Safe Environment

The Safe Environments Policy was created to take reasonable measures to assure that Church personnel who have regular contact with minors are committed to providing a safe environment for children and youth, are capable of identifying and preventing abuse of children, and have no personal history of behavior that would be a threat to children.

The Safe Environments Policy applies to all Church personnel who have regular contact with minors. Church personnel is defined as all adult persons (those 18 years of age or older), whether clergy, members of consecrated life, or laity, who, as employees or volunteers, act in the name of the Church under the auspices of the Diocese of Pittsburgh or one of its parishes.

Completed forms and applications should be submitted online or returned to the CWNC School Office. Should you have any questions regarding Safe Environment policy, please contact Krista Texter.

For a special message from the CWNC President regarding Alumni and Safe Environment, please click here.

Safe Environments Requirements (Clearances)

The Diocese of Pittsburgh requires that all volunteers in ministry with children comply with the Safe Environments Policy which includes the following components:

Safe Environments Policy

1. Diocesan Online Database

All adults who have regular contact with minors are to complete the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s database application. Once this application is completed, it will also be used to obtain a Pennsylvania State Police criminal record check.

2. PA Criminal Record Check

Required for all volunteers, ages 18 and above, who work in ministry with children or teens. Print, complete, and sign. Must be renewed every FIVE years. Now completed with the Database application above.

3. PA Child Abuse History Clearance

PA Child Abuse History Clearance
Required for all volunteers, age 18 and above, who work in ministry with children. Print, complete, and sign. Must be renewed every FIVE years.

PA Child Abuse History Consent
Please sign this consent form and return it to the office along with the PA Child Abuse form above so that the PCAHC form can be directly mailed to the school (instead of to the home). You may choose not to sign the form, however, it will take longer for their clearances to be complete until the office gets the form in hand.

Name & address are YOUR name and address
Social Security Number is mandatory — forms are stored in locked files at CWNC
Purpose of Clearance is VOLUNTEER
List ALL addresses and household members since 1975 — the clearance will be delayed if information is missing. This includes parents, siblings, children, spouse, roommates, etc.

PA Child Abuse History Clearance

PA Child Abuse History Consent

4. Protecting God’s Children

The “Protecting God’s Children” workshop is required for all adults, age 18 and up, who wish to volunteer in ministry with children. It is an excellent program that truly equips adults to create safer environments for children. For a list of all Protecting God’s Children workshops in our area, click here To register for a Protecting God’s Children workshop click here, and then click on the registration link.

5. Code of Pastoral Conduct

Code of Pastoral Conduct

Revised June 2008 – All volunteers of all ages in all ministries must read this and sign and return the Acknowledgement Form.

Acknowledgement Form

6. Child Protective Services Law of PA

Required for all volunteers, ages 18 and above, in all ministries. Print last page, complete, and sign.

Child Protective Services Law of PA