Little League International and Northwood Little League (NWLL) recognize the importance of providing a safe learning environment for the youth participating in our program. As part of Little League’s Child Protection Program, and to satisfy State of California mandates, NWLL requires that all volunteers in regular service to the League and with repetitive access to children complete free safety training and a background check process. Depending on your role in the League, your process may include:
**If an umpire covers more than seven games in one month or 14 games in one year, they will need to complete the fingerprints, criminal history check and Mandatory Reporter training as well as the other requirements.
Please note per CA AB 506 that any volunteer 18 years and older who has direct contact with, or supervision of, children for more than 16 hours per month or 32 hours per year must complete 2 requirements: (1) a fingerprinted background check through the California Department of Justice, and (2) Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Certification.
You may find the “Parent’s Guide to the Little League’s Child Protection Program” helpful in better understanding the value and importance of this process.
Completing your NWLL compliance process
To get started with your league volunteering compliance process, please begin the trainings at the links below and email a copy of your training certificates in a PDF to [email protected]. Please name your certificate files as: “LAST NAME.First name - [Certificate Abbreviation]. Abbreviations are listed in the table above. For example, your concussion certificate would be emailed with the file name SMITH.John-CON.
Include all pertinent certificates in the same email, the team and role for which you are volunteering. These are one-time requirements and can be retained and used for other youth volunteering activities (Church, scouts, travel ball etc.) outside of just NWLL.
CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK WITH JDP
Once you email a copy of your certificates to [email protected], you will receive an email from JDP with a link and instructions to complete the criminal history check. The JDP Background Screening database includes criminal and sex offender registry records covering 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as review of the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s Centralized Disciplinary Database and Little League Ineligible list. You will be notified after your background check is complete. Your Background Check is good for one calendar year, and we typically initiate these during Spring season (January), unless needed in Fall season.
LIVE SCAN FINGERPRINTING
California AB 506 states that volunteers 18 years and older who have direct contact with, or supervision of, children for more than 16 hours per month or 32 hours per year must complete 2 requirements: (1) a fingerprinted background check through the California Department of Justice, and (2) Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Certification. All Managers, Coaches, Umpires, Team Parents, and Board Members must complete both requirements. NWLL offers fingerprinting through our Live Scan vendor at the start of each season at no cost to our volunteers. Volunteers must complete the Live Scan for Northwood Little League; if you have previously completed a fingerprinted background check through the CA DOJ, it does not carry over. This is a one-time requirement. It must be completed through NWLL’s vendor and will be good for the lifetime of your volunteer service with NWLL.
NWLL Background Check Policy
Little League International recognizes the importance of providing a safe learning environment for the youth participating in the program. Northwood Little League conducts criminal background checks for volunteer managers, coaches, board members, assistant coaches, umpires, team parents, practice parents, and any other volunteers who have regular or repetitive access to, or contact with, players or teams. These checks are completed annually on all new and returning individuals prior to the individual assuming his/her duties for the current season and include a state and federal criminal history with sex offender information. NWLL uses JDP for its annual background checks, which is contracted by Little League International.
More information about Little League’s requirement for annual background checks for volunteers can be found here.
Please note the criminal background check does not include a subsequent arrest notification after the background check has been completed. Pursuant to California State Law, Article 3 (commencing with Section 11100) of Chapter 1 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code, criminal history information is used internally. Confidential criminal history information is not disclosed to the public.
In addition, NWLL complies with all state law mandates regarding Live Scan background checks with the California Department of Justice, and for mandatory child-abuse reporting. Northwood Little League uses First Advantage Screening Solutions for its Live Scan background checks, which is contracted by Little League International.
More information about Little League International’s Child Protection Program can be found here.