We want to share with you that this Wednesday, December 14th, 2022, ILDOCC once again teamed up with CCAU and SIECAT to meet with DCFS. We called this meeting in regards to the new background clearance procedure and provisional employment that is certainly a concern for our industry that is trying to keep afloat during a staffing crisis.
During the meeting, we were able to share our concerns over this new change and also discuss potential solutions to this problem. We all know that clearances can take weeks to come in, and we want to move towards this being completed in a 48-hour window.
We are happy to report that DCFS shares our concerns. They were open to hearing some of our suggestions such as contracting with more than one vendor for background checks in order to speed up the process. Although they were open to our suggestions, they did admit that this is something that will take time to change, which is something most of us do not have in the midst of a staffing crisis.
There are several things we discussed they are going to get back with us on for more clarity – so stay tuned. We are sorry this update does not come with any real fixes right now, but we wanted to make sure that members know these conversations are happening and we will continue to press the issue.
Most importantly, we are thankful to be working with CCAU and SIECAT again. Even though the childcare industry is struggling, it is a big step that our organizations are partnering together because the truth is that we will make the most impact with more voices on our side!
Please be on the lookout for more updates soon as things develop!