CSS AUDIT PROCESS FOR PARISHES AND SCHOOLS
Topics covered during the onsite audit
- List of current employees, incl. background checks and training
- List of current volunteers, incl. background checks and training
- The Charter
- Code of Conduct
- Diocesan policies and procedures (existing page seems out of date)
- Safe environment curriculum used in the setting
- Trainings for staff/volunteers
- Reporting procedures
- Confidentiality
- Problems, if any
- Suggestions for the OCP office
- Others as the situation arises
Please note: This list is not necessarily all-inclusive. The OCP has a responsibility to explore any situations that may indicate a problem with compliance.
Process
The auditor (OCP Coordinator) will set a meeting date with the parish or school representative, (generally the pastor and DRE for parishes and the principal and/or the administrative assistant for schools), and will cover the above topics as well as any others that arise in the course of the audit. In the process, files and other documents may be reviewed to determine content and accuracy of information. The site will be viewed briefly to confirm the presence of required materials. The auditor will go through a list of questions with the site representative to determine the level of compliance with the Charter and Diocesan policies and procedures.
If there is a need for corrective action, a plan will be discussed during the visit and the OCP auditor follow-up to confirm that the action plan has been followed. The site will receive a notice when the audit is complete and successfully passed.
Please understand that the purpose of the audit is twofold: 1) to ensure compliance with the Charter and with Diocesan policies and procedures; and 2) to provide assistance as needed. This is not a punitive process; rather, it is designed to review each site’s documentation and compliance and provide guidance/assistance if it is requested or needed to meet the expected standards.