For each potential kinship caregiver who has not been ruled out based on DFPS history, the caseworker must initiate criminal background checks and evaluate any history on both of the following:

• Each household member who is 14 years of age or older.
• Regular visitors to the home.

See:

6613.1 Determining the Consequences of a Criminal History

6612.1 Conducting and Evaluating DFPS History Checks.

To complete a thorough criminal history check, the caseworker must do all the following:

• Verify the identities of the caregivers, household members, and regular visitors.
• Obtain all names that members of the household and regular visitors have ever used, including aliases and maiden names. Verify the spelling of all names.
• Obtain dates of birth, Social Security numbers and driver license numbers. If the person does not have a Social Security or driver license number, see Alternate Forms of Identification, below.
• Initiate the criminal background check through IMPACT within two business days of the kinship family agreeing to the request for placement, even if a criminal background was completed for a parental child safety placement or other previous CPS involvement before CPS was granted conservatorship.

Alternate Forms of Identification

If the person does not have a Social Security or driver license number, the person may provide:

• Another form of state or federal identification.
• A driver license or other form of identification from another country.
• A form of identification that includes a picture, such as a credit card, library card, employee badge, or school identification. The identification must be consistent with other identification documentation.

If a person does not have an acceptable form of identification, the placement cannot be made.

Caregivers Living in Texas for Fewer than Three Years

If the kinship caregiver, household members 14 years or older, or anyone who cares for the child being assessed has not lived in Texas for the past three consecutive years, CPS must perform both of the following:

• A Texas criminal history check.
• An FBI fingerprint check.

See 1810 Legal Requirements for Criminal Records Checks.