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Liaisons link the chancery and parishes in effort to keep children safe

Elizabeth A. Elliott | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

There are 155 liaisons serving in the Diocese of Arlington.

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Janet Smith doesn’t want any child to go through what she went
through — 10 years of sexual abuse by her father and a sexual assault by a
priest. 

“It is a difficult road to walk, full of depression, anxiety and
shame,” she said. “I wouldn’t want anyone to experience this.”

Smith, the liaison for All Saints Church and School in Manassas
since 2005, is passionate about her work to protect children.  

“For me, my work is God’s way of redeeming the damage that I
experienced as a child,” said Smith. “I thank God for the church’s commitment
to protecting children and youths from abuse.”

Her passion is part of a broader diocesan effort to keep children
safe.

An applicant to work or volunteer with the Diocese of Arlington
must fill out several pages of paperwork — criminal background checks,
employment history and questions about interaction with children or other
vulnerable people.

Because of the scope of implementation of the background check
processes required by the diocesan Policy on the Protection of Children/Young
People and the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct and/or Child Abuse amended in
2003, Bishop Paul S. Loverde began the liaison program in 2004.

“In this diocese, background checks and the compliancy, as well
as the education, is centralized at the chancery. It’s not true for all other
dioceses,” said Deacon Marques Silva, director of the Office of Child
Protection and Safety. “The priests and bishops said it should be centralized
so there is an extra check to ensure (protection).”

Employees and volunteers go through a multi-part application
process that includes a search of the central sex-offender registry, a national
criminal background check, acknowledgement of the policy and the code of
conduct, and a questionnaire. Clergy go through the same process with a
modified code of conduct, with additional considerations for the role of the
cleric. Attendance at a VIRTUS seminar is required for all employees and
volunteers. Fingerprinting is required for employees and clergy.

Liaisons are selected by the pastor or school principal. “They
are chosen because they have high attention to detail and a willingness to do
hard work,” said Andrew Riley, manager of the Office of Child Protection and
Safety.

The liaison’s job is to ensure that all the paperwork is correct
before it is sent to the chancery. Silva said liaisons have access to what is
called compliance reports so they can see whether a person is compliant or not.
“Liaisons update these compliance reports quarterly, and a pastor or principal
has to sign the reports and we update here at the chancery,” said Silva.

Liaisons assume this role only after thorough training.
Initially, a daylong training class covers policy, best practices and how to
implement a successful safe environment program. It provides liaisons with
current compliance requirements; policy; how to streamline and complete the
paperwork processes; and how to read the compliance report. Liaisons receive
instruction on utilizing the VIRTUS safe environment training website and the
most efficient means of communicating discrepancies or issues. It also covers
how to report child abuse and/or neglect in accordance with Virginia law and
diocesan policy.

Lori Jeffers, secretary in admissions at Holy Cross Academy in
Fredericksburg, said she takes her job seriously. “The challenges are making
sure I stay on top of everyone’s paperwork and follow up,” she said. “Sometimes
things are sent directly to the volunteer so I have to track them down and
remind them to get the missing paperwork back to the diocese.”

Volunteers often don’t understand the need for so many forms. That
was a challenge when Smith began. “I’m happy to say that there is now awareness
of why the steps to compliance are so important. We recognize that it is an
arduous process but our first priority is the safety and protection of children,”
she said.

Joan Biehler, liaison for St. Agnes Church and School in
Arlington, is challenged by getting people to complete the paperwork early
enough to allow for processing time and attending the seminar. “The backlog of
processing in the fall delays people who are anxious to volunteer for school or
other events with the children,” she said.

Her interaction with the parish and school volunteers is
different, though the policy requirements are the same. “In the school, most
parent volunteers would work closely with children so they are easily
identified as potential new volunteers,” said Biehler. “For parish activities,
I depend on the ministry leaders to advise me of new volunteers.”

She is reassured that the training creates extra eyes and ears to
pay attention to what is happening to children.

Smith knows the potential for abuse goes beyond the church. “We
all need to pay attention, be vigilant and identify behaviors that can lead to
abuse” she said.

Find out more

To learn more about how the Diocese of Arlington provides
opportunities to report abuse, heal from abuse, and find support through the
Office of Child Protection and Victim Assistance, go to ArlingtonDiocese.org/ChildProtection. 

The Diocese of Arlington encourages anyone who knows of
misconduct or abuse on the part of any cleric or employee of the diocese, to
notify civil authorities and reach out to Frank Moncher, victim assistance
coordinator, at 703/841-2530.

 

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