Safe Environment Training for Children 2021-2022 Requirements
Background
The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People requires dioceses and eparchies to provide education and training for children, youth, parents, ministers, educators, volunteers, and others about ways to make and maintain a safe environment for children and young people.
Personal safety programs should have age-appropriate lessons that give children the skills they need to protect themselves without frightening them. Keeping children unaware of the dangers around them does not keep them safe. Predators count on children not knowing what to do.
Implementation
Each school-age PK-12 Faith Formation/Catholic School program needs to review and use the Safe Environment Training for Children curriculum for the Archdiocese.
While there is a minimum requirement, it is prudent to consider presenting this curriculum to every student every year, preferably as early in the year as possible.
Parents/guardians are to be provided with the required notification letter concerning the timeline when the training will be offered; the content/curriculum of the training; information outlining the opportunity to review the content/curriculum materials; and a copy of the Parent/Guardian Safe Environment Training Refusal Form.
Resources for Parents In addition, we provide information to parents to help them and all of us to be more informed of the issues and topics related to the abuse of children. It is our sincere hope that by partnering together we can continually provide the safest possible environment for all our young people to grow into healthy, Christ-filled adults.
Questions For questions regarding the Safe Environment Training for Children, please contact Joanne Pohland.