Audit finds gaps in Oregon childcare background checks; state agencies say laws and systems have narrowed risks but gaps remain

Salem, Ore. — A 2020 audit by the Oregon Secretary of State found that Oregon’s background‑check system for childcare providers had gaps that left some children at increased risk, and agency officials told the Joint Committee on Legislative Audits on May 12 that legislation and system changes have reduced those gaps but not eliminated them.

“For parents, background checks serve as one critical safety control,” said Ian Green, an audit manager with the Oregon Secretary of State Audits Division, summarizing the audit’s purpose and findings. The audit reviewed how Oregon met federal and state background‑check requirements after federal rules expanded in 2017.

The audit identified a number of shortfalls: inconsistent standards across agencies about which crimes disqualify a provider; multiple, poorly connected data systems that hamper sharing of founded abuse or neglect findings; and weaknesses in the offender registry, which relied on self‑reporting and did not meet several federal standards. Auditors said they identified 70 providers the state was attempting to disqualify, 21 providers that should have been disqualified but were not acted on, 11 providers with criminal histories the agency lacked awareness of, and 125 instances where providers had at least one founded case of abuse or neglect.

The findings led to eight recommendations. Several changes have since been enacted or partly implemented, agency officials told the committee. “House Bill 4,005 helped clear the way for the Office of Child Care now to conduct background checks for all providers,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, director of the Department of Early Learning and Care. Chatterjee said the agency’s central background registry had enrolled…