Clearances
As of January 31, 2016, refunds will no longer be provided for applicants who submit an overpayment with their background check paper applications. On July 25, 2015, Governor Wolf waived the fees for clearances for volunteers and reduced the cost of clearances for employment purposes from $10 to $8. A refund process was implemented for those applicants who submitted an overpayment with their paper application.
Reminder: Background checks fees for volunteers have been waived and the cost of clearances for employment purposes was reduced from $10 to $8. These fee changes have been in effect since July 25,2015.
Please keep this in mind as you submit clearance requests to the Department. If you have questions regarding the clearance process, please visit www.KeepKidsSafe.pa.gov. Individuals seeking clearances can go directly to www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis to create an individual account and apply for their child abuse clearance electronically. Thank you for your continued commitment to keep Pennsylvania’s children safe.
Certain individuals, in order to work or volunteer with children, are required to obtain clearances which may include the following:
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Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance;
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Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check; and
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Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check.
Who needs child abuse clearances?
Information regarding the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance is contained below, as well as a link to additional information regarding the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check.
The Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance can be submitted and paid for online through the Child Welfare Information Solution (CWIS) self-service portal, www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis.
Submitting an application online allows individual applicants to receive their results through an automated system that will notify the applicant once their results have been processed. Applicants will be able to view and print their results online. The self-service portal also provides the ability for organizations to create business accounts to prepay for child abuse clearances and have online access to the results.
For more information about the electronic submission of child abuse clearances or for information on obtaining the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check or Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check, please go to:http://www.dhs.pa.gov/publications/findaform/childabusehistoryclearanceforms/index.htm.