Child Abuse and Neglect Registry: Understanding the Purpose and Impact

While people may have heard of the Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) registry, many may not have an idea of how it functions or the implications it can present. It has the potential to impact people in all aspects of life, sometimes in ways that are unexpected.  

“The time my daughter spent in care was one of the most horrible moments of my life. When I got her back and the case was closed, I thought it was all behind me. Five years later, I was in a training class for a new job at a behavioral health hospital when I got called out by the head of Human Resources. I was told there was a problem with my Child Abuse & Neglect background report. I was dumbfounded and didn’t know where to start.” – Brandi, Warren County, KY SEAT member

When an individual is reported for child abuse or neglect, the state is required to conduct an investigation. If abuse or neglect is found to have occurred, otherwise known as a “substantiation”, their name is entered into the CAN registry.  

Since each state’s laws, statutes, and registry functions differ, offenses that are included on each state’s registry and for how long varies. Kentucky’s statute is specific in identifying child abuse and neglect, which occurs when a person in a position of authority relative to the child allows or causes harm consistent with the state definition of child abuse and neglect and the child is under 18.   

Those who are included on Kentucky’s CAN registry have had a substantiated finding of abuse or neglect. The length of time someone remains on this registry is dependent on the seriousness of the findings, and can range from a minimum of seven years to permanent inclusion. The registry is also private, and the information is not publicly available.

These registries are tied to the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), which requires confidentiality of the information to protect the child and their guardian. While CAPTA does not require that states maintain a registry, eligibility for federal funding, such as the Child Care Development Block Grant, requires employment background checks to determine if a prospective employee is on the registry, particularly for child care employees.  

Access to information from the registry is limited but most commonly used for background checks for employment, volunteer opportunities, or foster care/adoptive families. Some of the organizations that will utilize this are the Department for Community Based Services, an employer that cares for children, such as child care providers, schools, etc., medical facilities, or volunteer organizations that work with children, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters or the YMCA.  

Any organization offering regulated child care is required to have a background check run on prospective employees and volunteers. Non-profit and other volunteer organizations also may elect to background check, although are not required. Employment or volunteer opportunities can be denied if a person is listed on this registry, although the specifics of the substantiation are not made available to the employer. 

The CAN registry can be a valuable tool in protecting Kentucky’s kids. It’s important for people to know that it exists, and why, to make decisions about employment and activities that include children and youth. We also know that inconsistencies with process and communication are concerns that can have detrimental effects and may impact its ability to function as intended.

Kentucky Youth Advocates is gathering information about people’s experiences with the CAN registry and how it impacted their lives. We hope to use this survey to make recommendations for improvements to the information that is provided about the registry and its function.

If you are a resident of Kentucky and have had interaction with the CAN registry, either as an individual or as an employer, please take our survey here.

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