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Ethics are at the core of everything you do in child and youth development programs. Most decisions—whether they have to do with scheduling, responding to families, or designing curricula—require some aspect of ethical decision-making. Ethical behavior reflects the values and morals you bring to your work. As a Training & Curriculum Specialist (T&CS), you are tasked with overseeing a large and complex organization. Approaching your work through the lens of ethics allows you to make complicated decisions fairly, thoughtfully, and well. This lesson will introduce you to some of the most common ethical roles of program leaders. For example, you play a key role in defining and maintaining the privacy of children, families, and staff. You also play a role in developing and implementing written procedures for complex situations that staff may encounter in the program and community. This is a large responsibility and one that requires you to be a reflective practitioner who lives your core values.

To better understand ethics and codes of professional conduct, we turn to Stephanie Feeney, one of the authors of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct. Feeney, in Ethics Today in Early Care and Education, describes terms that are often used in discussion of personal and professional ethics (p. 73):

Ethics is the study of right and wrong, duties, and obligations. It involves critical reflection on morality, and the ability to make choices between values and to examine the moral dimensions of relationships.

Professional ethics involves reflection on professional responsibility that is carried out collectively and systematically by the membership of a profession. They are a guide to what we ought to do and not do as professionals.

A code of ethics is a document that maps the profession’s responsibility to society. It conveys a sense of the mission of a field and acknowledges the obligations its members share in meeting their responsibilities. It supports practitioners in their work so they base their decisions not on their individual values and morality, but rather on the core values of the profession.

“A code of ethics provides a vision of what a profession should be and how members of that profession should behave. It builds members’ ethical awareness and judgment, provides them with guidance in decision making, gives them moral courage, and gives them a shared identity. It sends a message to society at large describing how it can expect members of that professional group to behave.” (Feeney, Freeman, & Moravcik, 2022).

A professional code of ethics can be used for assistance when making professional decisions. Sometimes you will encounter what Feeney and Freeman (2017) call an ethical responsibility. This means there is clear guidance in the code of ethics, and you must abide by it. Other times, you will encounter ethical dilemmas. Dilemmas have two or more morally just solutions, and you must make a decision. That decision will have some benefits, but it often also has consequences. There are few clear cut answers. In these cases, the code of ethics is a guide, and you can use an ethical decision-making framework to guide you:

A professional code of ethics can be used for assistance when making professional decisions. Sometimes you will encounter what Feeney and Freeman (2017) call an ethical responsibility. This means there is clear guidance in the code of ethics, and you must abide by it. Other times, you will encounter ethical dilemmas. Dilemmas have two or more morally just solutions, and you must make a decision. That decision will have some benefits, but it often also has consequences. There are few clear cut answers. In these cases, the code of ethics is a guide, and you can use an ethical decision-making framework to guide you:

1. Is this an ethical issue?
2. Is it an ethical responsibility or an ethical dilemma?
3. If it is an ethical dilemma, use the code of ethics as a guide and take these steps:

• Consider all your competing responsibilities (who is involved, what do they need or expect from you)
• Brainstorm possible solutions.
  • Consider the possible solutions through an ethical lens: Which action will do the most good and cause the least harm?
  • Which action respects the rights of everyone involved?
  • Which action treats people fairly?
  • Which action benefits the entire community or program rather than individual people or groups?
  • Which action is most consistent with my own goal to be an ethical leader
•  Come to a decision. What solution best addresses the issue? How do you feel about your choice?
• Take action. Put your decision in place.
• Reflect on the results. Was the solution successful? What are the benefits and costs of the solution? What would you do differently?

In this lesson, we address a few of the common ethical dilemmas that may arise in daily interactions among program staff, T&CSs, Program Managers, and families.

Maintaining Confidentiality: Children and Families

Program leaders must ensure that all staff members respect and protect the privacy of the children and families who attend the program. This includes custodial staff, cooks, and clerical staff, as well as teachers and assistant teachers. When staff work so closely together on behalf of children and families, they may become friends. Depending on the size of your community, staff may also be friends and relatives with the families you serve. When staff socialize and attend events outside the center, they may be asked confidential information about a child by someone who is not a staff member directly working with a child. Staff members must understand that they may only share confidential information about a child with the child’s parents and those professionals for whom the parents have signed a release of information form, such as a school district special educator or a social worker.

In the above example, it would be a breach of confidentiality for Maria to tell Lani about staff members’ plans for addressing Millie’s challenging behaviors. As the program manager, Maria knows she must uphold the rules of confidentiality and not share personal information about a child with someone who is not directly involved with that child. Maria knows she must model this professional behavior at all times.

T&CSs and Program Managers have a special obligation to uphold children’s privacy and to only share confidential information with those staff members who are directly involved with a child, youth, or their family. Program leaders observe and have knowledge about all of the children and youth, so it is especially important for them to only speak about an individual child’s behavior or family situation with those staff members who directly teach the child.

Program leaders need to know and uphold all regulations that address confidentiality. You will want to become familiar with your program's requirements for confidentiality as it pertains to children and families. You will want to review your program'sCode of Conduct. Explicit written policies about confidentiality must be included in staff and family handbooks and made available on the program's website. Depending upon your program'srequirements, new staff members may have to sign a confidentiality agreement, indicating they have read and understand the program's policies.

Upholding laws regarding confidentiality includes in-service training for new and experienced staff members. Program directors will want to revisit confidentiality rules during staff meetings throughout the year. It is helpful to review these policies during staff meetings and in-services specially dedicated to professional practices.

Confidentiality: Personnel Matters

Program leaders also have an obligation to keep personnel matters confidential. In your role, you have access to personnel files, evaluations, professional development plans, and other important personnel documents. Staff may also confide personal information to you that should not be shared with others. As a program leader, you must be conscious of what you say about staff members leaving work early, being away for illnesses, and other potentially personal topics. Training for dealing with difficult personnel matters is available through books, online modules, and conferences for youth and child care administrators.

If you are new to managing confidential personnel matters you may want to seek advice and support from more experienced T&CSs or Program Managers. You may also want to check in with your supervisor as you work with staff evaluations and performance reviews. Legal ramifications are possible, so being knowledgeable about employment policies and carefully upholding confidentiality about personnel matters is critical to your effectiveness as a Training & Curriculum Specialist.

Mandated Reporters

Another aspect of professionalism is reviewing the child abuse and neglect policies. Program leaders are responsible for putting policies in writing in the staff handbook. All new staff must receive information on child abuse and neglect identification and reporting procedures (see your specific program and State requirements). You will make sure that these procedures are reviewed with all staff as part of the hiring process. Some child care programs may require staff members to sign a form each year that they have reviewed the child abuse and neglect warning signs and procedures for reporting.

Model

Training Staff in Responsible and Ethical Practices

T &CSs and Program Managers are responsible for planning professional development opportunities to ensure that all staff members are aware of responsible and ethical practices in their work with families and children. Staff meetings can include opportunities to review case studies or role play situations that address ethical dilemmas. Staff members should always feel comfortable speaking to you about any situations in which they are unsure about how to proceed. Your willingness to intentionally listen to staff who seek your guidance will create an atmosphere in the program that builds trust and communication. Staff will observe and learn from your example about what to do in difficult situations.

Creating a relationship-based program provides a supportive environment to staff as they become familiar with ethical decision-making. If the program leaders build relationships and maintain a positive, nurturing environment, then when difficult situations arise, staff will ask themselves, "What is the most positive way I can address this situation and maintain relationships with all who are involved?"

In your work with families, you will encounter different parenting practices and cultural beliefs. Situations may arise where staff will need training to learn how to work in collaboration with families who may have different beliefs and child-rearing practices from their own.

Professional Ethics Lived Day by Day: Building a Climate of Trust

Professional ethics are not something to review and then place in a drawer; they are lived every day in discussions with children, in supporting families from diverse cultures, in welcoming new staff members to the center, and in participating in community partnerships. As a T&CS, your leadership as a model of professionalism is critical for staff and families. By nature of your title, you are the person others will look to for guidance on difficult decisions. For those working with children birth to age eight, you can always refer to the to guide you and your staff in decision-making. For those working with older children and youth, the can serve as a guide. As noted above, you may also want to review your program'scode of conduct. Your core values and philosophy will guide professional behavior.

Observe