Child Guidance Policy Number and Last Update (02.02.07e/12.2024)
The first goal of child guidance is to help children learn social skills that will enable them to get along with other people. The second aim is to maintain classrooms in which each child can feel secure and comfortable while learning. The delegates are prohibited from suspending or expelling children due to misbehavior.
If children have toileting accidents or are not well potty-trained, they are NOT in any way penalized. Children are placed in the room with their age group, regardless of potty-training status. Teachers may ask the cooperation of the parents in beginning/completing potty-training, but no special measure will be imposed upon the child or parents.
The following methods used by teachers will facilitate the children's development of self-discipline and socialization skills.
For Infants and Toddlers:
- Meet babies' needs for love and care, and build a trusting relationship with them;
- Prepare the play space thoughtfully and make it childproof and safe;
- Accept children's feelings and provide outlets for them;
- Refocus toddlers' attention before inappropriate behavior occurs;
- State directions clearly and simply;
- Be calm and consistent; and
- Allow children time to adjust to transitions.
For Preschool Children:
- Arrange classrooms that are comfortable, interesting, and encourage children's self-direction;
- Help children express their emotions verbally and through art and play;
- Allow children to resolve their own conflicts whenever possible
- Model and teach children strategies for solving interpersonal conflicts, like negotiation, compromise, and empathy;
- Help children learn to anticipate logical consequences for their behaviors;
- Involve children in cooperative projects; and
- Assist children in setting clear, consistent, fair limits for classroom behavior.
It is not acceptable for adults to administer negative discipline, such as:
- Corporal punishment or physically abusive behavior: intentional use of physical force that results in, or has the potential to result in, physical injury.
- Hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, pushing, restraining, force feeding, or dragging
- Sexually abusive behavior: any completed or attempted sexual act, sexual contact, or exploitation.
- Behaviors such as inappropriate touching, inappropriate filming, or exposing a child to other sexual activities.
- Emotionally harmful or abusive behavior: behaviors that harm a child's self worth or emotional well-being that are clearly NOT permissible.
- Using seclusion, using or exposing a child to public or private humiliation, or name calling, shaming, intimidating, or threatening a child;
- Depriving a child of any Head Start service such as transportation, field trips, food, daily attendance;
- Sending a child to the office;
- Imposing cumulative or delayed consequences; and
- No children shall be removed from the group.
- Neglectful behavior: the failure to meet a child's basic physical and emotional needs including access to food, education, medical care, appropriate supervision by an adequate caregiver, and safe physical and emotional environments
- o Leaving a child unattended on a bus, classroom, or playground, withholding food as punishment or refusing to change soiled diapers as punishment
A program cannot expel or unenroll a child from Head Start because of a child's behavior. If staff are concerned about a child's emotional well-being on observations of his behavior, they will follow this procedure:
- Discuss the behavior at the bi-weekly staffing.
- Consult with the mental health professional after he/she has observed the child(ren) in the classroom.
- If indicated by the mental health consultant, visit the parent to ask permission to have the child evaluated. (This visit must be conducted in the family's primary language, and should follow the form of any discussion of special services. It is not the child's behavior that is the first concern, but the reason behind the behavior. For example, the child seems upset, unhappy, angry, depressed, frightened, or anxious. In no case should it be implied that the child or the parent is bad or abnormal. The staff offers to help the child and parent with any of the services available through the program, with the understanding that this is the function of the program.)
- If the parents refuse permission to evaluate the child, or the help of other services, remain in contact with them and continue to offer them support.
- Ask the mental health professional and grantee managers for recommendations for helping the child in the classroom.
- Hire extra staff if necessary and if at all possible.
- In no case is an eligible child refused services because of his/her own behavior or his parents' refusal to comply with any conditions.
I verify by signing below that I have read the Child Guidance Policy or it has been read to me. I also agree to abide by the policies and procedures contained within.
Signature and Date: