Guardian-Trustline provides thorough background checks on people working with children
January 2021
The Care Provider Management Bureau (CPMB) is working on the development and implementation of a new background check data system. The name of the system is Guardian and is expected to go live January 2021.
Guardian will ensure background checks are completed faster and more efficiently, while also making the process easier for TrustLine applicants and agencies. All users of Guardian will be able to upload documents electronically, track their exemption status, and applicant users will be able to receive communications from CPMB through their respective portals. Another added benefit of Guardian is the online payment capability for TrustLine Registry applicants. TrustLine agencies will have the ability to associate an individual to their agency and manage their rosters online.
For questions regarding Guardian, feel free to email Guardian@dss.ca.gov.
Guardian for TrustLine Introduction Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVKNdSmgbJ8&feature=youtu.be
Guardian for TrustLine Flyer https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Guardian/Guardian-Trustline-Flyer.pdf
TRUSTLINE
When it comes to entrusting children to a nanny or babysitter, parents know they must select a caregiver very carefully. Until now, parents interviewed, checked references and evaluated the provider's character using their own best judgment. Now there is additional help.
The TrustLine Registry was created by the California Legislature to give parents an important tool to use when selecting a caregiver for their children. All child care providers listed with TrustLine have submitted their fingerprints to the California Department of Justice and have no disqualifying criminal convictions in California.
TrustLine is a powerful resource if you want to hire a nanny or license-exempt child care provider. But it is still your responsibility to make certain that a caregiver is cleared by TrustLine. Once you have hired a caregiver, you also should call TrustLine from time to time to see that the provider is still in good standing. Nannies and babysitters placed through an employment agency must be listed on the TrustLine registry or be a current applicant.
TrustLine uses the California Criminal History System, administered by the Department of Justice, to check the fingerprints of applicants. California's Child Abuse Central Index also is examined for substantiated child abuse reports, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history records are examined. The California Department of Justice provides updates to ensure the continued eligibility status of a registrant.
The following additional information and materials are available to help you.
California Child Care Resource & Referral Network https://rrnetwork.org/
- (800) KIDS-793
California Department of Justice https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints
- (916) 227-2300
Check whether a specific child care provider is registered on TrustLine
- (800) 822-8490
Find the Child Care Resource & Referral Network chapter that serves your community
- (800) KIDS-793
For more information about TrustLine, visit the TrustLine website : http://trustline.org/or call (800) 822-8490
Frequestly asked questions regarding the background check process:
TRUSTLINE UPDATE May 5, 2020
TrustLine Covid-19 Response Summary
May 5th, 2020
1. TrustLine – Fingerprints Continue to be Required
While there is an Executive Order (EO) by Governor Newsom that allows the California Department of Justice to do name checks for licensed child care providers (https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/4.16.20-EO-N-52-20-text.pdf See item #11), that order does not include TrustLine background checks. As for the implementation of the EO for licensed child care, we expect a Provider Information Notice (PIN) from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) very soon on how they will be implementing this order.
2. Live Scan Access – Reaching out to Community Partners and Law Enforcement Offices https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations
Since the shelter in place orders were announced, we’ve heard from several R&R/APs in the that their usual Live Scan vendor was currently closed and that there were limited or no public Live Scan sites currently available in their County. The Network staff lifted up this issue immediately to CDSS, CDE, the legislature and the Governor’s office and as a result, Live Scan vendors have been declared an essential infrastructure service during this emergency. More and more Live Scan locations are opening each week.
While the Network continues to advocate for state-level support and guidance on this issue, the Network is also advocating for local agencies to do what you do best – reach out to your partners, colleagues and friends in your communities to explain that child care providers are essential workers during this emergency as they care for other essential workers’ children, and that the children in their care deserve the protection that fingerprint-based background checks like TrustLine provide.
3. Stage 1 Child Care – Retroactive Payment Increased to 180 days
Retroactive payments for Stage 1 child care providers have been increased from 120 to 180 days. https://cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Letters-and-Notices/ACWDL/2020/ACWDL_TrustLine-Retroactive.pdf
4.TrustLine Applicants – Fee Waiver
By direction of the California Department of Social Services and because of the need to fingerprint clear license-exempt child care providers as quickly and as efficiently as possible to meet the evolving child care needs created by the response to the Covid-19 emergency, until further notice ALL TrustLine applications should be submitted through the TrustLine Web-based Application (TWA) process and all DOJ and CDSS fees will be waived.While mailed applications will continue to be accepted, we recommend using the TWA system to expedite the process.
All TrustLine applicants should use the TLR 1 Subsidized Application form. This includes Foster Care Bridge applicants and all fee-paying applicants that until this time have used the TLR 2 (R&R/AP staff, nanny agencies, transportation services, etc.), or TLR 4 Ancillary Child Care application forms. https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CCLD/PINs/2020/CCP/PIN_20-04-CCP.pdf (See page 10.)
5. Network Reimbursement for Fingerprint Scanning/Rolling Fees
Fingerprinting/scanning costs will still be charged by the Live Scan site.However, R&R/AP programs that choose to pay the fingerprinting costs on behalf of applicants, may request reimbursement of these costs – up to $25.00 for fingerprinting and $5.00 for application data entry on the TrustLine Web-based Application – from the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network (Network) office.Local R&R/AP programs may contract with the Live Scan vendor or provide reimbursement to the applicant.There are a number of agencies that already request reimbursement from the Network for fingerprinting and data entry costs and they should continue on as usual.If your agency does not currently provide this service and wants to begin doing so, please contact Cindy Mall at the Network office, cmall@rrnetwork.org or 415-494-4642 for instructions and next steps.
6. TrustLine Capacity Waiver
A TrustLine provider may care for the children of more than one family at a time as long as the provider is able to meet the needs of children in care and capacity does not exceed a ratio of child to provider of 10:1. This waiver applies to obligations regarding capacity under Health and Safety Code section 1596.60. https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CCLD/PINs/2020/CCP/PIN_20-04-CCP.pdf (See page 9.)
7. Transferring a CCL Clearance to TrustLine or a TrustLine Clearance to CCL
TLR 1, Box 8 – CCL to TrustLine
TLR 3 – TrustLine to CCL https://www.cdss.ca.gov/cdssweb/entres/forms/english/tlr3.pdf
If an individual is currently employed at a licensed child care facility or has been associated with a child care facility in the last 3 years, s/he can transfer their clearance to TrustLine using the TLR 1 TrustLine application form, completing Box 8 on the form, and submitting a copy of her/his driver’s license.The individual does not need to be reprinted.The transfer application can be entered on the TrustLine Web-based Applications (TWA) system.However, the transfer won’t be processed until the paper application form is received by CDSS. So, it is extremely important that the completed TLR 1 paper form requesting the transfer be scanned and emailed to CDSS at CBCBCSI@dss.ca.gov with the subject line of the email: TrustLine Transfer Request.
If someone wants to transfer from TrustLine to work in a licensed child care facility, they need to complete the TLR 3 form - https://www.cdss.ca.gov/cdssweb/entres/forms/english/tlr3.pdf.
8. Email Documents to CDSS
All paper forms can be scanned and emailed to CDSS at CBCBCSI@dss.ca.gov
9. TrustLine Updates 1 and 2
Update 1 - https://rrnetwork.org/assets/general-files/TrustLine-Update-1-Covid-19-March-20.pdf
Update 2 - https://rrnetwork.org/assets/general-files/TrustLine-Update-2-Covid-19-April-24.pdf
10. Questions?
Cindy Mall – cmall@rrnetwork.org or 415-494-4642 or Nick O’Dowd – nodowd@rrnetwork.org or 415-494-4644.
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Nanny Background Checks:
Why TrustLine is the Gold Standard for California:
Hiring a nanny is a process usually fraught with anxiety. Ideally, you want someone who shares your ideas on child rearing — everything from feeding times, play dates, naps, and discipline. It’s a big decision.
The more information you can gather about a potential nanny, the more educated your hiring decision will be. The final screening step, the background check, shouldn't be skipped. The protection it brings your child and the peace of mind it will bring you is more than worth the cost.
The question is what company conducts background checks specifically for caregivers? Surely the background check that is conducted for construction workers is not the same as the one used for caregivers. The threshold should be more stringent.
So what are these background checks screening for?
Unfortunately, this is a question that most of us do not want to think about. We want to trust that the nanny is being honest when he/she says that they have a clean record or that the $29 online background check is thorough enough to flag the ‘really bad infractions’.
What if I were to tell you, research indicates that basic online background checks only have access to criminal information for 29/58 counties in California and don’t check the child abuse index?
Half the counties in California, and not even the Child Abuse Index.
Is that what you thought you were getting? There is only one background check that is considered the gold standard for babysitters and nannies in California, and that is the TrustLine background check.
---------If it’s not TrustLine, It’s Not the Whole Picture---------
TrustLine is different from the 3rd party online background checks because it has access to fingerprint records from the California Department of Justice’s California Criminal History System, and the FBI Criminal History System. Private investigators and private background check companies do not have the clearance level required to access these fingerprint records. Not only that, the criminal history housed at the CA Department of Justice (DOJ) that is checked by TrustLine includes information from all 58 counties. 3rd party background checks services also don’t have access to the Child Abuse Central Index of CA housed at the CA DOJ- but TrustLine does. In addition TrustLine checks several other important databases that are explained further below.
Keep in mind, the TrustLine process takes at least 2 weeks to return results. It won’t be instantaneous like you would receive on a 3rd party background check, which can be frustrating to hear considering the digital age in which we live in. The reality is that a quality background check requires time and manpower. So if you stop to consider the alternative, are you really willing to take the risk? Half the counties in California, and not even the Child Abuse Index. The two weeks are worth the wait.
What is TrustLine?
TrustLine is California’s registry of in-home child care providers, tutors, in-home counselors, and child care staff at Ancillary Child Care Centers who have passed a background screening. All caregivers registered with TrustLine have been cleared through a fingerprint check of records at the California Department of Justice and the FBI. Individuals registered on TrustLine have no disqualifying criminal convictions or substantiated child abuse reports in California and no disqualifying criminal convictions on the FBIs criminal history system. TrustLine is administered by the California Department of Social Services and the non-profit California Child Care Resource and Referral Network.
What does TrustLine check?
TrustLine is an effective tool for parents to check the backgrounds of babysitters, nannies, tutors, and in-home counselors to determine if an applicant has criminal convictions or substantiated child abuse reports in California or criminal convictions reported to the FBI. TrustLine is the only background check authorized by state law to use three databases that the general public, including private investigators and private background check companies, cannot access. These databases include the fingerprint records from the California Department of Justice’s California Criminal History System and FBI’s Criminal History System, and a name check of the Child Abuse Central Index of California.
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|
TrustLine |
3rd Party Background Checks |
|
Fingerprints |
Yes |
No |
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California Criminal History |
Yes (all 58 Counties) |
Only 28 Counties |
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Child Abuse Central Index of California |
Yes |
No |
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FBI Criminal History Records |
Yes |
No |
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Community Care Licensing Records |
Yes |
No |
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Teaching Credentials |
Yes |
No |
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Certified Nursing Assistant Records |
Yes |
No |
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Why does it matter that other background checks don’t check fingerprints?
Fingerprints are considered ‘unique identifiers’, which essentially means that no two people have the same fingerprints. It’s fairly easy for someone to change their name to try and conceal a criminal past, and there are many people with the same or similar names. The only nanny background check that checks fingerprints is TrustLine.
How much does it cost?
TrustLine costs approximately $130.While the total background check fee through TrustLine remains consistent, the fingerprint rolling free varies depending on where the person is fingerprinted and how much the vendor charges to roll the applicant’s prints.
Who is required to use TrustLine?
All employment agencies (nanny and baby-sitter placement agencies) are required by law to register their caregivers with TrustLine upon placement. Transport Escort Services also are required by law to TrustLine register individual(s) that are transporting minors. Transport Escort Services transport minors across state lines to residential facilities with permission from the minor’s parents or legal guardian. Businesses providing Ancillary Child Care Centers to customers or clients while the customers or clients shop or obtain services (i.e. health clubs and gyms) must register on TrustLine those staff members who are 18 years of age or older that work in the child care center. Child care providers who are not required to be licensed in California (baby-sitters, nannies, etc.) and who are providing child care to parents receiving a governmental child care subsidy (except grandparents, aunts, and uncles) are required by law to register with TrustLine.
Is TrustLine effective?
TrustLine is an effective tool for parents to check the background of a baby-sitter or nanny. Thousands of applicants who apply to be on the TrustLine registry are disqualified because of criminal activity in their past. TrustLine has denied applicants with convictions such as murder, manslaughter, willful child cruelty, and kidnapping. Ten percent (10%) of applicants were denied being registered on TrustLine due to criminal or child abuse history in the 2015 calendar year. Out of the applicants that were denied, 60 had a serious felony conviction.
I TrustLined my Nanny, now what?
TrustLine is just one important tool to help you choose the best in-home caregiver for your child. It is the parents' obligation to learn as much information about their potential hire as possible so that they can make an informed and educated hiring decision. Our TrustLine Tips provide additional suggestions for choosing a nanny or baby-sitter. Remember to trust your instinct, and take all precautionary steps available to you.
For more information on TrustLine, go to www.trustline.org or call 1-800-822-8490.
