36-897.03. Child care group homes; child care personnel; fingerprints; definition

A. Child care personnel, including volunteers, shall submit the form prescribed in subsection B of this section to the employer and shall have valid fingerprint clearance cards issued pursuant to section 41-1758.07 before starting employment or volunteer work.

B. Applicants, certificate holders and child care personnel shall attest on forms that are provided by the department that:

1. They are not awaiting trial on or have never been convicted of or admitted in open court or pursuant to a plea agreement committing any of the offenses listed in section 41-1758.07, subsection B or C in this state or similar offenses in another state or jurisdiction.

2. They are not parents or guardians of a child adjudicated to be a dependent child as defined in section 8-201.

3. They have not been denied a certificate to operate a child care group home or a license to operate a child care facility for the care of children in this state or another state or had a license to operate a child care facility or a certificate to operate a child care group home revoked for reasons that relate to the endangerment of the health and safety of children.

C. The provider shall make documented, good faith efforts to contact previous employers of child care personnel to obtain information or recommendations that may be relevant to an individual's fitness to work in a certified child care group home.

D. The director may adopt rules prescribing the exclusion from child care group homes of individuals whose presence may be detrimental to the welfare of children.

E. The forms required by subsection B of this section are confidential.

F. A person who is awaiting trial on or who has been convicted of or who has admitted in open court or pursuant to a plea agreement to committing a criminal offense listed in section 41-1758.07, subsection B or subsection B, paragraph 2 or 3 of this section is prohibited from being employed in any capacity in a child care group home.

G. A person who is awaiting trial on or who has been convicted of or who has admitted in open court or pursuant to a plea agreement to committing a criminal offense listed in section 41-1758.07, subsection C shall not work in a child care group home without direct visual supervision unless the person has applied for and received the required fingerprint clearance card pursuant to section 41-1758 and is registered as child care personnel.  A person who is subject to this subsection shall not be employed in any capacity in a child care group home if that person is denied the required fingerprint clearance card.

H. The employer shall notify the department of public safety if the employer receives credible evidence that any child care personnel either:

1. Is arrested for or charged with an offense listed in section 41-1758.07, subsection B.

2. Falsified information on the form required by subsection B of this section.

I. For the purposes of this section, "child care personnel" means all employees of and persons who are eighteen years of age or older and who reside in a child care group home that is certified by the department.