CANTS/Virtus Compliance/Code of Conduct

Virtus

Protecting God's Children for Adults is training conducted by certified facilitators on the prevention of child sexual abuse. The training makes participants aware of the signs of child sexual abuse, the methods and means by which offenders commit abuse, and five easy steps one can use to prevent child sexual abuse. Two videos are the centerpiece of the training: A Time to Protect God's Children™ and A Plan to Protect God's Children™. The facilitators incorporate Archdiocesan policies and procedures into the training defining child sexual abuse, addressing the reporting of child sexual abuse, and the screening and selection of employees and volunteers. The Virtus training program implements safety mechanisms that send a message to all abusers and potential abusers: Child Abuse is not tolerated. Children are vigilantly protected. Victims are listened to, heard, and shielded from further abuse. Offenders are identified and punished.

If you have not taken this course and plan to volunteer with our students please sign up for a training here.

For Previous Participants:

If training was completed and the certificate is on file at school, there is no need to retake the training. However, in order to remain on ACTIVE STATUS with the Archdiocese, volunteers are required to complete monthly Virtus bulletins that focus on informing and reviewing topics on how to protect children from sexual abuse. Bulletins arrive via email from VirtusOnline, http://www.virtusonline.org. You can also log into your account on the website and check your bulletin completion status. If training was completed in another Diocese, call 888-847-8870 and ask to have registration transferred to the Archdiocese of Chicago and inform Lisa Friedlander of the transfer.

CANTS

The CANTS form is an authorization form giving the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) permission to conduct a search in their database to determine whether an individual has been a perpetrator of an indicated incident of child abuse and/or neglect or involved in a pending investigation, as well as gives consent for DCFS to release such information to the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Please return the completed CANTS form to Lisa Friedlander prior to any volunteer service. This MUST be dated after July 1, 2023.

Code of Conduct

Healthy relationships among people are a foundation of Christian ministry and are central to Catholic
life. Church personnel in particular must be worthy of public trust and confidence. It is fundamental
to the mission of the Archdiocese of Chicago that Church personnel conduct themselves in a moral
and ethical manner consistent with Catholic principles.

Church personnel are expected to read, understand, and comply with archdiocesan policies and
procedures addressing the protection of children and youth. Here are the Code of Conduct Guidelines for the Archdiocese. Please fill out the Code of Conduct Form Here.