Child Protection Information
Good Shepherd Church and the entire Catholic Church view children as one of the most precious gifts of our society. One way the Catholic Church strives to protect children is through the Decree on Child Protection. The main purpose of this Decree is to protect children. All paid staff members and regular volunteers who regularly work with children are required by the Decree to:
- Attend a workshop and watch a videotape to familiarize themselves with the policies of the Decree
- Submit to a fingerprinting background check (an additional FBI background check is required if you have lived in the state of Ohio for less than 5 years)
According to the Decree on Child Protection, a “regular volunteer” is defined as any adult (eighteen years or older) serving as a catechist, scout leader, coach, adult helper, babysitter, etc. who functions in a regular, significant relationship with children. This involves either 3 hours a month or more than 1 time per month.
The fingerprinting process takes approximately 5 minutes and is done at any of the locations found at the link in the right column. A valid identification, such as a driver’s license, is needed. Our parish will pay for the cost of the background check, but donations will be accepted to offset these expenses.
Only those people who have fulfilled these requirements of the Decree on Child Protection are permitted to work with children; no exceptions will be made to this.
Archdiocese of Cincinnati Decree on Child Protection
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati Decree on Child Protection requires that all parish employees and all adult volunteers (those over 18) who work with children on a regular basis must complete a background check and attend the Child Protection Orientation.
If you are volunteering or planning to volunteer to work with children at The Community of the Good Shepherd a background check is required by being fingerprinted and attending the Child Protection Orientation if you have not yet done so. Protecting our children is an adult responsibility — please do your part by supporting this effort to attain 100% compliance in our parish community.
Reporting Abuse
If you or someone you know has been abused at any time by an agent of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati (priest, deacon, employee or volunteer), the Archdiocese urges you to report the abuse to Sister Mary Garke, the Victims’ Assistance Coordinator of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, at (513) 421-3131 ext. 2865 or 1-800-686-2724, as well as to the victim’s secular legal authorities such as the local police and/or 241-KIDS.
Victim Assistance
Sister Mary Garke is the Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Her telephone number is (513) 421-3131, ext.2865.
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