Overview
Pennsylvania keeps kids safe
If you are a:
- Employee or volunteer at a child care center or child care home;
- Prospective foster or adoptive parent; or,
- An individual 18 years of age or older living in a prospective foster or adoptive home
Prospective foster and adoptive parents, or any individual over 18 years of age residing in the home must submit their clearances prior to their approval.
And you have lived outside of Pennsylvania in the last five years, you must obtain child abuse clearances (or their equivalent) from every state where you previously resided.
If the state requires a request directly from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, please complete the appropriate application, including a check or money order to pay the fee, and send it in the mail to:
ChildLine Verification Unit
ATTN: Out of State Background Checks
P.O. Box 8053
Harrisburg, PA 17105
If the state requires the request come directly from the person themselves, please complete the appropriate application, including a check or money order to pay the fee, and send it directly to the address provided by that state.
Obtain Child Abuse Clearances from Another State
From Pennsylvania For Use in Another State
- Child Abuse History Clearance: Consent/Release of Information Authorization Form
- State Police Criminal History Clearance: Patch Online
Clearances for Emergency Placements
- Contact ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313
Note: Only children and youth agencies from other states can make an emergency request for placement clearances.