Youth-service screening

Definition

California's child-abuse training and background check for a program teaching children.

Why It Matters

This is the one on the shelf with no issuer, no certificate and no registry. California puts the duty on the organization: every administrator, employee and regular volunteer completes child-abuse identification and reporting training and undergoes a background check, and an insurer may ask for proof before writing the liability cover. Its policies must also put at least two mandated reporters with the children to the greatest extent possible, which is a staffing cost on every class. Nothing lapses at a sale and nothing transfers, which sounds easy and is the problem: a buyer cannot confirm the seller ever ran any of it, and the exposure arrives with the students. Ask for the training records and the check dates in writing, since no outside party is holding a copy.