The record keeping tasks associated with the diocesan initiatives relating to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People can be extensive.
Compliance in all diocesan locations has always been a necessity. Future Diocesan Charter Audits will include random physical parish and school compliance audits to be performed by the auditors.
A memorandum dated 24 October, 2007, from Reverend Monsignor Alfred A. Schlert, the Vicar General for the Diocese of Allentown, requires that someone in each parish or school be designated as the local Safe Environment Coordinator to ensure that all locations are compliant. This person may be an employee or a volunteer. For a parish with a parochial school, one safe environment coordinator may oversee both parish and school compliance. In the case of a high school or a regional school, there should be a Coordinator solely designated for that particular school.
The responsibilities of the local Safe Environment Coordinator include the oversight of the Diocese’s background check policy to ensure that all employees have been checked and found eligible as well as all volunteers of a childcare service school or a program, activity or service responsible for a child’s welfare of volunteers having direct contact with children. This person is also to make sure that all employees and appropriate volunteers have completed the required Mandated Reporter Training and have attended the Protecting God’s Children ™ Program. The distribution of the Diocese of Allentown Sexual Abuse Policy and Code of Conduct and collection of the signed acknowledgement forms is also a responsibility. Part of the duties include the monitoring of all paperwork ensuring that the employee and volunteer files contain all required information listed on the Diocese of Allentown Safe Environment Quick Reference Guide. which may also be accessed via this website by clicking “ here for Youth Protection.” The Local Safe Environment coordinator is also responsible for populating the diocesan safe environment tracking database and monitoring its completion.
The Safe Environment Coordinator for the Diocese of Allentown will continue to visit all diocesan schools and Parishes to verify that all files contain the necessary records. The Safe Environment Coordinator for the Diocese of Allentown will also maintain contact with all local Safe Environment Coordinators to promote compliance.
