PROTECTION OF CHILDREN & YOUTH INITIATIVE

PROTECTION OF CHILDREN & YOUTH INITIATIVE

* History of the Initiative in the Archdiocese

 

* Overview of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People

 

* "A Few Lessons in Confronting Child Sexual Abuse" (The Catholic Spirit 10/25/07)

 

Children's Curriculum

 

* Detailed Outline

 

*Alternative Program Outline for Schools

 

*Alternative Program Outline for Parishes


* Correlations of Personal Safety Curriculum to the Archdiocesan Religion Standards

 

* Correlations of NetSmartz Know the Rules to the Archdiocesan Religion Standards

 

* Correlations of Power of Parents: Real World and Internet Safety to the Archdiocesan Religion Standards

 

* Correlations of Breaking the Silence to High School Catechetical Curriculum

 

* Procedures for Fulfilling Requirements of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People

 

"Parishes, Schools to Begin Sex Abuse Prevention, Safety Programs" 
(The Catholic Spirit 8/17/06)


*  "Schools, Parishes to Begin Safe Environment Programs"

 (The Catholic Spirit 2/16/06)

 

*  "Come, Lord Jesus:
Safe Environment Programs Protect our Children"

(Archbishop Flynn's Column in The Catholic Spirit 2/16/06)


VIRTUS:  Protecting God's Children for Adults
 
How to Register On-line

Sessions Available

Schedule a Session for Your Parish or School

 

On-line Training  Bulletins

FAQ

 

Background Check

* Procedures and Forms Feedback

LOCAL RESOURCES:
 * Restoring Trust: With God All Things Are Possible (Sexual Abuse Policies)
 

* How to Report Suspected Child Abuse brochure
 

* Resource for Parents brochure

 

NATIONAL RESOURCES:
*  Charter for the Protection
of God's Children

 

* Estatuto para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes (Charter in Spanish)

 

* Hiên Chương Bao Ve Tre Em và Thiêu Nam Thiêu Nu (Charter in Vietnamese)

 

John Jay Study Executive Summary
 

National Review Board Summary
 

OTHER DOCUMENTS:

 

Archbishop's Letter to Priests and Deacons
 

*  Statement by Archdiocese
of St. Paul and Minneapolis On Release of John Jay Study by U.S. Conference of Bishops

 


 

The Protection of Children and Youth Initiative of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis has one goal: shielding our children from abuse. The initiative has two components: one is training for clergy, teachers, volunteers and others who work with children. The other is age-appropriate, church-approved safe environment lessons for children in our Catholic schools and religious education programs.

 

LEADERSHIP: ORDER YOUR PARENT GUIDES NOW

 

Parish and school leaders: now is the time to order your Parent Guides for  families new to faith formation programs or schools in the 2008-2009 program year. As in years past, the Archdiocese's Protection of Children and Youth Initiative office will mail VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children: A Guide for Parents, Guardians and Other Caring Adults to parish and school leaders to distribute to families who have not had a child enrolled in school or faith formation programs since 2005-2006, when the Parent Guides were first distributed. Please click on this link to order your parent guides online, now.

 

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS FOR SCHOOLS

Please click here to find out more about materials intended as supplementary safe environment materials for schools using the Diocese of Harrisburg's Formation in Christian Chastity; Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana's Safe Environment Curriculum; and KidWise: Family Safety Fair Kit. Please click here to order supplemental materials electronically.

HOLY FATHER ADDRESSES ABUSE DURING U.S. VISIT

 

Pope Benedict XVI called the sexual abuse of minors one of the "countersigns to the Gospel of life" and a "deep shame" when addressing  U.S. bishops gathered April 16 in the crypt church at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.

The Holy Father said U.S. bishops have "rightly moved" to address the evil of sexual abuse. He said programs put in place to discipline priests and other church personnel who are abusers, to create safe environments to help protect young people, and to foster healing are bearing fruit. Click here for more on Pope Benedict's statements.

 

RESOURCES:

 

Code of Pastoral Conduct for Employees
Code of Pastoral Conduct for Volunteers

Código de Conducta para Voluntarios

 these documents establish a broad set of standards to guide parish and school employees as well as those who volunteer with children in parishes and schools

 

Restoring Trust: With God All Things Are Possible (Sexual Abuse Policies) - the third edition of the comprehensive Archdiocesan sexual misconduct policy which was first issued in 1992

VIRTUS: Protecting God's Children for Adults

VIRTUS training is a three hour awareness session which better equips  adults to protect children in the world around them. It is required of all clergy, deacons, school and parish employees as well as all volunteers who are in regular contact with children under the age of 18.

Children's Curriculum

Catholic schools and parish religious education programs throughout the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis began teaching children about personal safety and sexual abuse prevention in 2006. These safe environment lessons continue during the 2007-2008 school year and will continue in all future years.

The safe environment programs involve four 30 to 40 minute lessons a year for Catholic school children and two 30 to 40 minute lessons a year for children in parish religious education programs.

The programs are age-appropriate and respect parents’ role as their children’s primary educators.

Parents have an opportunity to review all program materials before their children receive instruction.

Preschool - 4th Grade: Talking about Touching curriculum, by the Committee for Children.

5th - 8th Grade: KidWISE Institute’s Out of Harm’s Way: Personal Safety Curriculum, which focuses on Internet safety, bullying prevention and appropriate touch.

9th - 12th Grade: Creating Safe and Sacred Places from St. Mary's Press. Ninth- and 10th-graders will learn to recognize the warning signs of abuse and how to respond to potentially abusive relationships. Eleventh- and 12th-graders will focus on skills for building healthy relationships.

An alternative that parishes and schools may choose is KidWISE Institute’s Family Safety Fair, in which families of children in preschool through 4th grade attend an informational fair together.

Additional content was approved by Archbishop Flynn in the Summer of 2007. NetSmartz: Know the Rules from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Breaking the Silence from the Diocese of Orange, California may be used to enhance existing programs.

Pastors who wished to use other programs that comply with the U.S. bishops’ standards were able to request permission in writing from Archbishop Flynn.

Parents may sign a form to exclude their children from participating in the programs.

Please contact your child's school or faith formation office for more details about what program is being offered at your child's site.

Updated: August 5, 2008

   

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Protection of Children and Youth Initiative

Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
328 West Kellogg Blvd

 St. Paul, MN 55102
Tel:  651.251.7742, Email: pcyi@archspm.org