The Child Welfare Employee Licensure Application Process

STEP # 1: THE EXAM
Passing the CWEL exam is the first step in becoming licensed. Foundation Training begins with instruction about the Child Welfare Employee License and the application process. Foundation Training teaches what you need to pass the CWEL Exam and the CERAP certification test. Within 10 days of taking the exam, your score will be transmitted to the Office of CWEL electronically. You do not need to send it.

STEP # 2: THE FORMS

Two forms must be received by the Child Welfare Employee Licensing (CWEL) Program at 227 S. 7th Street, Sta.# 122, Springfield, Il 62701 They include:

1. The Child Welfare Direct Service Employee Licensure Application (CFS 717-G). This form begins the paper file as a CWEL applicant at the Office of Child Welfare Employee Licensing. You must fill out every part of the form.

a. Sign each section of the form, whether or not it seems applicable. For example, if you have no children, you may think that the section about child support is not applicable to you. Sign it anyway and state that you are not in arrears. Similarly, even though you may have never had a student loan, sign it anyway and state that you are not in arrears.

b. Declare any pending or criminal conviction. Pending or convictions on offenses that disqualify applicants are listed on the bottom of the front page of the form. Such involvement will postpone your license until matters are resolved in writing (See Eligibility Review).

c. Declare any pending or indicated reports on CANTS (Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting System) wherein you are considered the perpetrator. CANTS involvement will also postpone your license until said resolution is given in writing (See Eligibility Review).

2. The second required form is the IDCFS "Authorization for Background Checks for Child Welfare Employee Licensure" (CFS 717F). This consent form allows the Office of Child Welfare Employee Licensing to obtain a full background check and periodic additional background checks.

a. For POS employees the CFS 717F provides your permission to allow the IDCFS Central Office of Licensing to share current background clearance information with the Office of Child Welfare Employee Licensing.

b. For DCFS employees the CFS 717F provides your permission to allow the IDCFS Office of Employee Services to share current background clearance information with the Office of Child Welfare Employee Licensing.

STEP # 3: BACKGROUND CLEARANCE

A comprehensive Background Clearance must be completed and passed. You will need to participate with your employer in obtaining an up-to-date Clearance (includes the CANTS, ISP, FBI and Sex Offender clearances). The clearance cannot be more than 12 months old.

POS STAFF: To begin, all prospective POS staff complete the CFS 718E which must be obtained from your employer. Their employer sends this to the Central Office of Licensing (COOL) at DCFS, 406 E. Monroe, St.# 60, Springfield, IL 62701. (Note: This is not the Office of CWEL). This consent form is for a background check required for POS agency licensure under Rule 401. Even if you already hold a CWEL, you will be asked by your new employer to fill out a new 718E for the Central Office of Licensing.

If necessary, new staff will be asked to get fingerprinted by a fingerprint vendor. Your employer will advise you as to specific site and time. Most employers will make a copy of this form and then ask that you take it to the fingerprint vendor who submits the C F S 718E with background results to the Central Office of Licensing (COOL). If the Central Office of Licensing (COOL) does not have your signed CFS-718E, the Office of Child Welfare Employee Licensing (CWEL) cannot obtain background clearance information.

IDCFS STAFF: New DCFS employees must work with the regional personnel officer to make an appointment with the DCFS fingerprint vendor. As a DCFS employee please clarify to the finger-print vendor exactly who should receive your fingerprint-results and for what. While you may save the fingerprint receipt for your own records, if the fingerprint vendor does not understand who must receive the results, then those results can be lost and you will have to be re-fingerprinted.

DCFS Employee's fingerprints for the CWEL must go to the DCFS-OES-associated electronic data link or be mailed to:

IDCFS, Office of Employee Services
Attn. Susan Ivy or Randy Gibson
406 E. Monroe, Sta. 373
Springfield, IL 62701

STEP # 4: DEGREE VERIFICATION

The last step is to verify that you hold the required degree from an accredited college or university and thus meet the requirements of the position as defined in 89 IL Adm. Code 401.

To provide this verification you need to contact your college or university and order original college transcripts to be sent. Transcripts are to be received at the Office of Child Welfare Employee Licensing, 227 S. 7th Street, Sta.# 122, Springfield, IL 62701 directly from your school.
IF your degree was earned in another country, an agency that translates your transcript into "American equivalency" will needs to provide an equivalency report. Send this equivalency report to the Office of Child Welfare Employee Licensure. A list of agencies that do these reports is available from the Office of Child Welfare Employee Licensing.