Archdiocese of St. Louis Website Link
Prevent and Protect Website Link
The purpose of the Safe Environment Program is to create a safe environment for our children. All volunteers are required to comply with the Procedures developed to implement the policy.
Preventing Abuse
The Archdiocese's Safe Environment Program requires all adult employees and volunteers who work with or near minors and/or vulnerable adults to comply with the following policy requirements:
- Attend a Protecting God's Children live workshop and complete online updates every three years.
- Understand and sign the Archdiocese's Code of Ethical Conduct for Clergy, Employees, and Volunteers Working in Ministry.
- Complete a national criminal record check and agree to regular updates.
The Protecting God's Children program, developed by VIRTUS® and employed by many dioceses, educates participants to identify the signs of child sexual abuse, understand the methods and means by which offenders commit abuse, and be aware of the steps that can be taken to prevent ongoing or future abuse. Over 400 workshops are held each year at the Cardinal Rigali Center, parishes, schools and agencies throughout the Archdiocese. The workshops are led by 175 trained local facilitators who not only share the two videos at the center of the training program, A Time to Protect God's Children™ and A Plan to Protect God's Children™, but who also incorporate our archdiocesan policies and procedures into the training, address the reporting of child or vulnerable adult sexual abuse, explain the screening and selection of employees and volunteers, and share victim advocacy efforts.
In addition, students in grades K-9 in archdiocesan schools and parish school of religion programs receive annual age-appropriate instruction in the Safe Touch curriculum to enable them to protect themselves from potential abuse. This local curriculum was developed in partnership with West County Psychological Associates, the Archdiocesan Child Safety Committee, and area educators and school administrators. Discussion topics range from physical boundaries to online safety.
Working in conjunction with the Office of Child and Youth Protection, each parish and archdiocesan school and agency employs a Child Safety Coordinator (CSC) whose role is to ensure employee and volunteer compliance with the three Safe Environment policy requirements outlined above. The CSC maintains the parish, school or agency's records of compliance which are audited annually by the Office of Child and Youth Protection.
We invite you to join us in our abuse prevention efforts by registering today, and we thank you in advance for your service to the Archdiocese of St. Louis!
The live Protecting God's Children program, developed by VIRTUS® and employed by many dioceses, educates participants to identify the signs of child sexual abuse, understand the methods and means by which offenders commit abuse, and be aware of the steps that can be taken to prevent ongoing or future abuse.
In addition, students in grades K-9 in archdiocesan schools and parish school of religion programs receive annual age-appropriate instruction in the Safe Touch curriculum to enable them to protect themselves from potential abuse. This local curriculum was developed in partnership with West County Psychological Associates, the Archdiocesan Child Safety Committee, and area educators and school administrators. Discussion topics range from physical boundaries to online safety.
Working in conjunction with the Office of Child and Youth Protection, each parish and archdiocesan school and agency employs a Child Safety Coordinator (CSC) whose role is to ensure employee and volunteer compliance with the three Safe Environment policy requirements outlined above. The CSC maintains the parish, school or agency's records of compliance which are audited annually by the Office of Child and Youth Protection.
Tina Steck
Program Manager, Office of Child & Youth Protection
Archdiocese of St. Louis
20 Archbishop May Drive
St. Louis, MO 63119
p: 314.792.7837
tinasteck@archstl.org
Any parishioner who has contact with a vulnerable person is required to be on the protecting Gods children registry. This includes:
Teachers. Psr
Children's liturgy of the word teachers
Eucharistic ministers who do home visits
Svdp workers
Church employees
Coaches for church sports teams
Prayer ministers who go to homes
Nursing home ministers
Anyone who has contact with elderly, distressed, youth or vulnerable adult or children on a direct basis
Link to the Above Document
Email: taz40@sbcglobal.net
Victims of sexual abuse, in addition to contacting civil authorities, are asked to come forward in order to receive pastoral assistance.
Reports of abuse may be made to any Pastor or to:
Sandra Price, Executive Director
Office of Child & Youth Protection
(314) 792-7271
sandraprice@
Missouri Department of Social Services , Children’s Division Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline:
1-800-392-3738
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline:
1-800-392-0210
Archdiocese of St. Louis Website
Safe Environment Program Website