The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct: A Position

Statement of
The National Association for the Education of Young Children
Guidelines for Responsible Behavior in Early Childhood Education

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The Code of Ethical Conduct

Offers guidelines for responsible behavior Sets forth a common basis for resolving the principal ethical dilemmas encountered in early education & care
From the Preamble to the Code

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The Code of Ethical Conduct

Primary focus: daily practice with children & their families Revised periodicallycurrent version approved April 2005 Recent Additions: Supplement for EC Adult Educators (Joint statement developed with NAECTE & ACCESS) and Supplement for EC Program Administrators
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So,What Are Ethics Anyway?

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To answer that question, we have to begin by looking at:

Values Morality Professional Core Values Ethics Professional Ethics Ethical Responsibilities & Dilemmas
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VALUES
What Do You Value?

VALUES
Values are things that an individual believes to be intrinsically worthwhile or desirable, that are prized for themselves (e.g., truth, beauty, honesty justice, respect for people and for the environment).
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MORALITY
Morality involves peoples' views of what is good, right, or proper; their beliefs about their obligations; and their ideas about how they should behave. Morality concerns duties and obligations to one another and is characterized by words such as right, ought, just and fair.
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ETHICS
Ethics is the study of right and wrong, duties and obligations. Ethics involves critical reflection on morality, including the ability to make choices between values and the examination of the moral dimensions of relationships.
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PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
The moral commitments of a profession that: involve moral reflection that extends and enhances the personal morality practitioners bring to their work, concern actions of right and wrong in the workplace, and help individuals resolve moral dilemmas they encounter in their work.
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Ethical Responsibilities & Ethical Dilemmas

Ethical Responsibilities --clear-cut, spelled out Ethical Dilemma --conflicting professional values & responsibilities
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What Does a Code of Ethics Do?

Creates a professions sense of identity Identifies the issues the profession cares about and wants new members to care about Communicates with those outside the profession what they can expect from its members
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HISTORY OF THE CODE

Initially prepared under the auspices of the Ethics Commission of NAEYC, which became the Ethics Panel Its development was a 5-year process, involving NAEYC membership Draft Code approved by NAEYC Governing Board July 1989
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HISTORY OF THE CODE (cont.)

1st set of revisions adopted 1992 2nd set of revisions approved by Board November 1997 Code is reviewed for revision periodically (every 5 years)

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REVISION PROCESS
Undertaken according to NAEYCs procedures for position statements NAEYC 2003 Annual Conference gathered feedback re: revisionsEthics Interest Forum & conference session participants Request for input on NAEYC Web site March 2004 Governing Board appointed workgroup
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REVISION PROCESS (cont.)

Workgroup reviewed feedback received, suggested recommendations Developed Draft revised Code Draft revised Code posted on Web siterequesting feedback Request for feedback from EC leaders, seeking diverse perspectives Final draft; Board review/approval April 2005 naeyc

The Code
The goal of NAEYCs Code of Ethical Conduct is to inform, not prescribe, answers in tough decisions that teachers and other early childhood professionals must make as they work with children and families. The strategy inherent in the code is to promote the application of core values, ideals, and principles to guide decisionmaking about ethical issues.
naeyc S. Feeney & N. Freeman, 1999. Ethics and The Early Childhood Educator: Using the NAEYC Code.

THE CODE of ETHICAL CONDUCT

Core values Conceptual framework Idealsreflect the aspirations of practitioners Principlesintended to guide conduct and assist practitioners in resolving ethical dilemmas
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Features of the Code

Ideals & principles direct practitioners to those questions that, when answered, provide basis for conscientious decisionmaking Many situations with ethical dimensions will require practitioner to combine guidance of the Code with sound professional judgment
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Sections of the Code

Section I: Ethical responsibilities to children Section II: Ethical responsibilities to families Section III: Ethical responsibilities to colleagues (coworkers, employers, employees) Section IV: Ethical responsibilities to community and society Statement of Commitment naeyc

Revised Code
Same format as previous versions (Core Values, 4 sections, Ideals and Principles, etc.) Revision of Core Values Language updated & simplified Issues regarding child assessment and accountability as well as diversity are more fully addressed
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Revised Code (cont.)

Ethical responsibilities to Community & Society (Section 4)Individual & Collective responsibilities Statement of Commitment modified Glossary of terms related to ethics added

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2005 Code and the 1997 Code

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What do we do?
ID Problem No: Seek solution Responsibility: Do what is right Yes: Solve it! Involves ethics? Dilemma or responsibility? Can it be solved with ethical finesse?
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Yes (issues of right, wrong) Dilemma: You have a choice No

What do we do?
Look for guidance in Code, get more info Yes: Seek legal advice! Legal dimension? Decide on a course of action Issue resolved!
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No

Lets Play a Game!

What Would the Good EC Educator Do?

What Would the Good EC Educator Do?

A game with rules! Youll play this game with your colleagues

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What Would the Good EC Educator Do?

Choose from Group 1 AND Group 2 Use the Code for guidance What core values apply? To whom do you have responsibilities? What guidance is in the Code? What would the good ECEer do?
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What Would the Good EC Educator Do?

Discuss (and its OK to change your decisions after hearing from your colleagues)

So, How Can the Code Be Used in Real-Life Situations

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Why Is the Existence of the Code Important to ECE?

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The Code of Ethical Conduct Final Thoughts

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