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What is Professionalism in Child-Care and School-Age Programs?

It is very important for the general public to view early care and education providers (including those providing care to school-age children) as competent, confident professionals. To support that viewpoint, the field of early care and education, through several professional organizations, has developed professional standards that describe the competencies needed to be an early care and education professional. These competencies include professionalism. Interacting with staff, families, and children must always be done in a professional manner. It is critical for program managers, Training and Curriculum Specialists (T&CSs), and other program leaders/educational technicians to explicitly inform staff about expectations for professional behavior and to always model professional behavior.

Program managers must take the lead by providing positive examples of professionalism. As role models, they demonstrate how to interact during difficult encounters with families or colleagues. Staff members look to program leaders for guidance about what to say and do when difficult situations occur.

Families rely upon all program staff to provide a warm and responsive environment for their children. Each employee must make conscious, intentional decisions about how to engage in daily interactions with children, families, and colleagues. Program managers and T&CSs must be acutely aware that the classroom staff they coach, mentor, and supervise may sometimes face difficult ethical situations. Following an ethical code can help with difficult decisions that arise within the child-care setting. An ethical code of conduct such as the one offered by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) provides specific guidelines for responsible behavior and resolution of difficult ethical dilemmas.

Professional organizations (e.g., NAEYC, National After School Association, National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)) that work on behalf of children, families, caregivers, and teachers have created standards and competencies to guide early care and education professionals. Each professional organization created standards that address professional behaviors. Professional organizations rely on research-based principles and bring together highly respected experts to develop standards and competencies for the field.

When you review various organizations' sets of standards and competencies you will find many similarities when it comes to professionalism. This indicates a common understanding that engaging in professional behavior is critical for those working with young children, youth, and families.

Characteristics of Effective Professional Leaders

As previously mentioned, effective professional leaders serve as role models for the staff. Just as teachers and youth staff must build relationships with each child and family, program managers must attend carefully to building a relationship with each staff member. Child care and youth programs must have a clear mission and philosophy that all staff members understand and that is demonstrated by everyone who works in the program. Program managers support that mission and philosophy by treating each staff member with dignity and respect. Just as teachers are expected to guide children, program leaders guide the adults who work in the program. Program managers have a powerful influence on the professional climate in the center or program. Effective professional leaders are team players who carefully listen when families and staff share their ideas, suggestions, and concerns that impact program quality.

Program leaders must effectively communicate. The most effective leaders are skilled communicators and use a variety of methods to communicate information to their staff. Program managers must be able to listen to and communicate with people across various roles. The quality and effectiveness of your communication is key to the success of your program. It is very important for program managers to speak and act authentically. For example, if a program manager states that all staff should use a calm manner when speaking, then the program leaders should use a calm manner when speaking to children, families, and colleagues. It is important that there be a match between what a leader says and what the leader does. 

Program managers must view the growth and development of each staff member as an important aspect of their work. Program leaders must intentionally guide others to exceed at their jobs. As each staff member grows professionally, the overall quality of the program is enhanced. Additionally, effective professional leaders demonstrate self-awareness. They recognize and understand their own strengths and areas of professional growth and model their own growth and development as a leader.

Effective professional leaders enjoy their work and show it. They encourage a positive atmosphere. They know that it is important to have fun and laugh, celebrate successes, and acknowledge all the good things staff members do for children and families. Leaders may plan joyful events that build community among the staff, such as acknowledging individuals during staff meetings, celebrating staff birthdays and life events with potlucks, or attending a professional conference together.

There are many excellent resources on leadership development. Those who are new to the role of program manager will want to read some of the excellent articles and books about leadership in the Resources and References list. Joining a face-to-face or an online community of practice with other program leaders is another way to learn more about leadership and professional behavior with colleagues.

Resources for Professional Behavior

There are several books, websites, and webinars available to help you and your staff better understand professional behavior and how it influences the quality of early care and education programs. Early childhood leadership expert Fran Simon provides suggestions about what early care and education leaders need to do to create their vision. These are just a few listed in her article, “Look Up and Out to Lead”:

• Join professional associations, attend conferences, volunteer
• Participate in live and virtual professional learning networks
• Engage with social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.) where hundreds of thousands of educators share links to valuable information and news
• Engage in formal professional career and leadership development
• Find a mentor-even leaders need inspirational people in their lives
• Mentor promising young people and learn from your engagement with them
• Build a library on leadership and related topics
• Subscribe to newsletters and professional journals from a variety of sources

Additionally, the reference list below contains books, articles and websites that you may find helpful as you learn more about professionalism and leadership in the field of early care and youth development.

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Completing this Course

For more information on what to expect in this course and a list of the accompanying Learn, Explore and Apply resources and activities offered throughout the lessons, visit the Management ProfessionalismCourse Guide.

To support the professional development of the direct care staff members or family child care providers you oversee, you can access their corresponding Course Guides:

• Infant & Toddler ProfessionalismCourse Guide
• Preschool ProfessionalismCourse Guide
• School-Age ProfessionalismCourse Guide
• Family Child Care ProfessionalismCourse Guide