Children of the Eucharist (COTE) Policies & Procedures
In line with the National Board for Safeguarding of Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland, ‘Children of the Eucharist’ (COTE) recognise and uphold the dignity and rights of all children, are committed to ensuring their safety and well-being, and will work in partnership with schools and parishes to do this. We recognise each child as a gift from God, and we value and encourage the participation of children in all activities especially those that enhance their spiritual development. We all have a responsibility to safeguard children through promoting their welfare, health and development in a safe and caring environment that supports their best interests and prevents abuse.
It is now the law that Garda / police vetting must be completed before a person can commence a new role for working with children. All COTE Volunteers must be vetted through their local parish or school. Most dioceses have commenced “e-vetting”, which means that the Garda vetting application will now take place online – please refer to your local Diocesan website for further guidance and information. A Vetting Invitation Form must be completed by each volunteer and signed by the primary school and, or parish where the COTE volunteer is visiting. Child Protection and Safeguarding Training, organised in your local Diocese must also be completed at least every 3 years; these training sessions are held at regular intervals throughout the year. Please contact your local Diocesan Safeguarding & Child Protection Office for the next available scheduled date for training.
Please take some time, to familiarise yourselves with the National Child Protection and Child Safeguarding Policy for the Catholic Church in Ireland which, is updated regularly.
http://www.safeguarding.ie/index.php/guidance
All COTE Volunteers are required to complete the following forms:
- COTE Volunteer Application Form
- COTE Confidential Declaration Form
- COTE Personal Reference Request – 2 References are required
- By law we are now required to have your written consent to hold any of your contact details. Hence, please kindly complete and sign the COTE Data Protection and Consent Form
Please contact us for a copy of these forms if have not yet completed same, at the contact details below:
Sheila Browne
COTE Administrator
Tel: 353 87 607 7792
Email: admin@childrenoftheeucharist.ie
Sincere thanks for your patience and understanding with this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact us at admin@childrenoftheeucharist.ie if you have any queries or concerns.