It is the law in Pennsylvania that employees who work with children personally maintain their own background clearances.
See Child Protective Services law, and Keepkidssafe.pa.gov for reference.
Referees, as independent contractors, are considered to be employees and not volunteers. Referees work for many soccer associations, like SVFutsal, EPYSA, NCP, PAW, PIAA, AYSO and others. The same background checks can be used for all these organizations. Volunteer background checks, which are free, are illegal for employment clearances.
EPYSA has a nice chart that show what clearances are required.
Background checks cost money, so be smart! If you may officiate for a School District and the PIAA,
ensure that your clearance results are submitted to PA Department of Education (PDE).
Here is a tip and advice: When given the choice as to whom to submit the results (electronic copy) of your clearance,
Choose SCHOOL or the Pennsylvania Dept of Education (PDE). Absolutely DO NOT choose Volunteer!
When submitting to PDE, your clearance will have a PAE### identification number associated with the clearance.
The PIAA will require this number, to submit your Act 114 FBI clearance for the PDE.
Submit your clearance to other large local soccer bodies in Pennsylvania here.
SVFutsal requires and maintains background checks to comply with Pennsylvania State Law. Please submit your clearances to Wes Hunt, the league director, either as paper copies or PDF. When submitting PDF files by email, ensure the PDF filename has your personal name in the title, and ensure the email Subject line contains your personal name.
Please note: Referees, age 14-17 are not required to complete an Act 114 FBI background check
Act 114 Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check
TIP: Choose the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) option on the Cogent website
Fee: $27 (clearance may be waived, and not required if age 14-17)
Act 34 Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check
Fee: $8
Act 151 Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
TIP: Purpose of Clearance, choose School Employee governed by Public School Code
Fee: $8 This takes a long time to fill out, but you can renew every two years.
You need a list of every place you have ever lived, and the people you lived with.
USYF requires that all coaches maintain an annual background check with USYF itself, and unfortunately the above clearances cannot be used.
SVFutsal requires that our referees maintain this same annual clearance as a coach with USYF, just in case the league needs it to comply with our insurance.
SVFutsal referees DO NOT register as a referee with USYF. We register as adult members and pay $11 for a USYF background clearance.
Register with USYF as a member on the Stack Sports web site
and then request that a background clearance be performed:
USYF Background Clearance Request Your role is "coach"
DO NOT take or complete the "Safe Sport" course. It is unnecessary.