Safe Environment
Our community is committed to providing a safe environment for everyone in our community - especially the young and the vulnerable.
As a part of that effort, the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter has instituted a robust Safe Environment program [details here]. Our community fully participates in that program and provides mandatory training, including detailed background checks, for all volunteers who work with children. We also provide materials to parents to use in discussing these sensitive issues with their own children.
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To read the Ordinariate's complete Safe Environment Policy, click here.
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The Ordinariate Safe Environment Program consists of the following components:
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1. A criminal background check/screening program for clergy, candidates for ministry, religious, lay employees, educators and adult volunteers who have regular contact with children as part of their work and ministry. When required, background checks and screening must be completed before the person assumes his or her position or begins volunteer service. There can be no compromises or exceptions to this requirement of our Safe Environment program.
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2. Providing appropriate Safe Environment training in preventing and recognizing child physical or sexual abuse. The Safe Environment training program approved for all priests, deacons, candidates, religious, employees, teachers and adult volunteers is Safe Haven—It’s Up to You.
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3. Access via the Ordinariate website to online tools to enable all who are required to register for a criminal background check and complete Safe Haven—It’s Up to You training from their personal laptop or computer.
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4. Help children and youth to cooperate in maintaining their own personal safety through implementing the Teaching Touching Safety It is important that every child in our schools, parish religious education and youth programs be given the opportunity to take part in this critical component of our Safe Environment program.
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5. Holding all those who work with minors to a Christ-centered and professional Code of Conduct.
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6. Reporting physically or sexually inappropriate and/or criminal conduct to appropriate child protection, law enforcement and Church authorities immediately.
If you have questions about the safe environment certification process or our policies please email us at office@sttimsocsp.cc
