Kentucky Childcare Background Check Requirements (2026)

Kentucky childcare licensing requires the following pre-employment screening for staff: State and national fingerprint-supported criminal history background check performed by the Department of Kentucky State Police (KSP) and the FBI, including the FBI rap back system (922 KAR 2:280).

Kentucky childcare licensing requires the following pre-employment screening for staff: Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check via the cabinet.

Kentucky childcare licensing requires the following pre-employment screening for staff: National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) check.

Kentucky childcare licensing requires the following pre-employment screening for staff: Kentucky Sex Offender Registry check.

Kentucky childcare licensing requires the following pre-employment screening for staff: Out-of-state criminal and child-abuse/neglect registry checks for any state of residence within the applicable look-back period (922 KAR 2:280).

Kentucky childcare licensing requires the following pre-employment screening for staff: Required for: an owner/operator/employee of a child-care provider; a licensee or director; an adult household member of a Type II center; an employee present while a child is receiving care; any person with supervisory or disciplinary control over a child in care; and any person having unsupervised contact with a child in care (922 KAR 2:280); cross-references federal 42 U.S.C. 9858f and 45 C.F.R. 98.43.

What background checks does Kentucky require for childcare staff?

Kentucky requires the following screenings: State and national fingerprint-supported criminal history background check performed by the Department of Kentucky State Police (KSP) and the FBI, including the FBI rap back system (922 KAR 2:280); Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check via the cabinet; National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) check; Kentucky Sex Offender Registry check; Out-of-state criminal and child-abuse/neglect registry checks for any state of residence within the applicable look-back period (922 KAR 2:280); Required for: an owner/operator/employee of a child-care provider; a licensee or director; an adult household member of a Type II center; an employee present while a child is receiving care; any person with supervisory or disciplinary control over a child in care; and any person having unsupervised contact with a child in care (922 KAR 2:280); cross-references federal 42 U.S.C. 9858f and 45 C.F.R. 98.43.

Do background checks need to be repeated in Kentucky?

Many states require periodic re-screening (often every 5 years) in addition to the initial check. Confirm the current Kentucky re-screening interval with the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General — Division of Regulated Child Care (DRCC), which licenses and investigates complaints against licensed child-care centers and certified family child-care homes; child-care standards developed in coordination with the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) Division of Child Care.

Who must be screened at a Kentucky center?

Any staff member, substitute, or volunteer with unsupervised access to children must clear the required Kentucky screenings before working with children.