Child Protection Efforts
The Child and Youth Protection unit is aimed at creating safe environments for the children and youth in our parishes and Catholic schools.
About
The Child and Youth Protection unit is aimed at creating safe environments for the children and youth in our parishes and Catholic schools. Our mission is to assist parishes and schools in understanding and implementing the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. This involves criminal background screenings and training certification programs that advance the safety of our children.
Our office coordinates and monitors the diocesan effort to ensure that all volunteers and employees submit to a criminal background check through fingerprint analysis and attend the required VIRTUS Awareness Training Program. These three-hour courses cover the scope and nature of child sexual abuse in addition to giving participants the five steps that caring adults can follow to protect children.
Our Safe Environment Programs:
The Child and Youth Protection unit works with parishes and schools to ensure that all employees and volunteers that have regular and consistent contact with children receive the proper training and have current criminal background checks. This training gives our employees and volunteers the safety tools they will need to use in all aspects of their lives. We also assist parishes and schools in implementing and scheduling VIRTUS training programs for both adults and children.
We currently offer the following training programs through VIRTUS (www.virtus.org). Click here for a list of sessions.
- VIRTUS Protecting God's Children for Adults
This program helps the adults in our society to recognize the warning signs of a potential offender and how to appropriately respond.
- VIRTUS Teaching Touching Safety Program for Children
This program gives children the knowledge and tools they will need to be safe in all aspects of their lives – whether they are at home, at school or in their community.
- VIRTUS Bullying Prevention
This program teaches adults, caregivers, educators and staff to recognize the signs and behaviors of a person who is the victim of a bully and to also be able to recognize the individual who is acting as a bully.
- VIRTUS Internet Safety
This program shows adults that the Internet is a tool to be used with care and concern not only for themselves, but also their children
Links and Resources
- Safe Environment & Standards of Conduct Policy .pdf
- Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (Revised Edition)
- USCCB Office of Child and Youth Protection
- A statement by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., Diocese of Trenton, on the matter of protecting children and youth
- VIRTUS Training Schedule
- Diocesan of Trenton Volunteer Code of Conduct (29k, .pdf)
- Diocesan of Trenton Code of Pastoral Conduct (70k, .pdf)
- Policy on Background Checks (32k, .pdf)
- Memorandum of Understanding (1550k, .pdf)
- Diocesan Policy Regarding Allegations of Sexual Abuse (1590k, .pdf)
- Fingerprint Instruction for Volunteers/Employees (19k, .pdf)
- What You Should Know About the Sexual Abuse Policy of the Diocese of Trenton (23k, .pdf)
Contact Information
Margaret Dziminski
Child Safety Coordinator
phone: 609-403-7170
fax: 609-406-7441
mdzimi@dioceseoftrenton.org