St. Teresa of Avila Parish considers the safety of our children of utmost importance. All of our staff and volunteers who work with children are required by the Archdiocese of Chicago to complete background checks at state and federal levels, to follow the Archdiocese code of conduct at all times, and to complete training in handling any reported or potential cases of abuse.
Through our catechesis program, we will be teaching a safety class to the children so that they may feel more comfortable in their environment. Building a network of trust for them in our community allows them to speak to someone about any problems they may encounter in their lives.
In 2005 the United States Council of Catholic Bishops created a charter for the protection of children and young adults. Our parish has copies of this charter available at all times. You can find them in the back of our church, or online.
In addition, St. Teresa of Avila Parish will also be offering a safety training session to any adult who wishes to attend. The Protecting God’s Children training program is the same that our staff and catechists attend. To register, please visit www.virtusonline.org .
If someone, a child or an adult, is the victim of abuse, we are here to be of assistance whether it is to report the abuse to proper authorities, or to help with locating proper support for victims and abuse survivors.
To report an allegation of sexual abuse and/or neglect of minors, contact the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Hotline at 800-25-ABUSE ( 800-252-2873 ) and/or contact your local police department. You can also contact the Office of Protection of Children and Youth (OPCY) at 312-534-5254 .