Child Safety » What's Happening

What's Happening

Now is a good time to talk with children and teens about personal safety as well as to refresh your knowledge about ways to keep children safe both at home and away from home. Please take a moment to review some of the following articles, materials, and guidelines that focus on child and teen safety.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Read about what is happening in the Diocese of Manchester this month:

Special Ten-Year Report: It has been ten years since the revelations of clergy sexual abuse commanded the headlines in 2002. The Diocese of Manchester’s Office for Ministerial Conduct will issue a special report to the faithful about the Church’s efforts this past decade to address these terrible crimes and to prevent them from happening again. Each parish will receive a delivery of these reports during the week of April 16. Parishes are asked to distribute them to staff and to parishioners during weekend Masses on April 21 & 22 or April 28 & 29. Schools and camps will receive copies for staff only. View Report

Mass for the Healing of Those Affected by Child Abuse: Bishop Libasci will celebrate a Mass for the Healing of Those Affected by Child Abuse on Tuesday, April 24 at 6:30 pm at St. Joseph Cathedral Chapel in Manchester. The Mass is open to the public and will be followed by a brief reception in the church hall.

Safe Environment Coordinator presentations: In some parishes, Safe Environment Coordinators will speak at Masses about efforts the parish has undertaken over the past ten years to prevent abuse.

For Parents: 

• Prayer Card - Prayer for Protecting God's Children (pdf)
• Ten Ways to Keep Children Safer (pdf)
• Internet Safety Resource Guide (pdf)
• Talking with Your Children About Abuse (pdf)
• Cell Phones and Parental Controls (pdf)
• Family Discussion Cards (pdf)
• More Articles and Resources for Parents

For Parish & School Staff:

• Circles of Care or Netsmartz Deadline April 30th.
• Introducing Child Safety Online Training
• Five steps you can take to protect children in your care (pdf)
• Social Networking Guidelines (pdf)
• Emergency Plan Guidelines for Religious Education Programs (pdf)
• Circles of Care lesson plans and forms
• Netsmartz lesson plans and forms
• More Resources for Safe Environment Coordinators

For Everyone:

• How to Report Suspected Abuse (pdf)
• Internet Safety Tips for Elementary School Students (pdf)
• Internet Safety Tips for High School Students (pdf)
• Cyber Bullying Information (pdf)
• What is Sexting? (pdf)