Screening Program

The myth that it cannot happen here...

While very few people betray this trust, it does happen.  Physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, harassment, assault, extortion, theft and property damage can and does happen in all types of organizations, including the Catholic faith community.

WHY SCREEN?

Screening is a process designed to help us do a better job of assigning volunteers and paid staff while protecting them as well as participants.  Participants are those who receive the benefit of programs and services.  Screening can also be an aide in protecting our limited Church resources, whether physical or financial.

All organizations whether run by staff or volunteers that minister to, or provide programs for vulnerable people, have a responsibility to appropriately screen their volunteers.  This responsibility is moral, legal and spiritual.   Not only is it the ‘right’ thing to do but is a legal requirement called ‘Duty of Care’.

WHAT IS DUTY OF CARE?

‘Duty of Care’ is a legal principle that identifies the obligations of individuals and organizations to take reasonable measures to care for and protect their participants.  It is defined as: 

the moral, legal, ethical and spiritual obligation that one owes the other, especially the obligations to take reasonable measures to care for and protect the interests of the other.  This obligation includes protection from harm such as exploitation, assault and sexual harassment.

Canadian courts will hold the Catholic faith community and Catholic groups accountable to their ‘Duty of Care’.  Screening is a means of ensuring that our Duty of Care is met.  

WHAT IS SCREENING?

Screening is a process designed to create and maintain a safe environment for children and other vulnerable adults:

1. foster an appropriate match between the volunteer and a particular ministry
2. protect the volunteers and employees
3. safeguard our limited Church resources

The screening process involves assessing risk, writing position descriptions and discerning the suitability of a volunteer or employee for a given ministry and if need be, modifying the setting and arrangement of the activity so as to reduce risk. The process also involves training, ongoing supervision and support of the volunteer or employee.  The higher the level of trust of a ministry or position and the more risks involved, the more a screening process becomes critical.

IS SCREENING MANDATORY AND WHO IS MANDATING THIS INITIATIVE?

Yes, screening is mandatory.  Since 2000, the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario has recommended that screening be initiated in every diocese in the province.   Individual Bishops have then mandated the program in their own diocese. 

DOES SCREENING SUGGEST THAT VOLUNTEERS AND EMPLOYEES CAN’T BE TRUSTED?

No, it does not.  It is the nature of the ministry and the inherent level of risk which dictates the need for screening and not the character of the volunteer.  Until recently, parish volunteers and employees have been recruited by the pastor or other parish members solely on the basis of a subjective assessment of their character, abilities and suitability for a ministry or position.  While not without merit, this approach can be very inconsistent and fails to document how volunteers and staff are selected and equipped to fulfill their roles. 

By its very existence, it is a clear message to anyone who might seek out a faith community with the intent of harming participants and/or staff, or stealing money or other parish resources.  The program sends a clear message to all that the Church is serious about protecting those they serve as well as their resources.

WHO IS SCREENED?

All regular volunteers and  employees, both existing and new, should be screened.  The screening requirements and procedures vary from one ministry to another, depending on the level of risk and trust level assigned.  A volunteer who is alone with a vulnerable individual necessitates a more thorough screening procedure than a volunteer who participates in a group setting.   It is not the character of a volunteer, but rather the nature of the ministry and its risk level that dictates the need for screening.

THREE CATEGORIES of MINISTRY POSITIONS 

Volunteer positions are evaluated based on the risks inherent in the positions.  The risk levels are low, medium and high.  When it comes to ministry positions, these are categorized using more positive language and categorized according to a level of trust rather than risk.  Hence, we don’t speak of high, medium and low risk ministries; rather, we speak of General Trust Increased Trust and High Trust ministries.

General Trust: Volunteers who participate in a group setting, who have minimal or no contact with children or other vulnerable people, and who have minimal access to confidential information.

Examples of GENERAL TRUST positions are choir members or lectors. These individuals would be required to read a position description, read the volunteer guidelines and to fill out a volunteer information form.  That’s it, that’s all folks for a GENERAL TRUST ministry.

Increased Trust: Volunteers who participate in activities that may involve contact with vulnerable people, either on a more regular basis or in a private setting but in the presence of another volunteer.  Also included are volunteers who have a greater access to confidential information.

A position assessed as INCREASED TRUST requires the volunteer or employee to fill out a volunteer information sheet, read the position description as well as the volunteer guidelines, be interviewed and provide references.  An example would be a member of the Parish Finance Council or the Parish Pastoral Council.

High Trust:  Volunteers who participate in ministries that involve an on-going, intensive or one-on-one interaction with vulnerable people, such as children and seniors as well as volunteers who are in a position to exert influence over youth.  This includes volunteers who have access to confidential records, money and the physical premises.

The most rigorous screening is reserved for positions deemed HIGH TRUST and this includes an interview, reference checks and a police records check as well as reading the position description and volunteer guidelines and filling out a volunteer information sheet. Some examples of High Trust ministries are: Youth Ministry, Pastoral Care Visitors, visitors to the home bound, Catechists and collection counters.  Employees are almost always categorized as High Trust.

Positions that have been assessed as GENERAL or INCREASED do not require a police record check.

PRIORITY IN SCREENING

The top priority in terms of ministries to be screened are High Trust positions.  That is, positions where individuals deal with children, youth, vulnerable adults or in which volunteers or staff have access to Church property, money and/or confidential information.

THE CONCEPT OF “SCREENING” CAN BE SEEN AS HAVING NEGATIVE OVERTONES.  IS THERE A MORE POSITIVE WAY OF SPEAKING ABOUT IT? 

This question comes from the mistaken notion that screening is a one-dimensional tool or that it equals a police check.  It is actually a complete volunteer management process involving 10 ‘Safe Steps’, divided into three areas.

BEFORE SELECTING VOLUNTEERS or STAFF:

1) determining risk factors surrounding the position ;
2) designing and writing clear position descriptions;     
3) establishing a recruitment process.

THE SELECTION PROCESS:

4) using an application form;        
5) conducting interviews - for Increased and High Trust positions;
6) asking for and following up on references – for Increased and High Trust positions;
7) requesting a police record check – for High Trust positions only.

SUPPORTING VOLUNTEERS and STAFF:

 8) orientation and training  - all ministries;
 9) supervision and evaluation - for High Trust and sometimes Increased Trust;
10) participant follow-up – very important with High Trust positions.

These ‘10 steps’ are an excellent volunteer and staff management tool that can help parishes organize themselves better, identify, assess and clarify their needs and better manage volunteers and employees.

WHO DOES SCREENING AT THE PARISH LEVEL?

Each Parish should have a screening committee of 2 to 5 members to be responsible for the screening of their volunteers.  Normally, the Parish Pastor selects the committee members.   

Parish Screening Committee Members must undergo a screening process for HIGH TRUST positions.  This includes an interview, reference checks and a police record check.  In addition, given the highly confidential nature of their work, they are asked to sign a special Oath of Confidentiality. 

In some cases, a parish may be too small to have a committee or may have special challenges in implementing the process.  In such cases, the Diocesan Screening Coordinator can assist in securing screening volunteers and other resources necessary help to ensure that volunteers, particularly High Trust volunteers, are screened according to Diocesan policies.

DOES A PERSON DOING SEVERAL MINISTRIES NEED TO BE SCREENED SEVERAL TIMES?

No.  When a parish member is involved in several ministries, they are to be screened for the position at the highest trust level.  If a parish volunteer started in a General Trust ministry then moves on to an Increased or High Trust ministry, the additional steps to the screening processing are to be completed at that time.  The volunteer will also need to participate in any additional training and/or initiation required for the new ministry(ies).

WHEN WILL SCREENING BE COMPLETED?

Risks don’t end when someone is placed in a ministry therefore screening is never completely “done” particularly in the case of High Trust volunteers and staff.    Additional steps for these categories are supervision and evaluation, the signing of a yearly Offence Declaration and may include participant follow-ups and additional training.  The additional steps mention also provide important information to parishes in reviewing the effectiveness of the programs they offer.   In summary: It needs to be understood as an ongoing process that ensures participants as well as volunteers are protected and supported.

WHY SHOULD CATHOLICS VOLUNTEER IN THEIR PARISHES IF THERE ARE RISKS OR INCONVIENCES FOR THEM?

An initiative such as this is not easy to begin and sustain, but is very important.

Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are all called to share our gifts with one another and with the world. Given the importance of this call from God, it is essential that we, as a community, do all we can to ensure that the right gifts are shared in the right way, at the right time, by the right people. We will better fulfill our mission as Catholics by making every effort to ensure a rich, strong, vibrant and safe faith community.

In the Gospels, the Good Samaritan did not help his neighbor without taking any risks.  Risk should not discourage action when it’s the right thing to do. Our goal is to minimize and eliminate unnecessary risks in order to better serve God through our neighbor.

VOLUNTEERS and PARISH LIFE

Volunteering has been the mainstay of most programs and ministries offered in our parishes.  We need to continue to recognize and appreciate the invaluable contributions of so many volunteers and do what we can to protect, strengthen and support our faith community through the work of volunteers and paid staff.