Standards for home-based programs

Standards for Small Groups in Homes

June 22, 2020: Due to the health and safety concerns of COVID-19, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is currently not recommending or encouraging small groups from parishes to meet in private homes.  Please contact your parish regarding how to conduct ministries or catechetical education in small group settings in accordance with the Catholic Comeback Matrix. 

The following standards apply to home based cathechetical programs:

• Two unrelated adults should be present at all times for the classes.
• In compliance with the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Youth as applied in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, all adult volunteers involved in home based catechetical programs who have contact with children must be Safe Environment Certified by meeting the following requirements:
  • Submit to a Criminal Background Check through 
  • Read the Code of Ethical Standards and the Mandatory Reporting Responsibilities
  • Attend a safe environment awareness session before the start of service.

Parents must have explicit knowledge of the details of any event or program involving their minor children.

• Needed details in regard to the home setting may include:
  • the context for sessions held in the home setting within the formation program
  • the name and phone number of the small group catechist
  • the name, phone number and address of the host family, if the small group is not in the catechist’s home.
• Use of the home setting in a parish catechetical program may be communicated through a catechetical handbook, registration form, or the permission slip for this setting.
• Permission slips should be provided to parents with specific regard to the use of the home setting within the context of catechetical programming.

The small group sessions should be monitored by the Catechetical leader through random site visits and the implementation of the following:

• Small group sessions should be held in common areas of the home that are well lit and open.
• Students are to remain in the designated small group area for sessions.
• At no time should student be allowed in bedrooms or other secluded areas of the home.
• To the extent possible, individual students, other than the catechist’s own children, should not be in the catechists’/host family’s home alone.

Parishes should communicate to the catechists and homeowners that in the case of personal injury at their home, liability is applied to their homeowner’s policy, rather than to the parish or diocese.

• The home is to be well maintained and provide a physically safe environment, including the removal of snow and ice from driveways and walk-ways as needed.
• Pets should be kept from the areas where students are arriving or attending class and parents should be informed in advance if there are any pets in the home that is being used for classes.

April 2008