EARLY CHILDHOOD CODES OF ETHICS

As Early Childhood professionals, we need guiding principles to help us check our conduct in our professional activities. We need these guidelines in order for us as professionals in the early childhood field to conduct ourselves properly for the benefit of the children in our care.

NAEYC and DEC have gone a long way at ensuring that these guiding principles are in place to assist us in putting our best in our work.

NAEYC’s Ethical Responsibility to Children:

1-1.1        To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care education and to stay informed through continuing education and training.

This is very important to me (and any early childhood professional) because the more educated and informed I am, the more professionally sound I would be in delivering/exercising my responsibilities as  an early childhood professional; and the better I would be in advocating for the field.

1-2.2     To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve.

              As professionals in the early childhood field, there is need for us to establish relationships with the families of the children in our care; relationships that can bread mutual trust and respect for each other in the interest of the children, because parents need to be assured that their children are in good/safe hands.

              Responsibility to Employers.

1-3B.1 To assist the program in providing the highest quality of service.

  As an employee, I owe a responsibility to my employer, to give in my best with regards to my  work. I need to show the highest possible level of responsibility/responsiveness, and commitment to the welfare of the children in my care.

                                                                SOURCE

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

DEC’s Code of Ethics:

I      Professional Practices

1.      We shall demonstrate in our behavior and language respect and appreciation for the unique value and human potential of each child.

The use of appropriate language and behavior towards children with disabilities and their     families can make or mar the  children’s zeal to reach their full potential. There is need for us as early childhood professionals to understand that there is ability in disability; as such we should use appropriate language and behavior when handling children with disabilities and their families in order for us to bring out the best in these children.

II Professional Development and Preparation

1.       We shall engage in ongoing and systematic reflective inquiry and self-assessment for the purpose of professional performance and services to young children with disabilities and their families

If we are professionally trained to handle children with disabilities, our work with them is easier to perform, because we would then have the capacity to handle them well depending on their uniqueness. This can easily be done through continuous professional training.

        III     Responsive family centered Practices

1.      We shall demonstrate our respect and concern for children, families, colleagues, and others when we work, honouring their beliefs, values, customs, language, and culture.

2.      This is very important to me because of the nature of my country; multi-lingual, multi-religious, and multi-cultural. As an early childhood professional I need to be able to strike a balance between these factors because I would be dealing with children from different parts of the country( with different taboos and cultural/religious values) with different forms of disabilities.

    I strongly believe that both NAEYC and DEC are working tirelessly to ensure equity among children of diverse cultures and abilities. And with the guiding principles they have provided, we as professionals in the early childhood field have a resource we can always look on to make our jobs easier and more beneficial to the children of countries and the world at large.

                                                        SOURCE

The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.dec-sped.org/