Child and Youth Protection
Questions & Answers
How many volunteers can one level C supervise?
A good working ration is one level C can supervise 5-7 other volunteers. Your local Safe Environment Teams (SET) need to determine if a smaller ratio is needed given the facilities and the nature of the activity.
What "manual" do I give people who come to Safe Environment Training (recognizing and reporting abuse and neglect)?
The "grey pages" that were highlighted in the team training sessions are designed to be the training notes for C-level volunteers (mandatory) and all B-level volunteers that we can encourage to attend. These are the same notes that are given to all staff and may also be used for the parent training classes.
The handouts are also located in the back of the training manual from Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina. Each safe environment team and each regional Catholic Charities office has a copy of this training manual.
Who has to attend this training?
All employees and all level C volunteers are required to have this training. We strongly encourage B-level folks, too. Keep in mind that this is the first round of trainings, your local SET could train parents, community leaders and other organizations, if you wish. You also have the St. Mary’s Press resource, "Creating Safe and Sacred Places." This has sessions for children, parents and also prayer resources. We began by training adults, we have moved to prepare appropriate ways to give our children some prevention skills. Please note: it is the job adults to protect children.
Can we develop web-based training for re-certification? (When will we have to update our training?)
That option is being explored so as to keep our C-level leaders updated as to the latest developments in N.C. law and diocesan policies and procedures. Initial training will always remain personal. The issue can raise many questions, memories and emotions, and so it is best to have personal contact. The updates could be web-based. (If you have these programming skills call 1-866-535-7233 to volunteer.) The safe training will be updated every five years. Both the training and the updating of criminal background checks will follow the same 5 year cycle.
What about Confirmation sponsors?
Let us treat Confirmation sponsors as level A volunteers. This means that for the purposes of the sessions you hold at your parish and for any preparation they give the candidate, they will fill out an A form. This would apply to a proxy as well. There is no paperwork needed if the only time the sponsor is present is for the celebration of the sacrament.
Who is in charge of revising the code of conduct?
The Diocesan Safe Environment Committee and a Catholic Center sub-committee are being asked to review the code of conduct. A cyclical review schedule for the code of conduct will be developed by the Office of Child and Youth Protection.
Who is in charge of revising the policies and procedures?
The Diocesan Review Board reviews the Policies and Procedures for the Protection of Children and Young People. You can find out more about the Board in the "foundations of safe environment" section of the Child and Youth Protection webpage and by reading the Policies and Procedures for the Protection of Children and Young People.
Are groups that work with youth/children required to have our training if they are consistent users of our facilities (scouts), not short-term leases (a summer camp), or is their own training enough?
They must have our training. Train their leaders as level C's, and they can supervise the rest of the volunteers.
Are we responsible to supervise/monitor groups that consistently use parish facilities while they are using our facility?
No, not if we have ascertained that they have at least two C-level leaders in place. Again, the goal is to keep adult leadership in place to supervise/protect children.
Will there be drug testing for volunteers?
No. We are comfortable with our present level of scrutiny.
Will there be finger printing for volunteers?
Not presently. Some dioceses have gone this route, but we have not
What about Eucharistic ministers who minister to kids?
Presently, we assume that this visit is taking place while a parent/guardian is present. If the Eucharistic Minister is at Mass, then they are not in leadership or in isolation with youth and therefore would not be screened.
Why must I call the Office of Child and Youth Protection if I suspect a church leader? Why can't I just call local civil authorities?
You can call civil authorities. If a child is in danger, you should call the local department of social services, or just ask the 911 dispatcher what to do. If you do not call civil authorities and you call the Diocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection (OCYP), then the OCYP will contact the civil authorities.
There are many reasons why reporting the sexual abuse of a minor by clergy and church personnel to the Diocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection is required of all employees, clergy and C-level volunteers. They include:
- Victim Assistance can offer counseling, prayer and support.
- The church needs to act in cases that may be low priority for law enforcement given the fact that the abuse happened long ago.
- There are Canon Law procedures that go in motion to apply church law to clergy who are accused.
- Victim assistance also reaches out to families and communities affected by sexual abuse, not just to victim/survivors.
- The Bishop wants to be informed and to respond quickly, the Diocesan OCYP helps this happen.
- Press releases and parish announcements are coordinated through the Communication Office of the Diocese of Raleigh.
Hispanic Ministry Update
We have ordered 50 videos that will be the introduction to the topic of sexual abuse. It is a Spanish film with English subtitles. We have a Spanish version of the presentation slides from Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina. These slides will help you present physical/ sexual/ emotional abuse and child neglect. Again, these are adult training materials. We will also forward overview pamphlets for male and female discussion groups to use. We need your help in sharing session designs and presentation ideas as we create an effective Spanish-speaking training module.
The Majority of the training curriculum is also available in Spanish.
- Use the 30-minute film "Una Perspectivat Desde Las Sombras" in the parishes to introduce the topic of sexual abuse. This is an adult-only film. Though this is a good film, it puts too much responsibility on the children for the prevention/reporting of child abuse. It will be important for the presenter to exhort the adults to be the strength that overpowers this problem. Remember, adults are responsible to keep children safe. Have your Safe Environment work to differentiate your A- B- and C-level volunteers. Many parishes have already completed this step. (We have resources on the Web site to help with this.)
- Have classes, split by gender, for parents and all volunteer catechists on recognizing and reporting abuse. There are some print resources available and the slides have been translated. This discussion would be facilitated in single gender groups. Again, this is adult training. We are working to create some video-based resources here at the Catholic Center.
- Now that we have created a general awareness and covered most of the training, the final step would be to make sure the paperwork for volunteers divided into categories A, B and C through the diocesan guidelines is completed. The applications are already in Spanish. If there is someone who is reluctant to submit to a background check, they would need to stay at level B. (Please share your successes and strategies with other parishes.)
What if our safe environment team does not feel ready to do the training?
Call the Office of Child and Youth Protection at 1-866-535-SAFE and you may:
- Get some extra training
- Be partnered with another local team that is ready to go and you can draw support from them
- Be given some other training resources to help you along
The key is to be diligent. We must keep moving forward to make our parishes and homes the safest environment possible.
What about Safe Environment records retention?
The rule of thumb for personnel records will be followed for the Safe Environment volunteer records.
LEVEL A - All will be kept for 7 years. Dated folders can be disposed of at the end of the seventh year. Initially we have been tossing these out annually but it has come to light that we should hold on to these. Begin retaining the level A sheets now and simply note in your 2006 file that we disposed of the previous years
LEVEL B and C – Retain these for 7 years after the person has ended their service to the church.
Can Catholic Charities do our trainings for us?
No. They can be a support, they can help you with clinical concerns, but they are not to be a substitute for local teams. We are teaching not only a curriculum but also a model that we can help give our children lives worth living without being experts with degrees in the field. All concerned adults can champion the cause of recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect.
Who do I call if I can't get on to the Austin Solutions site?
First, call Leo Tapler at 919-821-9711. Second, call John Pendergrass at 866-535-7233.
Can we block previously entered applications so they are not accessible to new users? Is there a way to block access to the "view applications" function for users completing their applications online?
Yes, when they attempt to log on, they will be asked for a user ID and a password. Each ministry site assigns a password to each individual application. The applicant can use the password assigned by the site and thus block access to all items except their application.
Who tells a volunteer the reason they have not been cleared?
The volunteer can call the director of the diocesan Program for Child and Youth Protection to ask why they have not been cleared. Site administrators are informed if someone is placed on restricted service so as to know the nature of the restriction.
Can we use written references?
This approach was "field tested" in one parish. They told us their experience at the June ’05 Convocation. It can be successfully done with some processes in place to ensure confidential references. Written references work well but lack some of the specificity you get with a phone call. When using written references, the supervisor of the given volunteer will need to sign and date when each letter was read and place it in the volunteers file. Some calls should also be made.
Do we have to re-submit volunteers and staff members who have already had background checks by Premier Infosource (the former diocese-recommended company)?
2008 is the deadline for having volunteer who were screened with Premier Infosource re- entered. Most sites have already re-submitted employees.
Can a criminal background check from another job or other agency be transferred?
No, we would have to enter into agreements with over 54 school districts and numerous scout councils (just to name a few). We do not share the results of our criminal background screenings with outside organizations, and we assume that they hold to that same protocol. Our ministries need to be screened by our process.
How often can we run a criminal background check on a person, I just had someone change from a volunteer to an employee and it will not accept a new application?
Austin Computing is working on a self service fix for this situation but for now, call John (1-866-535-7233) and he will walk you through the re-submission. To run a second background check on a person who is already in the system, we have to call our account representative and she will release the person to be re-submitted.
What if I enter a person as a volunteer and they are an employee, the system does not let me go back to re- register the person?
If this happens to you, do not submit the application. We will have to delete the application and start over. Since we have simplified the volunteer application you will notice that if you have chosen the wrong application, there will not be spaces to enter the data found on the employee form. (i.e. No SSn#, no work history…) You will experience the opposite situation if you are trying to enter a volunteer and you clicked employee, the paper form does not have all the data the computer form is asking requests. Just stop, call in and we can start over!
How often will we have to update volunteers and employees for new criminal background checks?
There will be a five year update cycle on criminal background checks. Some parishes have asked if they can take the large number of background checks completed in 2004 and spread them out to avoid a budget crunch. For example, the majority of volunteers were first checked in 2004. These volunteers must be update their records no later than December 2009. To spread out the fees for updating the volunteers, you could accelerate your process to complete a portion of the re- checking in 2008. This time table gives parishes the flexibility to spread out the new background checks if they wish.
This is an outline for renewing the criminal background checks. (Changes to archive old computer record and make the updating easier are being put in place in the spring/summer of 2006)
DECEMBER 2008
- The majority of our priests will renew their training .
- All employees who are not in the Austin system (those who were background checked by Premier Infosource) need to be entered into the Austin system. You can start this process now if you wish (some have already completed it!)
DECEMBER 2009
- The bulk of the volunteers and all employees who were entered in 2004 will be updated by December 2009
Please get Safe Environment trainings entered into the database, This will make forming the renewal process for safe environment training much easier!
What clearance do high school students need to work in faith formation with younger kids?
All students who help with younger students are still students. "Student assistants" need to be supervised by a 2 deep level C structure. Treat the teen student assistants as level B volunteers.
How can a school and a parish share the lists of approved volunteers?
When you submit a background check, choose both the parish and school as a site under the "selected sites" part of the application and your lists will be automatically merged. This can be done before or after the application is submitted. KEEP IN MIND that the system also tracks attendance at safe environment training. You can record your trainings s listed as "workshop date" when you click the "workshop date quick entry" button. This allows you to confirm both the background check and the training!