Child Protection Efforts

Joseph Bianchi 
Executive Director of Child and Youth Protection
phone: 609-403-7208 
fax: 609-406-7450 
jbianc@dioceseoftrenton.org

Margaret Dziminski
Associate Director
phone: 609-403-7170
Fax: 609-406-7441
mdzimi@dioceseoftrenton.org

Maureen Fitzsimmons, MS, NCC
Victim Assistance Coordinator 
phone:  609-403-7129
fax: 609-403-7412
mfitzs@dioceseoftrenton.org

Statement of Purpose  

The Child and Youth Protection unit is aimed at creating safe environments for the children and youth in our parishes and Catholic schools. Our mission is to assist parishes and schools in understanding and implementing the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. This involves criminal background screenings and training certification programs that advance the safety of our children.

Our office coordinates and monitors the diocesan effort to ensure that all volunteers and employees submit to a criminal background check through fingerprint analysis and attend the required VIRTUS Awareness Training Program. These three-hour courses cover the scope and nature of child sexual abuse in addition to giving participants the five steps that caring adults can follow to protect children.

    

 

Our Safe Environment Programs:

The Child and Youth Protection unit works with parishes and schools to ensure that all employees and volunteers that have regular and consistent contact with children receive the proper training and have current criminal background checks. This training gives our employees and volunteers the safety tools they will need to use in all aspects of their lives. We also assist parishes and schools in implementing and scheduling VIRTUS training programs for both adults and children.

The Diocese of Trenton utilizes the follwing training programs:
VIRTUS Protecting God's Children for Adults

• This program helps the adults in our society to recognize the warning signs of a potential offender and how to appropriately respond. Click below for a list of upcoming sessions.

• This program is used in all our Catholic Grammar Schools as well as our Religious Educaation programs. This program helps our students understand that respcet for ourselves and respect for others goes hand in hand with the teaching of Catholic Moraltiy. The program also allows our parents/guardians to take an active role in reinforcing these values. Click below to learn more about the RCL Family Life program.

 

• This programs helps our teens address a number of concerns that they may face as they conrinue to be faced with adult situations as young adults.