Entrepreneurship in Child care Services

Entrepreneurship in Childcare Services 4 (2+2)

Lesson 32 : Ethical issues – Ethical responsibilities to colleagues and community and society

Responsibilities to employees

Ideals:

• To promote policies and working conditions that foster competence, well-being, and self-esteem in staff members.
• To create a climate of trust and candor that will enable staff to speak and act in the best interests of children, families, and the field of early childhood education.
• To strive to secure an adequate livelihood for those who work with or on behalf of young children.

Principles:

• Utilize the training, experience, and expertise of staff members appropriately in decisions concerning children and programs.
• Provide staff members with working conditions that permit them to carry out their responsibilities, timely and nonthreatening evaluation procedures, written grievance procedures, constructive feedback and opportunities for continuing professional development and advancement.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive written personnel policies that define program standards and when applicable, that specify the extent to which employees are accountable for their conduct outside the work place. These policies shall be given to new staff members and shall be available for review by all staff members.
• Employees who do not meet program standards shall be informed of areas of concern and, when possible, assisted in improving their performance.
• Employees who are dismissed shall be informed of the reasons for their termination. When a dismissal is for cause, justification must be based on evidence of inadequate or inappropriate behavior that is accurately documented, current, and available for the employee to review.
• In making evaluations and recommendations, judgments shall be based on fact and relevant to the interests of children and programs.
• Hiring and promotion shall be based solely on a person's record of accomplishment and ability to carry out the responsibilities of the position.
• In hiring, promotion and provision of training, do not participate in any form of discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, age or sexual preference. Be familiar with laws and regulations that pertain to employment discrimination.