After two years of pressure from the state Auditor General's office, the Ridge Administration announced early this month it will begin requiring criminal background checks on childcare providers paid through the state's subsidized childcare program.

What it did not mention is that the state will continue using taxpayer dollars to fund childcare providers — even if they have a serious criminal record.

The announcement, made by the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) Secretary Feather O. Houstoun, stated the DPW will inform parents of the results of the background checks, but allow them to determine whether to continue use of the childcare provider.

"Since the changes, the policy has been to give parents a choice," said Jay Pagni, spokesperson for the DPW.

About 44 percent of Americans use relatives and neighbors to watch their children, Pagni said.

"This includes all income levels," he said. "We're giving the same opportunities and choices to poor people that middle and upper class people have."

However, this does not reassure some key government officials, including democratic state Auditor General Robert P. Casey, Jr.

"This is not what's in the best interest of the children or the taxpayers," said Karen L. Walsh, Casey spokeswoman.

"These are people who (because of their criminal records) would be disqualified from working in a supervised daycare center," she said.

Despite differing political ideologies of Casey and Gov. Tom Ridge, Walsh said this is not a partisan issue and has attracted the attention of Republican and Democratic leaders alike.

"This has nothing to do with partisan politics and everything to do with children and taxpayers," Walsh said.

She added House Majority Leader John Perzel, R-Philadelphia County, has given the Auditor General his support on the issue.

Media attention has increased public awareness of the issue, which has put more pressure on the Ridge administration to change its policy, Walsh said.

"When taxpayers start to understand this policy, they realize it makes no sense," she said.

On Feb.6, the DPW announced that in June it will begin running background checks on all "relative-neighbor" childcare providers, whom the department has designated as any childcare provider that cares for three or fewer children.

"If someone chooses, after learning this information, to find a new provider, we'll help them do that," Pagni said.

The program provides government subsidized childcare for children whose parents cannot afford regular daycare, Walsh said. Parents pay part of the childcare costs, while the government pays the rest, she said.

"Casey wants to stop the payment of money to (providers who are former convicts), but at the same time, we have an obligation to take care of the kids," Walsh said.

However, Pagni said putting a stop to this funding will drive low-income families away from a system that works to help them. Also, many families already know of a provider's record, he said.

"What this is, is a legitimate solution that balances the needs of a parent with responsibility and an understanding that parents should be given respect and opportunities in regards to their families," Pagni said.

The names of 22 childcare providers who were imprisoned between Nov. 1998 and May 2000 were discovered while members of the Auditor General's staff were working on a different audit. The DPW was notified and it in turn notified the employers of those people. Pagni said four of these families sought new childcare providers, while 11 of the former convicts were no longer providing childcare.

Houstoun's announcement came the same day Casey demanded the Ridge administration allow the Department of the Auditor General to conduct an audit in order to formally determine whether the state was making payments to childcare providers who have been convicted of serious crimes.

In a letter to Ridge, Casey alleged his office had been stonewalled in conducting the audit for more than two years: "Your administration's opposition to this audit has been obvious from the outset," Casey said. "It is clear that nothing short of your direct, personal involvement will guarantee your administration's cooperation with this important audit."

Walsh said the governor has not responded to the letter and his administration refuses to cooperate with auditors.

However, Pagni said Casey is asking for special treatment in the form of paying less money to provide his office with background checks.

"Every agency outside the state police must pay for background checks," he said. "Casey believes he should be treated differently than the rest of the administration."

He added he does not foresee a change in the childcare policy in the near future.