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4000 Background Checks for DFPS Prospective and Current Employees

Background Checks June 2026

A person who completed a previous background check under another DFPS background checks policy is also required to complete a new background check under this policy, before being allowed to work for DFPS.

DFPS requires background checks on all DFPS prospective and current employees. A background check has the following parts:

4100 Defining Staff Responsibilities

Background Checks June 2026

All staff members whose work involves background checks are responsible for doing the following:

  • Acknowledging this policy.
  • Maintaining open communication about issues that relate to background checks.

The following DFPS staff members share responsibilities for background checks for DFPS prospective and current employees:

  • Background Checks staff
  • Human Resources (HR) staff
  • Hiring authority

4110 Background Checks Staff

Background Checks June 2026

Background Checks staff are responsible for reviewing and assessing all history for hiring purposes. Their duties include the following:

  • Completing background checks accurately and in a timely manner.
  • Reviewing all background check history on prospective employees.
  • Reviewing all background check history for current employees seeking a position change or transfer within DFPS.
  • Determining whether the prospective or current employee seeking a position change or transfer within DFPS is eligible or ineligible to have direct contact with and access to DFPS clients and resources based on the job role they have applied for.
  • Forwarding any new incidents including abuse and neglect intake reports, warrants, and new information regarding a current employee’s criminal history to Human Resources (HR) staff for review.
  • Ensuring DFPS case history is marked sensitive, when applicable.

4120 Human Resources (HR) Staff

Background Checks June 2026

HR staff are responsible for doing the following:

  • Ensuring a DPS driver license check is complete, if applicable.
  • For current employees, reviewing any new incidents including abuse and neglect intake reports, warrants, and new information regarding a current employee’s criminal history.

4130 DFPS Hiring Authority

Background Checks June 2026

DFPS hiring authority is responsible for doing the following:

  • Ensure all required information on the Due Diligence Form is complete and accurate.
  • Ensure the applicant’s email address is provided in the Method of Contact section on the form.
  • Upload the Due Diligence Form into Career Center.
  • Ensure all background checks are complete, and the prospective employee is eligible for hire before proceeding with a formal offer to hire the person.

In addition, the DFPS hiring authority is responsible for ensuring an employee’s access to DFPS clients and resources is removed when the person no longer works for DFPS.

4200 Background Check Results

 Background Checks June 2026

If a prospective employee has any DFPS, reportable conduct, or criminal history, Background Checks staff assess the history to determine if the person is eligible to work for DFPS. See  4310 Eligible Background Checks.

4210 DFPS History

Background Checks June 2026

Background Checks staff use Appendix 1: Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation, and Reportable Conduct History Bars for DFPS Employees, Prospective Employees, Volunteers, and Interns, Non-DFPS Staff, and CASA Employees, Volunteers, and Board Members to determine whether a prospective employee is eligible or ineligible to have direct contact with and access to DFPS clients and resources.

This Background Checks appendix indicates the types of DFPS history that are absolute bars to DFPS employment. See 4320 Ineligible Background Checks.

All other DFPS history is reviewed to determine the following:

  • If a prospective employee may begin working for DFPS
  • If a current employee may continue working for DFPS
  • If a current employee is eligible or ineligible for the position change or transfer, they are seeking See 4214 Background Checks Requiring Review.

If a prospective employee discloses a history of abuse or neglect of a child from another state, that person must obtain an abuse and neglect background check from the other state and provide the results to DFPS. Background Check staff    review the results and determine if this history poses a risk to the populations and information served by DFPS employees before the person may be hired to work for DFPS.

DFPS history may not be shared with any external entities.

4211 Reportable Conduct History

Background Checks June 2026

Background Checks staff use Appendix 1: Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation, and Reportable Conduct History Bars for DFPS Employees, Prospective Employees, Volunteers, and Interns, Non-DFPS Staff, and CASA Employees, Volunteers, and Board Members  to determine whether a prospective employee is eligible or ineligible to have direct contact with and access to DFPS clients and resources.

This Background Checks appendix indicates the types of reportable conduct history that are absolute bars to DFPS employment. See 4320 Ineligible Background Checks.

All other reportable conduct check history is reviewed to determine the following:

  • If a prospective employee may begin working for DFPS.
  • If a current employee may continue working for DFPS.
  • If a current employee is eligible or ineligible for the position change or transfer they are seeking. See 4214 Background Checks Requiring Review.

Reportable conduct history may not be shared with any external entities.

4212 Criminal History

Background Checks June 2026

Background Checks staff use Appendix 4: Criminal History Bars to DFPS Employment to determine if a prospective employee is ineligible to work for DFPS.

  • If a prospective employee has a criminal offense that resulted in a conviction and is listed on this appendix, the person is ineligible to work for DFPS. See 4320 Ineligible Background Checks.
  • If a current employee has a new incident that resulted in a conviction and is listed on this appendix, Human Resources (HR) staff review the history and determine if the employee may continue to work for DFPS. See 4300 Making an Employment Eligibility Decision.

If a prospective employee or current employee seeking a position change or transfer has any offense (arrest or conviction) that meets the following conditions, Background Checks staff review the history and determine if the prospective or current employee is eligible or ineligible for the position he or she is seeking.

If a current employee has a new incident that resulted in any offense (arrest or conviction) that meets the following conditions, HR staff review the history to determine if the current employee may continue to work for DFPS. See 4300 Making an Employment Eligibility Decision.

  • Classified as a class B misdemeanor or greater and equivalent.
  • Federal, Out-of-State, or Military charge.
  • Juvenile arrest or conviction.
  • Offense resulted in a deferred adjudication disposition.

4213 Sex Offender Registration

Background Checks June 2026

Background Checks staff receive information about sex offender registration as part of a criminal history background check. A person who is currently required to register as a sex offender in Texas or any other state is ineligible to work for DFPS. See 4320 Ineligible Background Checks.

4214 Background Checks Requiring Review

Background Checks June 2026

When a prospective employee or current employee seeking a position change or transfer has criminal, DFPS, or reportable conduct history that requires review, Background Checks staff review all background check history and determine employment eligibility. See 4300 Making an Employment Eligibility Decision.

If a prospective employee or current employee are seeking a regional position, see 4216 Regional Positions.   

4215 Risk Assessment

Background Checks June 2026

Background Checks staff complete a risk assessment when a person’s history requires review and must be evaluated to determine if the history presents a risk to DFPS clients or resources. As part of the risk assessment, Background Checks staff deem the prospective employee or current employee, seeking a position change or transfer, either eligible or ineligible for the position he or she is seeking.

4216 Regional Positions

Background Checks June 2026

If a prospective employee or a current employee applies for a regional position within Child Protective Investigations (CPI), Child Protective Services (CPS), Adult Protective Services (APS), or Statewide Intake (SWI) and has certain criteria that exists in his or her DFPS history, Background Checks staff do as follows:

    • Complete a risk assessment, including a summary of the history and a determination whether he or she is eligible or ineligible for the position they are seeking.
    • Forward the DFPS history portion of the risk assessment, with the determination to the designated State Office program point of contact for review.
    • Determine whether a person is eligible or ineligible for the position he or she is seeking based on current policy (Background Checks, Appendix 1) and practices used in making employment decisions for DFPS.

The State Office program point of contact provides a response as to whether they are in agreement with the determination made by Background Checks staff. If the State Office program point of contact is not in agreement, a staffing with the DFPS Legal Services will be held for resolution.

See 4300 Making an Employment Eligibility Decision.

4217 Marking Cases as Sensitive in IMPACT

Background Checks June 2026

A sensitive case is a case designated in IMPACT as one that requires special handling. The sensitive designation restricts case access to one or both of the following:

    • DFPS staff who are authorized to view sensitive case information.
    • DFPS staff who are within the unit structure of an open sensitive case.

If a decision is made to proceed with hiring a prospective or current employee with a confirmed DFPS history match, all DFPS cases associated with the employee are marked as Sensitive in IMPACT, unless the employee’s only involvement was in a professional capacity.

4300 Making an Employment Eligibility Decision

4310 Eligible Background Checks

Background Checks June 2026

A prospective or current employee may be deemed eligible to work or continue to work for DFPS if the person meets the following criteria:

4320 Ineligible Background Checks

Background Checks June 2026

A prospective or current employee may be deemed ineligible to work for or to continue to work for DFPS if the person has any of the following:

4330 Incomplete Background Checks

Background Checks June 2026

A background check is considered incomplete for any of the following reasons:

  • The prospective employee does not communicate with the DFPS staff within 10 calendar days.
  • The Background Checks staff are not able to obtain all required information to complete the background check within 30 calendar days of the request date.

If a background check is not successfully completed, it is closed, and the prospective employee is ineligible to work for DFPS.

A request for an extension of the 30-day deadline may be granted if proof is provided that the person took reasonable steps to meet all requirements.

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