Hello and welcome to the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care training on the recent background record check LEAD interface updates for Family Child Care Programs.
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Here is the agenda for this training – first, we will go over key background record check, also known as BRC, information to know. Then, we will walk through some interface updates coming to LEAD because of the background record check updates.
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Let’s start with an overview of the key background record check information to know.
Starting off, note that educators will continue to use LEAD to submit background record checks. The information entered in LEAD will automatically populate in EEC’s updated background record check system – this is the system that Group and School Age and Funded Programs already use.
All Family Child Care educators, including Household Members and persons regularly on the premises, must have a unique email address entered in LEAD. Providers may no longer share email addresses with anyone under their program. For background record checks to be processed correctly, each individual must have a unique email address.
In addition, individuals will now receive background record check renewal notifications at 120, 60. And 30 days out from their renewal date. The renewal notification emails will include a link to the background record check form. However, individuals may also receive background record check forms through the existing methods.
For example, if a transaction like a license renewal at a program requires an updated background record check from an educator, the educator will receive a background record check consent form via email 120 days before their renewal date.
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Moving on, let’s discuss some additional background record check updates.
Background record check renewal dates are now connected to a candidate’s fingerprint date rather than license expiration date.
Educators, Household Members aged 15 and older, and people that are regularly on the premises will automatically receive emails when they approach their renewal date.
In addition, all Family Child Care candidates, new and existing, must go through a full background record check when applying to all roles. Separate checks are needed for a new role, renewing a background record check for a role, or changing programs. This means that Family Child Care candidates must be fingerprinted each time they submit a background record check. Previously, Family Child Care candidates were able to call EEC and request their fingerprint information to be transferred to their new role. This functionality is no longer available.
In addition, each Family Child Care candidate can only have one background record check processed at a time. Candidates will not be able to submit multiple background record checks at once. Candidates must have a suitability determination on the first background record check submitted before they will be able to submit a second background record check for another role.
For example, if a Candidate is renewing their background record check to be a Family Child Care Certified Assistant and a Household Member, the candidate must be found Suitable or Not Suitable for the Family Child Care Assistant role before they can submit another background record check as a Household Member, or vice versa. When the candidate submits their second background record check, they must be fingerprinted again. We recommend that candidates and programs submit the background record check for the role they would like to hold first, knowing background record checks will be processed one at a time.
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Here we have a preview of the background record check renewal email each person will receive to make them aware that they need to renew their background record check.
Individuals will receive these reminders to submit the background record check consent form and get fingerprinted starting at 120 days before their renewal date, with reminders at 60 and 30 days out.
There will be a link to the background record check consent form in this email.
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Next, let’s preview the background record check confirmation emails.
When any individual submits a background record check form electronically to EEC, they receive an email confirmation from LEAD. EEC sends the individual a PDF copy of their completed background record check form.
After September 30th, when a Household Member or a person regularly on the premises submits a consent form, EEC will send an email confirmation to the provider they are associated with to inform them their background record check is in process. EEC will NOT send a copy of the Household Member or person regularly on the premises’ completed background record check form to the provider.
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Moving on, let’s go over some of the display changes. This is the home page for LEAD.
The biggest change to highlight here is the “Request BRC Renewal” link.
Following this link will show individuals at the program who are within the renewal window.
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This is the “Request BRC Renewal” page.
Here, Family Child Care educators can send an email that includes a background record check consent form to themselves, household members, or persons regularly on the premises.
To do so, educators will check the box to select any person they want to receive the email and click the “Send BRC” button.
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This is the background record check consent form that individuals will receive.
Remember, it is VERY important that people enter their name on the consent form EXACTLY as it appears on their identification.
The form itself has not changed, but there is additional language to include the two new checks EEC is adding – the National Sex Offender Registry check and the Out of State check.
These checks will not dramatically change the background record check process, but individuals who currently live or have lived out of state within the past five years may experience some delays for their background record checks to be processed and the check to be run.
For more information on what these checks entail, please visit the EEC website.
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This is the BRC Renewal Transaction Dashboard. When an educator sends a background record check email to an individual, LEAD automatically creates a BRC Renewal Transaction.
This page shows all the interactions that are in progress.
Note that the “Submitted” tab refers to when the email is sent and the transaction is created, NOT when background record checks are submitted.
The BRC Renewal transaction will move to the Under Review tab once all BRC forms for that transaction have been returned to EEC.
A single transaction can include multiple individuals – so if you check off multiple individuals and send their BRC forms all at once, that would be one transaction.
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Moving on, let’s discuss some of the error codes you may encounter in LEAD.
This is an example of a LEAD error code email.
As you can see here, the top part is the error itself, the middle details how to resolve the error, and the bottom portion includes information on how to receive support for the error.
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This error message appears because there is already a BRC in progress for this individual.
You may receive this error code if you are applying for multiple roles at once. EEC can only accept ONE background record check consent form and fingerprint at a time.
That background record check review must be complete, and you must be found suitable before the second one can be reviewed.
Please wait until you receive notification of the first background record check’s completion before submitting the second.
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This error message appears because the email address used is already in use by another user.
You may NOT share email addresses – they must be unique.
To resolve this error, resubmit a new background record check consent form with a unique email address.
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This error code appears because you have not entered your information in the required format on your BRC form.
To resolve this error, ensure that you enter your information correctly and resubmit a new background record check consent form.
Note that for first name, last name, middle name, and aliases, the background record check system only accepts letters, spaces, apostrophes and up to ONE hyphen.
The state field in addresses should only include the two-letter abbreviation (for example, MA for Massachusetts) and zip codes are 5 digits only.
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This error message appears because you may not have entered your information correctly on your BRC consent form.
To resolve this error, ensure that you enter your information correctly and resubmit a new background record check consent form.
If you continue to face additional issues with this error message, please call the Contact Center or use the BRC Support Tool.
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This error message appears because you already have a completed BRC for this program and you are not due for renewal.
There is no further action to take to correct this error.
Please wait for a notification from EEC or your program about renewing your BRC before initiating this process.
Thank you so much for watching. If you have any questions, please visit the EEC website or contact EEC’s Contact Center.