CLARENCE CHURCH OF CHRIST
NOTICE & ACKNOWLEDGMENT REGARDING BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION
Preface:
The leadership of Clarence Church of Christ is committed to providing a safe environment for the children and youth (birth to 18 years of age) that participate in our educational and spiritual formation programs.
To meet this standard, the leadership of this congregation requires a background check for any and all persons who will have regular contact with children or youth through the programs and activities that we host/sponsor.
To protect children and youth entrusted to our care, failure to consent to a background check or to provide the required information requested in the background check authorization form, will result in ineligibility of your service and care in ministry areas that tend to the children and youth of Clarence Church of Christ.
In addition to this policy, you should also view a “Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.”
All background checks will generally include, but are not limited to (if we suspect greater degree of discretion is needed in order to screen an individual):
1. Verification of Social Security Number
2. Criminal Records
3. Sex Offender Registry
Process:
Clarence Church of Christ has contracted with Clear Investigative Advantage (ciaresearch.com) to perform our background checks. Rather than giving us your personal information, we have an E-Release form link (access is sent privately) that enables you to securely and personally provide the information needed for a background check. The only information that Clarence Church of Christ receives back appears as follows: SUBJECT:Doe,John Jay DOB:10/24/78 SSN:xxx-xx-4503 (only the last four digits appear).
Once our contractor completes the actual background check, they will securely send the results to the leadership of Clarence Church of Christ only (this information is not shared publically). The only information that is sent to the leadership is negative information. The leadership is only informed of information that would indicate if an individual’s background would pose a danger to children and youth. If no negative information is found on an individual, then a simple indicator is given to the leadership that an individual has passed the background check. If negative information is found, it does not necessarily result in immediate dismissal of services. At the leadership’s discretion, the negative information will be evaluated according to wisdom and biblical standards. This process may also include the need to run other types of background checks to help verify information and make a sound decision regarding the danger an individual may pose to children and youth. It is the discretion of the leadership, as the overseers of the congregation, to make the ultimate decision on weather individuals are fit to serve in ministry capacities to children and youth.
Frequency of Background Checks:
Clarence Church of Christ will process background checks on those individuals desiring to minister to and have contact with children and youth in its hosted/sponsored programs and activities. Checks will only be done once every three years, unless an incident occurs or information arises that would give suspicion for the need to re-run a check; or, if negative information is reported in the first check and additional checks are needed to discern if an individual poses a risk of danger to children or youth.
Security of Information:
Our background check contractor confidentially and securely stores the results they render from the background checks we have them process.
The Need for a Social Security Number to Run a Background Check:
A Social Security Number enables the background check contractor to differentiate your records from other people who have the same name and date of birth. Surprisingly, during a background check, records show up for many people in the databases who have the same name and birth date. A Social Security Number helps verify the specific identity of the individual we desire to have checked.
Directions for completing the E-Release form (after receiving the link):
(1) Click on the link sent to you from CCC.
(2) Complete the required Personal Information.
(3) Complete all boxes of the E-Sign Document with an asterisk (*).
(4) The references section is optional.
(5) Complete the Submit Form section (enter the word that appears in the box).
(6) Click-on the Submit Form button to complete the E-Release form.
Once the form is submitted, the church will simply receive a notice that an E-Release form was submitted. Information is generally processed within a couple of days. Once the background check is processed and cleared, a ministry leader will be in contact with you about the next steps needed to begin serving in the desired ministry or program.
Thank you for your cooperation and willingness to serve in the Kingdom of God!
With the safety and best interest of our children, youth, and families in mind,
- The leadership of Clarence Church of Christ