The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People which was promulgated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, requires that dioceses provide safe environment training for all adults in regular contact with minors. In the Diocese of Camden, NJ Child Assault Prevention (CAP) is the safe environment program for all adults and for the children who attend our elementary schools.
Since 2004, over 12,000 adults in the Diocese of Camden have received CAP training. CAP teaches attendees how to recognize child abuse and neglect and how to properly inform authorities when suspicion of abuse is occurring. CAP teaches that children have the right to be “safe, strong and free.”
The diocesan policy is that adults will attend CAP once every five years. While CAP 1 will continue to be offered, the Office of Safe Environment for Children, Youth and Adults announces a second CAP workshop. CAP 2 will be for adults who attended CAP 1 five years ago and are required to attend again.
CAP 2 is called “No More Bullies, No More Victims.” It is a workshop on bullying recognition and prevention.
One in 10 children is victimized by bullying behavior. Over 160,000 students across the country miss school each day because they are afraid of their fellow students. While boys are 3-4 times more likely to use physical aggression, girls are more likely to use verbal aggression.
CAP 2 provides the attendees with tips and strategies for dealing with bullying. A distinction is made between “tattling” and “telling.” Attendees are taught what they can do to make things better in a bullying situation.
For more information about CAP, please visit their website at http://www.njcap.org/.
Both CAP 1 and CAP 2 are 90 minute sessions presented each month (except for June, July and August) throughout the diocese. Attendees do not pay to attend. All new volunteers will continue to attend CAP 1. To register for CAP 1 or CAP 2, call (856) 583-6165.