Safe Church Training

Sexual Misconduct Awareness and Prevention

Introduction

The Episcopal Diocese of New York is committed to keeping our churches and ministries safe. Sexual misconduct on the part of any clergyperson, employee, or volunteer of any congregation, institution, organization, school or agency within the diocese violates the mission of the Church, is prohibited by law, and will not be tolerated. Using the Safeguarding Training Series published by the Church Pension Fund, the diocese offers Safe Church Training concerning both children and adults, in both in-person and web-based training formats.  Training teaches participants to recognize the signs of sexual abuse and the behavior of sexual perpetrators, how to respond to those signs and behaviors when they are observed, and provides screening information to help stop abuse before it happens.

Safe Church Training (in-person and web-based) is appropriate for persons 16 and older.

Requirements & Expectations

Please click here to read the notice regarding the Bishop’s temporary Covid-19-related determination that all training may be taken online, including for the first.

• • The Bishop requires completion of in-person Safe Church Training for:
    –  All clergy
    –  All persons in the ordination process
    –  All persons serving in field education assignments
    –  All Lay Chaplains
    In-person training is mandatory the first time,
    subsequent training can be completed either in-person or online.
    

     

    The Bishop requires before licensure all persons seeking a Lay Eucharistic Visitor license to complete Safe Church Training
    (either in-person or online).

• • The Bishop requires the following to update training every five years (either in-person or online):
    –  All clergy
    –  Lay Eucharistic Visitors
    –  Lay Chaplains

• • The Bishop expects the following employees and volunteers to complete Safe Church Training (either in-person or online):
    –  All employees
    –  Wardens
    –  Vestry members
    –  Pastoral visitors
    –  Youth leaders
    –  Confirmation sponsors
    –  Acolyte leaders
    –  Choir directors
    –  Sunday/Church school teachers
    –  Volunteers working on a regular basis

• • The Bishop expects all employees and volunteers (as listed above) to update training every five years (either in-person or online).

Establishing a requirement to attend Safe Church training as a condition of volunteering or employment is the responsibility of each parish or organization.  It is highly recommended that a statement about attendance requirements be added to the written policies of each parish or organization, and then communicated to every volunteer or employee before they begin work or service.

Please click here to read the notice regarding the Bishop’s temporary Covid-19-related determination that all training may be taken online, including for the first.

Training Options

In-person Safe Church Training