Safe Environment

Safe Environments

Safe Environments - Protecting God's Children

The Diocese of Bridgeport requires that all volunteers attend one three-hour session called Protecting God's Children. This includes: Ushers, Readers, Choir Members, Teachers of Religious Education.

Awareness training sessions called Protecting God's Children for Adults are being held across the Diocese by VIRTUS trained facilitators. This is a special 3-hour training that teaches adults in the Catholic community to create safer environments and become part of the solution to prevent child abuse. This training has met with positive responses from parents and volunteers from across our Diocese. The training provides adults with awareness of the issues surrounding child sexual abuse and some important steps that we can all take for the protection of children. Adults learn about the warning signs of potential sex offenders and unsafe situations that could place a child or a vulnerable adult at risk of abuse. At every session adults learn how to respond if they should suspect abuse and how to make a report in the State of CT and in the Diocese of Bridgeport. Participants are provided with an overview of the Diocese of Bridgeport Code of Conduct and our Diocesan Policy relating to Sexual Abuse of Minors.

To register for the awareness training please go to Virtus On-line and select Registration. Then select Bridgeport, CT. You will be directed to the most current schedule of upcoming sessions in your area. All participants who attend this training will receive a card as proof of attendance.

All parents, grandparents, and interested parishioners are welcome and encouraged to attend Protecting God's Children. Employees and volunteers from the Archdiocese of Hartford and the Diocese of Norwich are welcome to attend. Please notify your local Safe Environment Office if you are from another Diocese.

Please visit the Diocese of Bridgeport website for more information.  

Please click here for parents to view with their appropriate grade level children the video that matches their grade level/age group. 

If you suspect a child or vulnerable adult is in imminent danger from abuse, please call 911 immediately.

To report suspected child (or vulnerable adult) abuse, contact:

The CT Department of Children and Families  1-800-842-2228

and 

The Diocesan Victim assistance Coordinator within 12 hours of becoming aware of this information, regardless of when the abuse occurred. 

Erin Neil LCSW : Victim Assistance Coordinator & Director of Safe Environments for the Diocese of Bridgeport:   (203) 416-1406  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.