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Central Background Registry

Central Background Registry

General Enrollment and Application

We know that this delay in Central Background Registry (CBR) enrollment is impacting your ability to hire staff and is affecting families and we want to apologize for that. We’ve heard your feedback on our post earlier today about delays with the CBR and wanted to provide some additional information. <<< read more

First, ELD is authorizing all overtime and working through background checks as quickly as possible. We currently process about 140 applications per day. However, we’ve received more than 2,000 applications since the start of September, which far exceeds pre-pandemic enrollment applications. In addition to these new applications, about 2,500 individuals must renew their enrollment in the CBR this month.

Our intake team includes three people, and we have temporarily assigned three other staff to that team to help with the backlog. These six people are working overtime, and we anticipate another two staff members to join them soon.

Unfortunately, anyone who processes background checks needs to be enrolled in the Central Background Registry, so we are unable to bring on temporary staff to help. However, we are assigning Office of Child Care managers and staff to process background checks to help alleviate some of the capacity constraints ELD is facing.

As for the emergency background check process that was in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, we requested a waiver from the federal Office of Child Care to be able to continue that process and were denied. Without a waiver, we are unable to reinstate the emergency background check process due to federal requirements.

We’ve investigated the reasons behind many of the delays we have been contacted about and determined that many of them can be minimized by following the tips we offered earlier today. We know this will not solve all the problems, but we are working hard to move things along to the best of our ability. We again want to apologize for these delays and commit to working on improvements for the future.

Tips for understanding the CBR process when there are delays
  • Your CBR enrollment won’t expire if you submit your application up to 14 days before expiration date.
  • Make sure the application is signed and completely filled out.
  • Make sure your email and mailing address are current and accurate.
  • When you get your instructions for fingerprinting, make your appointment as quickly as possible.
  • Make sure to use the FieldPrint code supplied by OCC.
  • If you get requests of information from OCC, respond as quickly as possible.
  • Make sure to follow all specific instructions.

Please note: Due to considerations of confidentiality, OCC is unable to give detailed information regarding an applicant’s CBR processing to employers and program directors.

If experiencing a delay in CBR processing, applicants should contact Office of Child Care Customer Service at 1-800-556-6616 or email occ.customerservice@ode.oregon.gov.

  • October 11, 2022 Provider Letter about CBR delays

Who Needs to Enroll?

A person who wishes to seek employment as:

  • A child care provider who is required to be enrolled in the Central Background Registry by any state agency.
  • The owner, operator, employee or volunteer of a certified, registered or otherwise regulated child care facility that is subject to the jurisdiction of the Early Learning Division Office of Child Care.
  • The operator or an employee of an Oregon pre-kindergarten program or parent-as-teacher program under ORS 329.170 to 329.200.
  • The operator or an employee of a federal Head Start Program regulated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
  • A contractor or an employee of the contractor who provides early childhood special education or early intervention services pursuant to ORS 343.455 to 343.534.
  • An individual in any of the above facilities or programs who may have unsupervised contact with children.
  • An employee of the Early Learning Division Office of Child Care.
  • A designated employee or volunteer of a Metro service district.

There are two ways to enroll in the Central Background Registry. Apply online OR print, complete and mail application.

Online Application

To apply online, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. You must be the individual applying for enrollment.
  2. You must be 18 years of age or within six weeks of turning 18 to apply online.
    To ensure your application is fully processed before your 18th birthday, you may submit your application 90 days prior to your 18th birthday by completing the print application and mailing it in.
  3. You must have a Social Security Number to apply online. If you do not have a Social Security Number, please complete an application form, a Statement of No Social Security Number form, and mail it in.
  4. If you are a contractor or an employee of the contractor who provides early childhood special education or early intervention services you may now use the online application system. You do not need to pay an application fee.

The information you will need to complete the application online:

  1. If you have a driver’s license or DMV-issued ID number, please include it on your application.
  2. If you are currently working for a licensed child care facility or Head Start program, the following information is required:
    • facility license number
    • facility name
    • facility address
    • facility phone number
  3. If you have any convictions or have been cited for a crime that has not been resolved, you will need the following information to complete the online application:
    • date of the crime (month and year)
    • what the crime was
    • circumstances surrounding crime
    • information about legal or court proceedings
    • description of any personal changes you have made to address the issues that led to the crime
Apply Online for the Central Background Registry

Print Application

To download and print the application click the button below.

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Important: CBR Processing Timeline – July through October

When the Office of Child Care receives a completed Central Background Registry application form and there are no issues, processing time is normally 3-5 business days from the date the form is received at Central Office before the letter for fingerprinting is mailed out. (During the busy season of late-July through October, process time can take up to 14 business days.)

Please note: If you are submitting a CBR application for a person who has lived out of state, this process may take up to 8 weeks to complete. Processing times vary based on other states’ timelines.

Individuals with Founded or Substantiated Child Abuse

Enrollment and Application ONLY FOR
Individuals with Founded or Substantiated Child Abuse

A person with certain founded or substantiated child abuse dispositions who is seeking to provide care:

The CBR-601-A application is used for new enrollment in the Office of Child Care’s Central Background Registry, or renewing enrollment or reopening an expired Registry enrollment for an individual that:

  • received a founded or substantiated disposition for child abuse that either
    • occurred on or after September 1, 2019 and involved a child for whom you were either providing child care as defined in ORS 329A.250(4), or care identified in ORS 329A.250(4)(a), (c), (f), (g), (h) or (i) OR
    • occurred on or after January 1, 2017, and involved a child who died or suffered serious physical injury, as defined in ORS 161.015,
  • and that individual is seeking to provide care
    • in the home of the child;
    • for children from only one family other than your own family; or
    • for no more than three children other than your own children.

(Other individuals must use Form CBR-601 to apply for enrollment in the Central Background Registry.)

Important Notice for Individuals Receiving Certain Founded or Substantiated Child Abuse Dispositions

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Application for Individuals Receiving Certain Founded or Substantiated Child Abuse Dispositions:

Complete the following application if you:

  1. Received a founded or substantiated disposition for child abuse that occurred on or after September 1, 2019 and involved a child for whom you were either providing child care as defined in ORS 329A.250(4), or care identified in ORS 329A.250(4)(a), (c), (f), (g), (h) or (i).
  2. Received a founded or substantiated disposition for child abuse that occurred on or after January 1, 2017.

The Central Background Registry enrollment requirement is effective for seven years after the date of the abuse determination for individuals with founded and substantiated dispositions for child abuse after September 1, 2019, unless the abuse disposition involved a child who suffered death or serious physical injury as defined in ORS 161.015.

Note: This application must be completed in print format, it cannot be completed online.

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Forms & Resources

Central Background Registry Forms & Resources

Central Background Registry Ineligibility

Central Background Registry Ineligibility

These are the offenses that prevent individuals from serving as child care providers.

414-061-0045

Disqualifying Conditions for Enrollment

(1) A subject individual shall be ineligible for enrollment in the Central Background Registry and if enrolled may be removed or suspended, or have their renewal application denied if such individual:

(a) Refuses to consent to OCC’s criminal background check or required fingerprinting;

(b) Knowingly makes or has knowingly made a materially false statement in connection with their application for initial enrollment or renewal of their enrollment in the Central Background Registry, including but not limited to the required criminal background check, or the individual’s records or history related to child abuse and neglect, foster care, or adult protective services;

(c) Is registered, or is required to be registered, on any State, tribal, or US territory sex offender registry or repository or the National Sex Offender Registry; or

(d) Has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor consisting of:

(A) Aggravated murder, murder, criminal homicide, aggravated vehicular homicide, or manslaughter in the first degree as defined by ORS 163.005, ORS 163.095, ORS 163.115, ORS 163.118, or ORS 163.149;

(B) Child abuse or neglect, or other crimes against children as defined by ORS 163.207, ORS 163.405, ORS 163.408, ORS163.432, ORS 163.433, ORS 163.435, ORS 163.535, ORS 163.537, ORS 163.545, ORS 163.547, ORS 163.555, ORS 163.575, ORS 163.670, ORS 163.684, ORS 163.686, ORS 163.687, ORS 163.688, ORS 163.689, or ORS 167.262;

(C) A crime involving rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sodomy, sexual misconduct or other sexual offenses as defined by; ORS 163.365, ORS 163.375, ORS 163.385, ORS 163.395, ORS 163.405, ORS 163.408, ORS 163.411, ORS 163.413, ORS 163.415, ORS 163.425, ORS 163.427 ORS 163.452, ORS 163.454, or ORS 167.017;

(D) Kidnapping or trafficking in persons as defined by ORS 163.225, ORS 163.235 or ORS 163.266

(E) Arson as defined in ORS 164.315 or ORS 164.325

(F) Physical assault or battery as defined by ORS 163.165, ORS 163.175, ORS 163.185, ORS 163.187

(G) A drug-related offense under ORS chapter 475 or 475B, committed during the preceding five years, that results in the conviction of the subject individual of a Class A felony, Class B felony, Class C felony, or a Class A Misdemeanor.

(2) These rules also apply to:

(a) A conviction of a crime in another jurisdiction which is the substantial equivalent of a crime listed Section 1(d);

(b) An adjudication of guilt by reason of insanity, of an act that is the substantial equivalent of a crime listed in section 1(d);

(c) An adjudication by a juvenile court that a youth has committed an act that is the substantial equivalent of a crime listed in Section 1(d);

(d) Any attempts, conspiracies or solicitations to commit any Felony or Misdemeanor crime listed in Section 1(d);

(e) A new crime, adopted by the legislature following the most recent amendment of these rules, which is the substantial equivalent of any crimes listed in Section 1(d);

(f) Any crime that is no longer codified in Oregon, but which is the substantial equivalent of any of the crimes listed in Section 1(d).

Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 329A.030
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 329A.030; HB 2259 (2017)
History:
ELD 8-2018, temporary amend filed 09/28/2018, effective 09/30/2018 through 03/28/2019
ELD 3-2018, adopt filed 02/08/2018, effective 09/30/2018

Background Check Requirements for License-exempt Providers

Requirements for License-exempt
Child Care Providers

Background check requirements are changing for license-exempt child care providers listed with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). All child care providers and anyone with unsupervised access to children will be required to enroll in the Central Background Registry (CBR). This includes adults living in the home, volunteers, maintenance staff, and visitors. The Early Learning Division’s Office of Child Care manages the CBR. ODHS background checks will no longer be accepted. Please see details below.

Current license-exempt child care providers listed with ODHS:

  • Must enroll in the CBR at the time of your ODHS two-year re-evaluation
  • A re-evaluation letter will be sent to providers with information on how to enroll in the CBR.

New license-exempt child care providers listed with ODHS:

  • Will start enrolling in the CBR on Sept. 1, 2022 when completing the ODHS listing form

The Office of Child Care will not accept CBR applications before Sept. 1, 2022.

CBR applications and more information are available at: https://oregonearlylearning.com/providers-educators/providers-educatorscbr/

If you have questions, please contact the ODHS Direct Pay Unit (DPU):

Phone: 1-800-699-9074 or 503-378-5500

Email: customerservice.dpu@dhsoha.state.or.us

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a length of time associated with residency or living somewhere for disclosure on my application?

Due to the individual or unique circumstances that can occur with living somewhere, all individuals must disclose their places of residence within the last five years. For the protection of children, the onus is on the individual to disclose this information to us.

Who must be enrolled in the Central Background Registry (CBR)?

All child care staff and any individual who may have unsupervised access to child care children e.g. adults living in the home, volunteers, maintenance staff, the owner, office staff, and regular visitors.

Visit https://oregonearlylearning.com/providers-educators/providers-educatorscbr/#apply2 for information on how to enroll.

A person with founded or substantiated child abuse dispositions who is seeking to provide care must also enroll. Visit https://oregonearlylearning.com/providers-educators/providers-educatorscbr/#apply1 for information on how to enroll.

What documentation must I have before someone begins work at the facility unsupervised?

You may not start an employee in the facility until you have documentation from the Office of Child Care that the individual is enrolled in the CBR. Documentation can be obtained by calling the Office of Child Care at 1‐800‐ 556‐6616 and confirming that the individual is enrolled in the CBR. You should then link the individual to your facility.

Once you have linked the individual to your facility, a confirmation letter will be sent directly to the facility. This letter must be kept in the employee’s file, in the child care facility. A copy of the enrollment letter that is sent to the individual is insufficient documentation for hiring and retention purposes.

When I call the Office of Child Care to confirm that an individual is enrolled in the CBR, what information do I need to have ready to give them?

In order to accurately verify the identity of an individual, the Office of Child Care will need the person’s first and last name, and one of the following: their date of birth, current address, or last four digits of their social security number.

The person I want to hire is not yet in the CBR, is there an alternative to mailing the application that will speed up the process?

The individual can apply online using the CBR Online Application.

If I hire a 17‐year‐old as an assistant or aide in my facility, or have a 17‐year‐old son or daughter living in my child care home, what is required when they turn 18?

Ninety (90) days prior to the individual’s 18th birthday, they must mail a completed application to be enrolled in the CBR. If an individual turns 18 years old and is not enrolled in the CBR, they cannot continue to work or be associated with your child care facility or live in the registered or certified family child care home.

What must I do if I receive notification that an individual has been suspended or removed from the CBR?

An individual who has been suspended or removed from the CBR cannot be on the premises. If the individual is on site when you receive the notification, the individual must leave the premises and not return until you have received notification from the Office of Child Care that the individual is cleared to be on the premises.

What must I do if I receive notification that an individual has been expired from the CBR?

An individual who has been expired cannot live in or be associated with a licensed child care facility or organization. The individual must re-enroll in the CBR immediately.

What should I communicate to my staff about the CBR?

You should communicate the importance of sending in a CBR renewal application so OCC receives it at least 14 days prior to expiration* and the importance of notifying the Office of Child Care of any address or name changes within 30 days of the change.

*If your renewal is received 14 days or more before expiration your current enrollment remains in effect until the Office of Child Care takes further action on your renewal application.

What does the background check process consist of?

The processing includes background checks through the Oregon State Police, the Department of Human Services Child Protective Services, fingerprint based background check with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and sex offender registries. In addition, if the individual resides out of state or has resided out of state within the last five years additional criminal, sex offender registries, and child protective services checks will be conducted.

What is “conditional enrollment” in the CBR?

An individual may be conditionally enrolled in the CBR pending the results of an FBI criminal records check if the individual resides in Oregon (must have an Oregon address on file), has been initially approved by the Office of Child Care, and the individual’s fingerprints have been submitted to the FBI. During conditional enrollment, the individual may work or be associated with your child care facility or live in the registered or certified family child care home but must not have any unsupervised access to children*. The facility must have a written plan for supervision of the individual to ensure no unsupervised access to children.

*“Unsupervised Access to Children” means contact with children that provides the person opportunity for personal communication or touch when not under the direct supervision of a child care provider or staff with supervisory authority.

How long does it take to go from conditional to active enrollment?

The average timeframe is 2-3 weeks. There are a number of circumstances that may cause a delay in the process including rejected or unreadable fingerprints, additional information is needed for enrollment or denial of enrollment, and out of state background checks.

How long does it take to process my CBR application?

When the Office of Child Care receives a completed Central Background Registry application form and fee, and there are no issues, processing time is normally 3-5 business days from the date the form is received and Central Office before the letter for fingerprinting is mailed out.

 

During the busy season of late-July through October, process time can take up to 14 business days.

Does it take longer to process applications for people who have previously lived out of state?

It may take up to 8 weeks to complete a Central Background Registry application for someone seeking employment who lived out of state in the past five years. This is a national CCDF requirement and some states are experiencing longer processing times to review applications.

The person I want to hire is not yet in the CBR, is there an alternative to mailing the application?

The individual can apply online.