SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN

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The Safe Environment for Children Project is mandated by the U.S. Conference of Bishops and our diocese to ensure a safe environment for our children. There are several components to the program. There is a curriculum component for grades K-8 concerning child safety, with a special emphasis on child abuse and its prevention. The diocese provides materials for classroom teachers.

Another component is the mandatory training of all staff members, parents, and volunteers each year. The training will be offered on site, at neighboring sites, and online to ensure accessibility. If a parent or volunteer does not attend, s/he will be unable to work in a classroom, field trip or fundraiser where children are present. There is also a component requiring that all parents and volunteers be screened through the Meganʼs Law process. All staff members are fingerprinted as part of the hiring process.

The Diocese is in the process of setting up Lifescan fingerprinting for all volunteers, parents, relatives or friends who work with the children. We will notify parents when our placement in the Lifescan cycle is determined.