Safeguarding All God’s Family
Thanks for your service to St. Sebastian Parish. You may be familiar with the Milwaukee Archdiocesan Program: SAFEGUARDING ALL GOD’S FAMILY. Through training and education, this program makes us more aware of the problem of sexual abuse, and how we can help to keep our children safe. SAFEGUARDING ALL GOD’S FAMILY is mandatory for all staff members and volunteers who have regular contact with children. The program focuses on the signs of sexual abuse among the children with whom we have contact, in our neighborhoods and schools, and the signals given off by those who would abuse. Information is also provided for reporting suspected cases of abuse.
In order to be COMPLIANT and thus allowed to work with children, each person must complete and return to Joann Perleberg at the parish house the following:
- Background Check Authorization
- Code of Ethics Sign-Off
- Session attendance verification.
SAFEGUARDING ALL GOD’S FAMILY training consists of attending an awareness session conducted by trained facilitators, and is two and a half to three hours in length. Registration for a session is required. If you need help to register, please contact either Joann Perleberg, Paul Hohl, or Joan Plumley. Please have this form signed at the class and turn it in to the Parish Office.
In addition to the awareness session, we are also asked to sign a Code of Ethics affirming our commitment to act with integrity and live in conformity with what we believe and teach. We are also asked to read the Mandatory Reporting Responsibilities. A copy of the Code of Ethics and Mandatory Reporting Responsibilities are enclosed. Please read the Code of Ethics, sign-off on the last page and return your signature form.
Finally, as has become common practice in nearly all places of employment and organizations depending on volunteer workers, we will now conduct national criminal background checks for all staff members and volunteers who have regular contact with children. We will use an outside service to conduct the criminal record investigations. The company we use is considered a Consumer Reporting Agency, subject to the laws of the federal Fair Credit Report Act. (FCRA) These laws require that before a consumer credit report (which includes criminal record checks) is completed, you receive a summary of your rights under the FCRA, and grant the parish the authority to obtain this report. WE WILL OBTAIN CRIMINAL RECORD CHECKS ONLY. WE WILL NOT OBTAIN CONSUMER CREDIT REPORTS. A Consumer Credit Report Authorization form is enclosed along with a summary of rights under the FCRA. Please complete the Background Check Authorization and return it to Joann Perleberg at the Parish House. If you have any questions regarding the national criminal record check, please contact Joann Perleberg, Director of Administrative Services at 414-453-1061. Ext. 113.
We are grateful for your cooperation and commitment to assure a safe environment for our children. It is our hope that the training and safeguards that have been adopted for their protection will prove to be successful and stimulate continued active vigilance on their behalf. They depend on us for their well being.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of the above, please feel free to contact Joan Plumley at 414-453-7150 or e-mail her at jplumley@saintsebs.org. To reach Joann Perleberg, call or e-mail her at 414-453-1061, jperleberg@saintsebs.org, and for Paul Hohl: 414-453-5830, hohlp@archmil.org.
Code of Ethics (After reading, print out and sign the last page and return)
Mandatory Reporting Resonsibilities
Background Check Authorization (need to complete and return)
Session Verification Form (bring to the session to verify attendance)