New Mandated Background Checks
Streamlined Required Clearences

Certain individuals, in order to work or volunteer with children, are required to obtain clearances which may include the following:

  • Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance;
  • Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check; and
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check.

Information regarding the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance is contained below, as well as a link to additional information regarding the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check.

1) The Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance can be submitted and paid for online through the Child Welfare Information Solution (CWIS) self-service portal: Click here to access CWIS Self Portal

Submitting an application online allows individual applicants to receive their results through an automated system that will notify the applicant once their results have been processed. Applicants will be able to view and print their results online. The self-service portal also provides the ability for organizations to create business accounts to prepay for child abuse clearances and have online access to the results.

2) To complete the State Police Background Check please click here: Applicants can go to the Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History website and apply for their criminal record check online with the Pennsylvania State Police at: https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp

3) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK INSTRUCTIONS

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is utilizing Cogent Systems to process fingerprint-based FBI criminal background checks. The fingerprint based background check is a multiple step process. For more information and to begin the registration process, go to www.pa.cogentid.com//index_dpw.htm. For question about your FBI Clearance, please contact the FBI/Adam Walsh Unit at 717-783-6211 or 1-877-371-5422.

All Coaches must complete and submit the following items to Horsham Soccer by July 1st 2015 in order to coach this upcoming season (Fall 2015).  Coaches will not be allowed to take the field or meet with their team without the below clearances.

For PA residents who have lived in the state of PA for 10 years or MORE:

  1. The Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
  2. Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check
  3. Signed and notarized ACT 153 Volunteer Affidavit: Click for Volunteer Affidavit

For PA residents who have lived in PA for LESS than 10 years:

  1. Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
  2. Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check
  3. Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check
Requirement

The Board of Directors on 2/7/03 voted unanimously to require that all coaches associated with Horsham Soccer Association must submit to a Criminal Background Check (CBC) in that person’s state of residence. The purpose of this requirement is to protect our children. This requirement is essentially the same as that instituted recently by Little League International for all their local organizations. This is in addition to the Eastern PA Youth Soccer (EPYSA) required Kid Safe Disclosure. The Criminal Background Check is run by Horsham Soccer on all volunteers who apply as coaches or assistant coaches. The separate EPYSA check must be done by every coach or assistant coach on-line at the EPYSA web site, and can be completed in a few minutes. Directions are shown below.

EPYSA Kid Safe Program

Horsham Soccer, through Eastern PA Youth Soccer (EPYSA), participates in the Kid Safe program that was introduced in 1994. This program requires all coaches to submit a Volunteer Disclosure Statement to EPYSA. EPYSA performs random criminal background checks and also checks the individual against the US Youth Soccer (USYSA) database. The Kid Safe program is a valuable tool in our effort to maintain a safe environment for our children and we will continue to participate in this program. The EPYSA Volunteer Disclosure Process is available on-line here. You should print out the form once the process is complete. You will also receive an email from EPYSA indicating that you have registered. (You may get an error when trying to register as an Intramural coach. If so register as a Travel coach.)

Criminal Background Check

The Criminal Background Check is a powerful tool that checks an individual for criminal convictions at the Federal, State and County levels . Horsham Soccer requires that all board members, head coaches, assistant coaches, and anyone working closely with a team or individual player as part of our organization submit to a Criminal Background Check. This check is mandatory and will be carried out by Horsham Soccer for all volunteers in the above categories.

 

Rule

All Horsham Soccer Association (club) Board Members, Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, and other persons working directly with teams or individual players must submit to a Criminal Background Check in addition to the EPYSA Volunteer Disclosure Statement. All perons in the above categories will meet these requirements before being allowed to coach or assume any other responsibilities. Criminal Background Checks will be repeated annually. Volunteers such as parking lot supervisors, snack stand workers, field maintenance workers and those not working directly with children are exempt from these requirements but may meet them voluntarily. The Board of Directors may extend this requirement to any individual or group in the club at any time at their discretion.

  • Individuals refusing to meet these requirements will be immediately barred from the club.
    • Individuals whose background check reveals a conviction of any crime involving or against a minor will be immediately barred from the club.
    • Individuals whose background check reveals convictions of any crime not involving or not against a minor may be barred from the club or from certain activities or responsibilities at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
    • Any individual barred from the club will be reported to EPYSA and USYSA with the potential of being barred from all USYSA programs across the country.
    • Individuals who disagree with any decision made by EPYSA or USYSA must appeal the issue directly to that body. Individuals with appeals pending with EPYSA or USYSA are barred from the club until the appeals are resolved to the satisfaction of the Board of Directors.
    • Individuals who disagree with their criminal background check must appeal this to the company which Horsham Soccer has contracted with to run said Criminal Background Checks. Individuals with appeals pending are barred from the club until the appeals are resolved to the satisfaction of the Board of Directors.
Privacy - Background Checks

All information submitted to Horsham Soccer as per these requirements will be considered confidential between that individual and the HSA Board of Directors. This information will be shared with EPYSA and USYSA in the event that an individual is barred from the club.

 
Parents Responsibility

The Kid Safe Program and Criminal Background Check are valuable tools that Horsham Soccer Association and similar organizations use to help protect our children from dangerous people. These tools are not 100% fool proof, however, and are not a guarantee. It remains your responsibility as a parent to supervise your children, to get to know the people working with your children, and to inform the Board of Directors or the Horsham Police if you become aware of any behavior that you believe is inappropriate.

 

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