Where is the Youth Protection Training Report?

[spowzer]

thanks for your thoughts. I work in IT and I used the quote because I would have used different language. I'm also a victim of child abuse so I guess I take it more seriously than the church does.

[spowzer]

Why didn't I receive any notification of the pending expiration of my training?

You will have to pass that question to those who can respond and/or direct the effort to make that happen. This is done by submitting feedback using the feedback link found at the bottom of most church website pages in the footer. The service missionaries will forward the feedback to the appropriate person or organization with responsibility for the protection of children and youth training program.

Already did that, thanks.

[mevans]

thanks for your thoughts. I work in IT and I used the quote because I would have used different language. I'm also a victim of child abuse so I guess I take it more seriously than the church does.

I'm sorry to hear of that situation that has had a significant impact on your life. While I was referring to a public statement from the church regarding an existing legal situation, I have also been in leadership meetings where the stake president was pretty firm in the importance of identifying signs of abuse and reporting it. Over the years, I have become acquainted with people who have been abused (or somewhat related situations)...some by family members, others by church leaders. From my one-sided understanding of these situations, it seems unfair that the abusers got away without apparent consequence. Unfortunately, some victims I've met are not active church members at this point. I'm grateful you're still making an effort to be part of the church. You may not be aware of this, but the First Presidency can annotate church membership records indicating that an individual cannot serve in callings with children or youth (I've been in clerk callings and have seen it...no details of the situation for clerks, but I believe a bishop can contact confidential records to get more specifics on a situation). The church is doing things and is working to get better. Unfortunately, many things start in the hands of imperfect local leaders. There are also imperfect members don't always follow the guidelines (2-deep leadership, how to handle children who need assistance in the bathroom during Primary, etc.), thinking nothing bad could happen where they are. How abuse situations are handled is also complicated by the laws where the incident occurred. I believe bishops and stake presidents are able to consult with church legal specialists in how to handle such situations. There is a perfect judge, and some matters aren't resolved in this life (which is a long time to wait).

If you have the personal strength to talk about your situation (which you may not) and your church leaders feel inspired to have you share it in a meeting, you can have a powerful impact on other church members on the seriousness and reality of abuse. I have been in teary church meetings where people have had the strength to appropriately share some pretty significant personal challenges, and I still remember those messages years later.

[johnshaw]

thanks for your thoughts. I work in IT and I used the quote because I would have used different language. I'm also a victim of child abuse so I guess I take it more seriously than the church does.

I understand your concern, and have, over the years, expressed concerns about how IT operates in the church as well. I can only tell you my experience with 'notifications' - As you work in IT I'm confident you've received notifications from monitoring solutions, security solutions, etc... those notifications aren't always perfect either. I can imagine someone like yourself being in a situation where a phone number has changed (notification via text is now broken) an email has changed (notification via email is now broken and if you have a yahoo or hotmail account it aint working anyway) A person has turned off notifications on their phone, (push notifications are now off) - I've even been signed out of apps without knowing - meaning that I no longer receive notifications. Each and every person that gets a notification that they chose to ignore, thought they might get another, let it slip off their to-do list, etc.. will be upset, not that automated notifications weren't done, but that the kind of notification they swear will work the best isn't supported by the church and so the church needs to build something for that.

Are all these a reason NOT to develop the automation, of course not, if it's me, my concern is Bishoprics aren't really looking at that list they have, I've never seen it so I'm not sure. I'd love to see the website show my last time I took the test, or how long before I need to retest. Personally, I've been doing this since the BSA setup a similar program. I was 'certified' for 10 years before I ever had a calling with the youth. I also set a calendar appt to redo the test every year, that's just how I do it. I hope Bishoprics are following up each year with who needs it and who doesn't, but that's all I have is hope. But I also don't believe getting a notification is going to change a bunch for many people. It might for you and me.

[spowzer]

Thanks, Through therapy and the 12 steps those conversations have gotten easier. This is a prickly subject for me especially after i saw how the church vis-a-vis Kirton Mcconkie, is handling abuse cases by asking the perpetrator to self report to law enforcement. I also think the training should be more than every three years, that makes it an afterthought. I think after reading your note about other leaders, it's time for another email to my stake pres on the subject.

[davesudweeks]

I think after reading your note about other leaders, it's time for another email to my stake pres on the subject.

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't use an email - I would make an appointment to visit with him about your concerns. Emails can be so easily missed or misinterpreted.

Personally, I think this should be a clerk duty as it is entirely administrative and the bishopric have more pressing responsibilities than reporting training status to members. The clerk can see the report and when I was clerk I would provide information in Ward Council at least 1x per month so the organizations could take action. Now, getting the organization leaders to do something was an entirely different matter sometimes... It would sure be better if there could be something on a member's profile showing status like the temple recommend expiration date, but I suppose there are other priorities ahead of that programming.

[mevans]

spowzer's comments prompted me (a membership clerk) to go look at the certifications in our ward to see if anything needs to be renewed. However, as a membership clerk, I found that I do not have access to the youth protection training report. I do have access to the government certification report so I can see who has completed any government certifications (in our case a California live scan). I found those don't have an expiration date, but I found some individuals in callings who still need to get one (or they've done it and it takes a while to get added). I'm surprised I can't see the youth protection training report. I thought perhaps I could remind people to renew their training.

[lajackson]

However, as a membership clerk, I found that I do not have access to the youth protection training report.

It needs to be the ward clerk, not one of his assistants. The bishop and his counselors can also view the report.

[jdlessley]

However, as a membership clerk, I found that I do not have access to the youth protection training report.

It needs to be the ward clerk, not one of his assistants. The bishop and his counselors can also view the report.

Plus the executive secretary and assistant executive secretary.

[Olivertwist7]

How do I see when my certification expires?

You will have to ask your ward clerk, or a member of the bishopric, what your training expiration date is.

When will we, as members, be able to see our own dates we took the training and when the expiration dates will be...with our own personal notification of this??? It is possible for our temple recommends so why not this? I can't even see for myself this information in my own account. As a RS Secretary, I was able to pull up some list in the L&C but I'm not even listed. Most of our ward isn't and many are "past due" so??