees, or volunteers.

B. The Board shall adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

2020, cc. 860, 861.

Any child day center that is exempt from licensure pursuant to § 22.1-289.031 shall require all applicants for employment, employees, applicants to serve as volunteers, and volunteers and any other person who is expected to be alone with one or more children enrolled in the child day center to obtain a background check in accordance with § 22.1-289.035. A child day center that is exempt from licensure pursuant to § 22.1-289.031 shall refuse employment or service to any person who (i) has been convicted of any barrier crime as defined in § 19.2-392.02 or (ii) is the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside the Commonwealth. The foregoing provisions shall not apply to a parent or guardian who may be left alone with his own child. For purposes of this section, convictions shall include prior adult convictions and juvenile convictions or adjudications of delinquency based on a crime that would have been a felony if committed by an adult within or outside the Commonwealth. Further dissemination of the information provided to the facility is prohibited, except as otherwise provided in subsection J of § 22.1-289.035.

2020, cc. 860, 861; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 251, 510.

A. Whenever any child day center or family day home that has not met the requirements of §§ 22.1-289.035, 22.1-289.036, and 22.1-289.039 applies to enter into a contract with the Department or its agents or designees to provide child care services to clients of the Department or its agents or designees, the Department or its agents or designees shall require a background check, at the time of application to enter into a contract and every five years thereafter, of (i) the applicant; any agents involved in the day-to-day operation; all agents who are alone with, in control of, or supervising one or more of the children; and any other adult living in a family day home pursuant to § 22.1-289.036; and (ii) all applicants for employment, employees, applicants to serve as volunteers, and volunteers pursuant to § 22.1-289.035. The child day center or family day home shall not be permitted to enter into a contract with the Department or its agents or designees for child care services when an applicant; any employee; a prospective employee; a volunteer, an agent involved in the day-to-day operation; an agent alone with, in control of, or supervising one or more children; or any other adult living in a family day home (i) has been convicted of any barrier crime as defined in § 19.2-392.02 or (ii) is the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside the Commonwealth. Further dissemination of the information provided to the facility, beyond dissemination to the Department or its agents or designees is prohibited.

B. Every child day center or family day home that enters into a contract with the Department or its agents or designees to provide child care services to clients of the Department or its agents or designees that is funded, in whole or in part, by the Child Care and Development Block Grant, shall comply with all requirements established by federal law and regulations.

2020, cc. 860, 861.

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a family day home if he, or if he knows that any other person who resides in, is employed by, or volunteers in the home, has been convicted of a felony in violation of § 18.2-48, 18.2-61, 18.2-63, 18.2-64.1, 18.2-67.1, 18.2-67.2, 18.2-67.3, 18.2-67.5, 18.2-355, 18.2-361, 18.2-366, 18.2-369, 18.2-370, 18.2-370.1, 18.2-371.1, or 18.2-374.1, has been convicted of any offense that requires registration on the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry pursuant to § 9.1-902, or is the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect within or outside the Commonwealth. A violation of this section is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

2020, cc. 860, 861.