Lesson 3: NAEYC, Code of Ethical Conduct, & Confidentiality I my opinion, young children deserve nothing less than our full commitment to their well-being. ~ Gaye Gronlund Learning Outcomes Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:
Teaching Reading Assignments
Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Ethics and the Code of Conduct
In addition to membership, NAEYC offers accreditation for early childhood programs and conducts research in all areas of the field. By connecting best practice, policy, and research, NAEYC promotes excellence in care for children ages birth through 8 years and supports professionalism in the field of early childhood education. NAEYC recognizes that those who work with young children face many daily decisions that have moral and ethical implications. The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct provides guidance for the many decisions facing early childhood educators. The Code of Ethical Conduct considers moral and ethical concerns and provides suggestions for resolving any issues. Moral and ethical situations in early childhood settings can vary greatly. It is difficult to plan for these situations as each is unique. The code provides a basis for making moral and ethically sound decisions supported by professional judgment. The Code includes a set of core values that are critical to your work in early childhood education. Standards of ethical behavior in early childhood care and education are based on commitment to the following core values that are deeply rooted in the history of the field of early childhood care and education. We have made a commitment to:
The code is divided into sections with multiple principles in each section, all based on and connected to the Core Values. Section I – Ethical Responsibilities to Children Confidentiality Confidentiality in early childhood education is essential, having moral and ethical implications. The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct mentions confidentiality several times. Confidentiality in early childhood is essential regarding children, families, work situations, and co-workers. Teachers, children, families, co-workers, and others involved in the day to day functioning of a child care center spend a significant amount of time together and share a lot of experiences, both positive and negative. These experiences are private to all involved and should not be shared. In early childhood settings, educators are exposed to a significant amount of private information about children and families. This includes (but is not limited to) the child’s demographic information, contact information, medical history, and educational background. Educators are also privy to parental expectations and restrictions (who can pick up child), dietary needs, and preferred childcare strategies. Educators also see children on a daily basis and observe certain behaviors or traits. All of these must be kept confidential. In regards to co-workers, an educator may also be privy to personnel records, employment observations, and personal conversations. These are also confidential. All records must be kept in secure locations such as a locked file cabinet. Early childhood educators often learn things from children unintentionally because children are not aware that certain things should not be shared. For example, when I was a family childcare provider, a little boy shared that his father slept without any pajamas on! The child thought it was the most amusing situation. It was important for me to maintain confidentiality in this situation by not sharing what the child had told me with anyone else. This is a fairly trivial example but demonstrates the day to day experiences someone in the field may have (especially when talking with young children). Often, early childhood educators are employed in the towns they live in or where they grew up. It would be unprofessional and unethical to share stories about your co-worker who you knew from high school or about the parent you knew years ago. It is also unprofessional and unethical to share stories about situations that happen in a child care setting with those not directly involved or on a need to know basis. When you work in a child care facility, you find out a lot of information about the children and their families. You may hear about divorces, affairs, illnesses, money problems, drug addictions, abuse, as well as other pieces of personal and sensitive information. All of this information needs to be handled very carefully. Policies in most (if not all) early childhood settings are in place to enforce confidentiality. These policies should be strictly adhered to and enforced. Many states (if not all) have confidentiality information included in their child care regulations. It is your responsibility to be familiar with the policies in your state and setting. It is also your responsibility to act professionally and ethically and respect the rights of the children and families, as well as your co-workers. Confidential information should only be shared on a professional need to know basis or as a means of protection (as in abuse situations). If parents choose to permit the sharing of certain information, this permission must be identified in writing. Scenario – This is a GREAT opportunity to:
Sometimes people just want to learn for understanding. Sometimes they are concerned for the safety of their own child. Providing them with knowledge will help them understand and allay some of their fears. The parents of the child in question may be willing to provide information or host a get together to explain the situation and ways others can help. Be sure to keep the lines of communication open with the family of the child and be sure all staff clearly understand the expectations.
MAINTAINING CONFIDENTIALITY: FOUR TIPS TO HELP YOU HANDLE SENSITIVE INFORMATIONhttp://www.childcarecentral.com/Provider-Articles/35/daycare-teacher-maintain-confidentiality.html 1. Keep yourself informed of all laws and regulations regarding the handling of personal information.
Assessment Lesson 3 Quiz Answer the following questions based on the information contained in the readings and links for this lesson. Each question is worth 10 points.
Lesson 3 Discussion
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