youth protection/ safe environment
Fr. C. P. Varghese, Linda Mihm, Dawn Moeser, and Karen Long {coordinator}
Child & Youth Protection
Churches, schools, and youth organizations must ensure that children and youth who worship, study, or participate in activities sponsored by a parish can do so in the safest and most secure setting possible. Parents and caretakers have the right to ask these institutions if they meet the requirements of the Charter before they allow their children to become involved with them.
An effective safe environment program will have the following components:
Child & Youth Protection
Churches, schools, and youth organizations must ensure that children and youth who worship, study, or participate in activities sponsored by a parish can do so in the safest and most secure setting possible. Parents and caretakers have the right to ask these institutions if they meet the requirements of the Charter before they allow their children to become involved with them.
An effective safe environment program will have the following components:
- •A code of conduct for clergy and for any other paid personnel and volunteers in positions of trust who have regular contact with children and young people.
- •Training for all adults who work with children that consists of:
- •Signs an adult may see in a child who is abused
•Signs an adult may see in a person who abuses children
•What actions an adult should take when they believe child abuse of any kind may be occurring
•The laws and policies regarding the reporting of child abuse
- •Signs an adult may see in a child who is abused
- •A training program for children that includes age appropriate materials pertaining to personal safety that conforms to Catholic teachings.
Safe Environment Continuing Education
The focus for this year is,“Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Environment”.
Our parish communities can be the sort of community where “everyone looks out for” our children and where children can encounter positive adults.
We can offer surveillance, supervision, and, above all, influence the values and interests of our youth.
In modeling Christ we show unconditional love, forgiveness, focus on others versus self, show empathy and show dignity and respect for the person.
We are called to model caring:- There are two kinds of adult role modeling that help teach children to be caring: kindness to others and kindness to the child.
- If you are consistently caring and compassionate, it’s more likely that your children will be, too. Children watch their parents, and other adults, for clues on how to behave.
- Keep in mind that if you say one thing and do another, your children will pay a lot more attention to what you do. The old warning “Do as I say, not as I do” simply does not work, particularly when it comes to teaching about care.
- Try to surround your children with other people who are kind and caring, so that they have several role models.
For more information please visit: child.gidiocese.org.