Archdiocese Trains Clergy And Staff To Spot And Report Child Abuse
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has launched a program to train staff and volunteers to spot and report child abuse.
Up to 25-thousand people will receive up to three hours of training to learn how to identify mental, sexual, physical and verbal abuse of children and how to properly report it under the law.
"They give them information on how to identify child abuse, child sexual abuse, child physical abuse, mental abuse and neglect. (They learn) how to identify those and what's they're responsibility and how to make the call," says Mary Achilles, the victims services consultant with the archdiocese.
Achilles says the clergy, parish and school staff, coaches and volunteers will receive the education.
"This training shifts the burden from the child stopping and reporting the abuse to the adult bystanders stopping and reporting the abuse," Achilles says.
She says this is just part one of the three-part training program instituted following the clergy sexual abuse scandal.
Reported by Lynne Adkins KYW Newsradio 1060
