Training

As part of the implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children & Young People, the Archdiocese of Chicago requires its parishes and schools to provide valuable training in sexual abuse prevention to children and youth in schools and programs annually.

This important training is designed to educate children and youth on how to recognize and report abuse, and are age-appropriate, research-based and straightforward. It’s important to note that the below programs are not sex education courses, rather sexual abuse prevention training that encourages children/youth to disclose abuse, neglect or any troubling information to a safe adult, particularly their parent(s).

Current Programs

Praesidium's Called to Protect
A comprehensive safe environment program for K-12th grade exclusively for Catholic parents, youth and children.
VIRTUS Teaching Touching Safety
A program through which parents, teachers, catechists, youth ministers and other educators give children and young people the tools they need to protect themselves.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s Kids Smartz (not to be confused with Netsmartz)
A child safety program that educates families on preventing abduction and empowers kids in grades K-5 to practice safer behaviors. Information and materials can be downloaded for free here.
RCL Benziger's Family Life Program
A K-8 religious education program that develops better communication skills and healthy family relationships.
Child Lures Prevention
A program that helps children and teens prevent sexual abuse, harassment, abduction, drugs and bullying/cyberbullying. This requirement helps parents provide valuable educations to their child/children.

Parents are notified by the school or religious education program about scheduling the training session.

Mandated Reporter Training provides adults mandated by state law and Archdiocesan policy to report suspected child abuse and neglect with information on how to recognize and report child abuse and neglect.

Please click here to access online training.

Requirements

The following employees and volunteers are required to complete this training within 60 days of hire:

School personnel, medical personnel, social service and mental health personnel, law enforcement personnel, coroner/medical examiner personnel, child care personnel and clergy. School personnel are required to recertify every 5 years.
Catechists, youth ministers, coaches and employees who work directly with children.
Seminarians must complete this while at the seminary and training is offered to deacons during their formation

Training Options

Online Training
The Office for the Protection of Children and Youth (OPCY) has partnered with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to use their existing online training: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Training for Mandated Reporters. At this time, online training is available in English and Spanish. Participants should be aware of the following:
- Training takes at least 60 minutes to complete.
- You must use a computer with a printer to print the certificate at the completion of the training. Only a computer-generated certificate will be accepted. Please keep user ID and password to reprint for future use.
- The computer used for training must be equipped with speakers or a headset to allow you to hear the audio.
- Employees must have their employee ID number (can be found on a paycheck stub). Volunteers use an email address to create their online training account.

Protecting God's Children for Adults is conducted by certified facilitators on the prevention of child sexual abuse. The training educates participants on the signs of child sexual abuse, the methods and means by which offenders commit abuse, and how to prevent it.

Facilitators incorporate Archdiocesan policies and procedures into the training, defining child sexual abuse, addressing the reporting of child sexual abuse, and the screening and selection of employees and volunteers.

Requirements

All employees and volunteers who work with children and youth must fulfill this compliance requirement. Anyone employed two months or longer who has not attended are at risk to be suspended from their work or volunteer for the Archdiocese of Chicago until compliance is met.
Participants must be present for the entire training session to receive credit for attendance.
All Archdiocese employees and volunteers who work with children must create and maintain an online account with VIRTUS when they register online to take the training. After attending employees and volunteers must submit a copy of the certificate of attendance to the location they work/volunteer at and continue the monthly ongoing education (bulletin reading). Ongoing education is required 12 times in the first year, six in the second year and four in the third year of employment.

Training Options
Please see below for training options. Contact dwilson@archchicago.org with additional questions.

Participate in Training
If you have never participated in this training, click here to find and pre-register for an upcoming training session and create a new account.
Participated in Training with Another Diocese
If you have taken this training with another diocese, please contact VIRTUS at 888.847.8870 to authorize them to transfer your account to the Archdiocese of Chicago. Please note, online trainings of Virtus Protecting God’s Children for Adults do not meet the Archdiocese of Chicago’s requirement.
Unable to Attend a Registered Session
If you have already created an account and pre-registered for a training session, but did not make a session and need to transfer your account to a different training session, click here to view upcoming sessions. Please be sure to use your existing account to transfer your information. If you are unable to transfer your account to another session, email the date and location you would like to attend training along with your VIRTUS user ID to dwilson@archchicago.org.
Create a VIRTUS Account Online
If you have already attended a training session, but never created a VIRTUS account online go to www.virtusonline.org and create a new account. Be sure to choose the training session you attended from the drop-down box when asked. When completed, contact us to have your account approved/activated at 312.534.5206 or email dwilson@archchicago.org.
If you have already participated in training for the Archdiocese of Chicago, log in to your account at www.virtusonline.org to ensure it is approved, active and updated with your current information.

Every parish and school is required to have a Site Administrator, an on-site employee designated by a pastor or principal at their parish or school, whose qualifications and duties include, but are not limited to, the management of compliance data for their site’s employees and volunteers. Site Administrator Training provides administrators with an understanding of the responsibilities and expectations to ensure and verify every employee and volunteer has complied with Safe Environment requirements.

Registration is required for training. Please register at least five business days prior to the scheduled training. To register please click on the following link: www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a49adaf29a1f49-site. Please contact Judy Gavina at jgavina@archchicago.org or call 312.534.5254 if you have any questions. Classes may be canceled due to low enrollment.

Each parish and school should have a trained, certified VIRTUS Facilitator. Employees/volunteers interested in being certified to train are required to participate in this two-day training hosted by the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth (OPCY). For pertinent information and to obtain the required application form, contact Maricela Gonzalez at 312.534.5388 or magonzalez@archchicago.org.

Requirements

Applicants must be in compliance with the Safe Environment requirements prior to taking the training.

Upcoming Trainings

Date: June 23 & 24, 2017
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. both days
Location: Our Lady of the Woods Parish, 10731 W 131st Street, Orland Park, IL 60462, Room 118
Parking: Parish Lot

Date: October 20 & 21, 2017
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. both days
Location: Archbishop Quigley Center, 835 N Rush Street, Chicago, IL 60611
Parking: Holy Name Cathedral Lot

Compliance Resources

Training

Current Programs

Requirements

Training Options

Requirements

Requirements

Upcoming Trainings