Safe Environment Handbook 2020 Overview
 
One of the requirements for certification is that you sign the Executive Summary. When you sign that document you state you have read the Safe Environment Handbook.
The handbook can be found on the Diocese Website at the links shown below
 
English version
http://www.bridgeportdiocese.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Safe-Environment-decree-final.pdf


​The handbook must be reviewed in detail. This document is intended to give you a high level overview of the document to help guide you through the document.

Section I. The Diocese of Bridgeport Policies and Procedures Relating to Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors (Revised 2020)
 

• We are committed to providing a safe environment for minors and will deal appropriately with all cases of abuse.
• A cleric will be removed from sacred ministry for any act of abuse of a minor
• A lay person will be removed from any role in the Diocese
• All Federal and Connecticut laws will be applied
• Sexual abuse is any inappropriate action done by an adult to a minor (2.1)
• Possession, production, distribution of child pornography clearly falls into the category of child abuse
• We must also be careful to avoid conduct that may be misunderstood – hugging, patting, tickling, etc.
• In general, we need to refrain from any non-sexual physical contact with minors
• All personal must comply with the Safe Environment policies
• The Diocese will provide appropriate assistance to all victims of abuse
• We are required to report any incident of sexual abuse
• Anyone who was abused as a minor should report that to the Diocese
• The details of the investigation process are described in this section

 Section II The Diocese of Bridgeport Code of Conduct (2020) .…………………………………...
 

• This Code of Conduct applies to all clerical, religious, employees, volunteers tenants and contractors 
• We are the prime person responsible for adhering to the code of conduct
• Rule of 2 – 2 cleared adults must be present when managing activities with minors and Vulnerable Adults
• Drugs and alcohol and tobacco are prohibited
• Sexually inappropriate conversations, vulgarity, nudity and improper dress, viewing or taking inappropriate materials are prohibited
• Minor, youth, and vulnerable adults should not be allowed to be in private accommodations
• Meeting alone with minors in secluded areas is prohibited
• Private communications with minors should be avoided – parents must be aware of and included in any communications
• All form of electronic communications must be open and public and transparent
• Written permission must be obtained to take or post photos on websites
• Minors can only be released to parents, legal guardians, or others who have written permission from parents or guardians
• No one under 21 can have prime responsibility for activities with children unless there are 2 cleared adults over 21 present
• Medications can only be given with written consent of parents or guardians
• Public transportation must be used
• Gifts or money cannot be given to minors without approval from parent or guardian
• Care must be used when any physical contact is done – PAN public, appropriate, non-sexual
• No spanking, striking pushing or any other form of corporal punishment is allowed
• When children are doing inappropriate actions two adults must be present and proper authorities and parents/guardians must be called.
• All programs with minors and vulnerable adults must be run by multiple (at least two) cleared adults
• All programs must be run on parish property – exceptions may be made in rare cases – see manual for details
• All programs must be approved
• Separate lavatories for adults and children must be used where possible. Extra care must be taken if this is not possible – monitors, no adults and children in facilities at same time, etc
• Sleeping in same room or sleeping area is prohibited
• All entertainers, vendors, etc must be in compliance with Safe Environment policies
• We are all required to report – Section II-8 describes this in detail

Section III The Diocese of Bridgeport Anti-Harassment Policy 

• Personnel must not engage in physical, psychological, written, verbal, or any other form of harassment and must not tolerate such harassment by other Personnel 
• Physical or mental abuse 
• Comments about an individual’s real or perceived disability and/or medical condition 
• Racial insults 
• Derogatory ethnic slurs 
• Unwelcome sexual advances or touching 
• Sexual comments or sexual jokes 
• Requests for sexual favors used as a condition for employment or to affect other Personnel 
• decisions, such as promotion or compensation 
• Display of materials that would be found offensive to a reasonable person 

Section IV.    The Diocese of Bridgeport Policy and Procedures for Background Checks
 

• All members of the Clergy, Religious Sisters and Brothers, Seminarians, Candidates for the Diaconate, Lay Employees, Volunteers, Independent Contractors, Vendors and Tenants (age 18 and over) must clear a criminal background check prior to an assignment, commencing employment or volunteer work in the Diocese of Bridgeport and successfully clear a criminal background check on a renewal schedule of five (5) or ten (10) years based on their responsibility 

Appendix A Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect and Summary of Connecticut Child AbuseReporting Laws
 

• What must be reported
  • Physical Abuse 
  • Sexual Abuse / Exploitation 
  • Emotional Maltreatment – Abuse 
  • Physical Neglect 
  • Medical Neglect 
  • Educational Neglect 
  • Emotional Neglect 
  • Moral Neglect 
• Reporting requirements and reporting process described in detail
• Q&A section (p41-45) (p36 – 39 in Spanish Handbook)
  • How to respond
  • What must be reported
  • Who to report to  and how to report
  • Reporting information

Appendix B Reporting Suspected Abuse in the Diocese of Bridgeport
 

• Full reporting requirements and process is described
• Reporting must be done within 12 hours of you becoming aware

 

Appendix C Guidelines for Trips, Events and Electronic Communication with Minors and Permission Form for Direct Electronic Communication with Minors

Most of our activities will be covered in this section 
 

• For on-site events: 
  • 1:7 for High School students (always at least 2 Cleared Adults) 
  • 1:5 for Middle School students (always at least 2 Cleared Adults) 
  • 1:10 Large single space gatherings and events where all entrances and exits are securely monitored: 2 Cleared Adults for every 20 students (i.e. School dances) (always at least 2 Cleared Adults in each hallway)
• For out of state and international trips:
  • Determined on a case by case basis 
• Liability forms must be signed by all adults participating and by the parents/guardians of all minors for each trip
• Onsite events
  • At least 2 cleared adults
  • Minors must never be out of sight
  • Minors cannot supervise minors
• Offsite events
  • Busses are preferred mode of transportation
  • Special rules apply if carpools must be used
  • Trips must begin and end at school or parish location
  • At least 2 adults must remain until all minors are picked up
• Overnight events
  • A written proposal must be submitted to the Office of Superintendent for all Catholic School overnight trips. 
  • The Code of Conduct applies to all events
  • Male and female minors will be segregated as well as Adults unless they are married. 
  • Under no circumstances will a minor stay alone in a room. 
  • Curfews will be imposed and pairs of male and female Cleared Adults, females checking females and males checking males
  • 2 Cleared Adults should be present in the vicinity
  • Males and females should sleep in separate rooms and preferably, in separate areas
•  Accommodations Dorms and Hotel Rooms 
  • In the case of an emergency or when performing routine checks, Adults can enter the rooms where the minors are staying, following the two “Cleared Adult” requirement.
  • Avoid use of tents
  • In case of emergency ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to apply the safeguards in these policies and to place the safety and protection of the children above all else. Avoid any appearance of impropriety when these changes occur
• Out-of-State or International Trips – P49
• Swimming – P49
•  Safe use of technology
  • Technology refers to phones, computers, electronic tablets, portable electronic gaming systems, cameras, online websites, blogs, portable listening devices or any other electronic tools and equipment used to communicate information
  • All interaction with youth, in person or through any means of communication must be transparent at all times
  • At least two or more unrelated Cleared Adults should have access wherever possible to any communications, used to communicate with minors
  • Social media websites must be established under the name of the parish, school or youth program.
  • Before any interaction occurs between a Cleared Adult and a minor through any means of technology, the minor and his parents/guardians should sign the “Permission Form for Direct Electronic Communication with Minors
  • All information displayed on a school, parish or diocesan sponsored social networking site must reflect the Catholic faith
  • No students under the age of 18 or still in High School should be in any school employee or volunteer’s friends list on any personal social networking site
  • Social networking sites used to communicate with minors should have, the “no tagging” option selected. In photographs of youth activities, youth should not be “tagged,” or identified by name in the photograph
  • A parent or legal guardian will be provided with the opportunity to exclude their children’s photo and personal information from any public posting
  • When posting photographs of minors/young people, even with the consent of their parent, an abundance of caution must be taken due to facial recognition technology. Use only a first name when posting photos electronically and only post these when absolutely necessary.
  • Personnel shall not communicate with minors through personal electronic mediums
  • One-on-one video (example: Face Time) or other personal chat room interaction between Adult Personnel and minors. 
  • Private messaging on any personal website belonging to or hosted by a student
  • Posting private messages to a minor or student on a personal website that is not an official school or parish e-mail account, discussion board or website. 
  • Texting to a minor is allowed only if the parent/guardian provide written consent or the minor is a family member 
• Permission forms for communications and trips are on pages 52-54

Appendix D – Summary of Safe Environment Requirements
 
Pastors, School Principals, and Diocesan Program Directors are responsible for ensuring that their Employees, Volunteers, Tenants, Vendors, and Independent Contractors complete the following

• Register and take initial training, complete re-certification and continuing education as required
• Complete criminal background checks as required
•  Read and understand the Handbook and sign the Executive Summary for your role

Appendix E & F– Audit Information
 

• Pastors (Appendix E) and Administrators and Principals (Appendix F) must certify that they are in compliance with the Charter for Protection of Children and Young People
• This is a detailed questionnaire and subject to audit

Appendix G – Code of Conduct for Clergy and Men in Formation
 

• Clergy and men in formation are held to higher standards
• Full details are in this appendix

Appendix H – Warning Signs in Offenders
 

• Always wants to be alone with children. 
• Gives gifts without parent’s permission. Expensive and frequent gifts may be a sign. Gifts might include meals, trips, electronics, video games or money. It is always a warning sign if a child is threatened if they tell. 
• Excessive praise and attention of child. 
• Takes pictures or videos without parent’s knowledge or permission. 
• Compliments the child’s attractiveness. 
• Believes the rules do not apply to them. 
• Uses private one-on-one electronic communication with minors. 
• Texts or phone calls may be frequent or during times when parents are not home or awake. The offender may give child the electronic device to use for this purpose. 
• Allows or encourages children to break rules or break the law making them feel responsible and less likely to report abuse. 
• Undermines parental authority or manipulates a situation by siding with the child over the parent. 
• Uses inappropriate language in the presence of the child. 
• Tells inappropriate jokes or talks about sex. 
• Offers to give the child chores or jobs to earn money without parent’s permission and with no other Adults around. 
• Suggests games involving physical contact which appear accidental at first however, the intent is to groom the child for sexual contact. 
• Gives illegal drugs, alcohol or shows pornography. 
• Goes overboard touching, wrestling, horseplay, hugs, rubbing, pinching, tickling, patting, having the child sit on laps or gives piggy-back rides. The touch may appear accidental and in public at first and then the touching becomes sexual and private over time. 
• More excited to be with children than with Adults. 
• May spend time with peers or siblings of the victim who they do not abuse to gain trust. 
• Offers to make a child famous or get them on T.V. or to introduce them to a famous person. They may ask the child to keep it a secret. 
• Insists a child accept assistance like a ride home or makes them feel bad for refusing the help 

Executive Summaries (pp 68 – 73)
 

• You must sign the appropriate Summary for your role/position and return it to your supervisor/team leader/ministry leader 

 

1. Clergy and Men in Formation ............................................................................. 68     
2. Religious Sisters and Brothers ............................................................................. 69
3. Lay Employees ....................................................................................................... 70
4. Teachers and Administrators ................................................................................ 71   
5. Volunteers ............................................................................................................... 72  
6. Independent Contractors, Tenants and Vendors ............................................... 73