****Plagiarism will b e checked***** 

The Assignment

Read the article- “Ethics Today in Early Care and Education.”  You will also need to read and become familiar with the “Code of Ethical Conduct Position Statement” article.  After reading these two articles and becoming familiar with their content- you will use the information to complete “Professional Ethics: Applying the NAEYC Code.”   Using the attached document you will choose one scenario from group one or two (and include it on your form) and then complete the 4 questions. You will the “Code of Ethical Conduct Position Statement” article to pull ideals and principles that support and guide you in your decision making.

For #1 you will discuss a minimum of 2 points from the “Ethics Today” article

Acceptable length for question #2: at least 2 core values should be chosen and included should be a discussion of why you chose them (minimum of 3 sentences for each core value)

Question #3: once you choose who you are responsible to, include a discussion of why you chose that group (minimum of 3 sentences)

Question #4: choose at least 3 ideals and 3 principles to support your answer.  (These should be copied and include the letters and numbers)

Question #5: This is where you discuss how you, as an early childhood educator, will handle/address the situation.  Specifics are needed here.  Pull your knowledge from this course and the provided articles  to assist you.  (Minimum of 7 sentences)  Specific references from our text or the articles must be included.  This can be a page reference, quote,facts from the articles, etc. This should be factual, not opinion based.

Grading Criteria

The summary is graded on a 100 point scale 

Maximum points are given when each question meets the requirements; Principles/Ideals are given to support your opinion, and a description of the impact of your decision on the child and family is provided.

Deductions of points are:

20 points: meeting paragraph and sentence requirements

10 points: including relevant information from the “Ethics Today” article.

20 points: including all information on the “Professional Ethics” handout

40 points: providing clear and appropriate decisions, in the implementation paragraph, based on the information from the article and our text.

10 points: use of original document

Points are deducted for errors in grammar and spelling. Also noted is clarity of the submission and students’ comprehension of the content.

PROFESSIONAL

ETHICS: APPLYING THE NAEYC CODE

Why is understanding the Code of Ethics essential for Early Childhood educators? (Using the “Ethics TODAY in Early Care and Education” article discusses a minimum of 2 points from pages 74- 76. Include which points you chose to discuss).

Review the situations that are listed at the bottom of this document. Choose one item from Group 1 or from Group 2 that you wish to explore further. Write the group number and letter for the scenario you chose in the space below. Use the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Position Statement article for guidance in figuring out what you might do if faced with these situations.

Group_____ Situation_____ (fill in the blanks)

What core value(s) apply in this situation?

To whom do you have responsibilities and why?

What guidance can you find in the Code? Include evidence from the article as well as from the position statement. List a minimum of 3 relevant ideals and principles from the Code of Ethics position statement (be sure to include the letters and numbers)

Based on your analysis of the guidance from the Code what do you think “the good early childhood educator” should do in this situation?

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS: APPLYING THE NAEYC CODE (cont.)

The Situations:

Group 1

A. A. The program you teach for is under pressure to use “standardized paper-and-pencil” tests. You’ve been told that two tests have been chosen and you’ll receive training on how to administer them. Your observation recordings will no longer be used to assess children’s progress. You’ve heard that for these tests you must remove the child from the classroom and take him to another room to test him. You’re worried that many children will find this to be stressful, and you’re also concerned about leaving your aide alone with all the other children in the group for long periods of time.

A. B. You’ve been teaching in a multi-cultural, multi-lingual program for many years. You speak English and Spanish and you’ve used both languages in your classroom—for conversing with children and other adults, for labeling the bookshelves, etc. You also have several Vietnamese children who do not speak English in your group. You’ve asked their parents to teach you some words in Vietnamese so that you can help children with routines and in their play—words such as “bathroom,” “outside,” “inside,” and “lunch.” Several parents whose home language is Spanish are concerned that their children will not learn English if you keep speaking Spanish in the classroom. And, the Vietnamese families do not want their children speaking Vietnamese in the classroom. They want you to have “English lessons” for the toddlers and preschoolers.

A. C. Your program uses a standardized test for assessing children’s progress. You’ve been given a copy of the test and told that you must drill children on these items throughout the year so that they all will do well on the test.

Group 2

A. D. A parent calls to express concern that her three-year-old daughter is permitted to walk the short distance to the bathroom without an adult accompanying and waiting for her. You reassure her that the security in your center is good, but she insists that her child must be individually escorted to the bathroom.

A. E. Families who previously had children enrolled in a nearby preschool have told you stories of what happened to their children in that center. They describe dirty sheets on the cots, harsh punishments including withholding food, and ratios of twenty children

to one adult. One day you drive by and see a lot covered with asphalt and dry grass. There are a few rusting pieces of playground equipment. Several children are standing along the chain link fence looking at the cars going by. There are no adults in sight.

A. F. The mother of a child in your school is a single parent. She has fallen behind on her tuition payments and is currently 2 months in arrears. She was arrested on drug charges about a month ago. Right now she is in jail trying to make bail. The child is staying with the maternal grandmother who works and brings him to the center. Several families are waiting for a space in the center. They are financially qualified and anxious for their children to be enrolled. Should the center’s policy for prompt payment of tuition be disregarded, upheld, or revised?

A. G. A parent in our program has deep Biblical values and believes in “sparing the rod, spoiling the child.” Her child who is almost two years old has been consistently hitting other children in your group. When you shared with her other alternatives to disciplining at home visits, she responded by saying, “I only listen to my pastor.”

A. H. A parent asks if he can bring a young sibling to a parent workshop even though there is a policy that younger siblings should not be brought to school. You have had problems with parents violating the no sibling rule but you also think this parent could benefit greatly from the content of the workshop.

Developed by Stephanie Feeney, Nancy Freeman, and Peter Pizzolongo Copyright NAEYC 2008

72 Reprinted from Young Children • March 2010

®

10

A strong foundation in professional
ethics, which includes knowledge of
the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
and skill in applying it to the real-life
workplace, is an essential part of the
professional repertoire of every early
childhood educator.
Two-and-a-half decades ago, NAEYC
saw the need to help educators meet
the growing challenges with moral
implications that arose in their work
with children birth through age 8. The
Association articulated educators’
deeply rooted values and established
guidelines for practice. A five-year
development process followed and
involved leaders in the early child-
hood education field and NAEYC
members. This led to the first Code of
Ethical Conduct, which is still followed
today (NAEYC 2005). Since that first

NAEYC Governing Board approval 20
years ago, the Code has continued to
be reviewed regularly and revised as
needed.
This article celebrates NAEYC’s
accomplishments with regard to pro-
fessional ethics and looks at how this
work may move forward in the future.
In this writing I describe the ethical
journey of early care and education in
the United States, explain why ethics
is so important for early childhood
educators, and share some hopes for
the future of ethics in early childhood
education.

The journey

At first, the topic of ethics may
seem too abstract or boring. But when
early childhood educators look at the
real ethical issues they encounter in
their work, it gets more interesting,
often compelling. Professional ethics
helps us as early childhood educators
to think about our responsibilities to
children, families, communities, and
society and to address some of the dif-
ficult situations we face every day.
Some of the issues early childhood
educators encounter, for example,

• Relate to children’s behavior:

A large-for-his-age preschooler uses
aggressive behavior that frightens and
hurts other children. They are afraid of
him, and their parents start to express
concern to the center director. The
teachers feel stressed and tired. They
spend so much time helping manage
this child that other children do not get
the attention they need.

• Involve families:

The mother of a 4-year-old asks his
preschool teacher not to let him nap
in the afternoon. She says the nap
causes him to stay up too late, and
she can’t get him up in the morning.
The teacher says the child sleeps
soundly for one hour every day and
seems to need the sleep to be able
to enjoy class activities and get along
with other children in the afternoon.

• Concern colleagues:

A teacher hears a co-worker tell an
insulting joke about children and fami-
lies of a specific ethnic group.

• Engage program directors:

A teacher tells her director that a
2-year-old in her class has been diag-
nosed with contagious diarrhea. The

Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of NAEYC’s Code of Ethical Conduct

Ethics TODAY in Early Care and Education
Review, Reflection, and the Future

Stephanie Feeney

Stephanie Feeney, PhD, is professor
emerita of education at the University
of Hawaii, in Manoa. She coauthored
NAEYC’s first Code of Ethical Conduct,
which, after a five-year process of mem-
ber review, was approved by the NAEYC
Governing Board in 1989 as the Code of
Ethical Conduct & Statement of Commit-
ment. Two books for educators on teach-
ing about and using professional ethics,
coauthored by Feeney, are in print as new
editions. She participated in the devel-
opment of supplements to the NAEYC
Code for adult educators and program
administrators and has written extensively
about ethics in early care and education.
feeney@hawaii.edu
Photos © Ellen B. Senisi.
This article is available in an online
archive at www.naeyc.org/yc/pastissues.

Professional ethics helps us as early childhood edu-
cators to think about our responsibilities to children,
families, communities, and society and to address
some of the difficult situations we face every day.

Reprinted from Young Children • March 2010 73

director tells her not to mention this to
the families of the other children and
reminds her to wash her hands well
after changing the child’s diaper.

• Are unique to administrators:

Two center staff members indicate
their interest in the lead teacher posi-
tion vacancy that was recently posted.
One person is a dedicated staff mem-
ber for 15 years who has little formal
training. She is nice to children but
doesn’t really understand age-appro-
priate curriculum. The other candi-
date, with a degree in early childhood
education but less than two years’
experience at the center, relates well

individual, to the other children in the
group, and to himself or herself. The
teacher of the napping child faces an
obligation to the child that is in con-
flict with her obligation to the parent.
A person facing an ethical dilemma
needs ethical guidance.

Ethics terminology

When you face
a situation in
your work with
young children
and families that
is challenging and
difficult to resolve,
the first thing
you need to do is
decide if it involves
ethics. In the 2005
revision of the
NAEYC Code, a
work group of edu-
cators proposed
new definitions of
terms related to
ethics for greater
consistency of
terminology use.
The definitions
now appear at the

end of the NAEYC Code, as a Glossary
of Terms. Here, I discuss several of the
terms to provide added guidance.

• Morality is the individual’s view of
what is right and wrong. It concerns
people’s duties and obligations to
one another. It is based on values,
which come from our families, cul-
ture, community, faith, and society.
The first thing to ask yourself when
you encounter a problem in the early
childhood workplace is whether it has
to do with what is right and with what
is just and fair.

• Values are fundamental beliefs that
we hold to be intrinsically worthwhile,
that we prize for themselves, and
that guide our behavior (for exam-
ple: truth, beauty, honesty, justice, 
respect). Our values come from our

families, culture, community, faith, and
society. Most early childhood educa-
tors enter the field sharing a common
value for supporting the healthy devel-
opment of young children.

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

Personal values and morality are a
necessary foundation, but they are not
enough to guide professional behav-
ior. They must be supplemented with
professional values and standards of
ethical behavior (as NAEYC outlined
in 1989). Professions have their own
distinctive values and ethical commit-
ments. As early childhood educators,
we view our commitment to children
and families through these prisms:

• Professional ethics involves reflec-
tion on professional responsibility
that is carried out collectively and
systematically by the membership of a
profession. Professional ethical judg-
ments are not statements of taste or
preference, nor are they the same as
personal morality or law. They are a
guide to what we ought to do and not
do as professionals.

• Core values are deeply held com-
mitments embraced by members of
a profession because they contrib-
ute to society. These values are at
the heart of the profession’s moral
commitments.

• A code of ethics is a document that
maps the profession’s responsibility to
society. It conveys a sense of the mis-
sion of a field and acknowledges the
obligations its members share in meet-
ing their responsibilities. One of the
most important things about a code
is that it lets a profession speak with
a collective voice. It supports prac-
titioners in their work, so they base
their decisions not on their individual
values and morality but rather on the
core values of the profession.

Professional ethical judgments are a guide to what
we ought to do and not do as professionals.

to the children. She is good at plan-
ning appropriate, engaging curriculum.

• Are particular to teachers of adults:

You make the decisions about admis-
sions to the initial certification pro-
gram. You know one of the applicants,
who is wonderful with children and
proud of being the first member of her
family to pursue higher education, but
she is unable to express the theory
behind her practice and lacks profi-
ciency in standard English.

The situations described here are all
ethical dilemmas—predicaments that
involve conflicting responsibilities and
require making a choice between alter-
natives, each of which have advan-
tages and disadvantages. For example,
with a child who uses aggression, a
teacher has responsibilities to that

74 Reprinted from Young Children • March 2010

The roots of the NAEYC Code

A code of ethics is a hallmark of
every profession because it assures
society that a profession is serving the
public good and that services will be
provided with acceptable moral con-
duct. How has ethics in early care and
education evolved over time?
Since its founding, NAEYC has
sought to identify and disseminate
policies and practices that would
be beneficial to young children in
our society. This goes back to the
1920s and NAEYC’s first publication,
Minimum Essentials for Nursery School
Education (NCNS 1929), which for the
first time discussed standards for
practice in nursery schools.
In 1976 NAEYC’s Governing Board
made a resolution calling for the
development of a code of ethics, but
a commitment to develop a code did
not emerge until later. Instead, the
Board decided that a Statement of
Commitment expressing some of the
main values and ideals of the field
would be developed and printed on
the back of Association membership
cards. It remained there from 1977
to 1998.
Interest in an ethics code grew
again after NAEYC published the book
Ethical Behavior in Early Childhood
Education (Katz & Ward [1978] 1991)
and subsequently expanded it. In 
1984, NAEYC president Barbara
Bowman asked my help in exploring
the development of a code of ethics
for NAEYC members. I agreed but
quickly realized that although having 
served on the NAEYC Board gave me
a perspective, I had little knowledge
of how to go about developing a code.
I sought help from a University of
Hawaii colleague, philosophy profes-
sor and ethics expert Kenneth Kipnis.

I and other early childhood educators
who worked with him learned a great
deal about moral philosophy and the
philosopher’s rigorous analytic skills
and love of logic and truth. (He often
said that from working with us he
learned a lot about caring and the use
of process.).
The first step was to explore early
childhood educators’ understanding
of their ethical responsibilities. We
conducted surveys and workshops
and wrote articles for Young Children
(Feeney & Kipnis 1985) to get input
from teachers, administrators, adult
educators, and others involved in the
field about the core values of early
childhood education and care. We
asked what, as we put it in our series
of workshops, “the good early child-
hood educator” would do in each
of the frequently occurring ethical 
situations presented. In 1987, NAEYC
formed a commission to oversee the
work on ethics. Based on input from
the field and with the guidance of
the Ethics Commission, the NAEYC
Governing Board approved the Code
of Ethical Conduct in 1989.
NAEYC is a voluntary membership
association open to anyone involved
with or interested in early childhood
education. Other professional groups,
like the American Medical Association
and the American Bar Association,
have membership requirements, 
such as rigorous entry requirements, 

prolonged training, and
mandatory compliance
with the association’s
code of ethics. Thus, the
NAEYC Code provides
ethical guidelines that are
optional, voluntary, and
not enforced. NAEYC’s
adoption of a code gave
members invaluable help
in facing hard decisions
with ethical implications.
In drafting the NAEYC
Code, Kipnis and I rec-
ognized the lack of time
and resources to address
the kinds of ethical issues
faced by every subgroup
of early childhood edu-
cators. We focused on
day-to-day work with
children in early care and
education settings. Later,

teacher education groups ACCESS
(American Associate Degree Early
Childhood Teacher Educators) and
NAECTE (National Association of Early
Childhood Teacher Educators) worked
with NAEYC to develop a supplement
to the code for early childhood adult
educators (NAEYC 2004), which was
approved by NAEYC’s Governing
Board. Next, the Board appointed a
work group to advise it on develop-
ment of a supplement for administra-
tors (NAEYC 2006). These documents
do not replace the NAEYC Code but
supplement it with guidance particu-
lar to specialized roles in early child-
hood education. The current NAEYC
Code is a 2005 revision developed with
support from an advisory workgroup
appointed by the Governing Board.

The importance of a
code of ethics for early
childhood educators

Some of the reasons a code of ethics
is essential for early childhood educa-
tors include the following:

We care for children who are
too young and too vulnerable to
protect themselves. In any profes-
sion, the more powerless the client
is in relation to the practitioner, the
more imperative the practitioner’s

NAEYC’s adoption of
a code gave members
invaluable help in fac-
ing hard decisions with
ethical implications.

Reprinted from Young Children • March 2010 75

ethics become (Katz & Ward [1978]
1991). The more control a practitio-
ner has, the greater the necessity to
insure against the abuse of that power.
Early childhood educators have great
power over young, relatively helpless
children. Therefore, we must behave
ethically because the damage we can
do is so great.

We encounter many ethical
issues in our work. After our origi-
nal ethics survey in 1986, Ken Kipnis
and I read moving descriptions of the
issues early childhood educators were
confronting. I remember him saying,
“These people are in ethical pain.” We
encounter ethical issues more often
perhaps because we do not deal with
a sole client, as most doctors and
lawyers do. In any situation, we have
obligations to a number of constitu-
encies—children, families, colleagues,
administrators, agencies, and policy
makers. The Code of Ethical Conduct
helps us sort out the issues and pro-

vides guidance when we encounter
conflicting obligations.

A code helps us to understand our
responsibilities, prioritize our obli-
gations, and find wise resolutions to
the ethical dilemmas we face. Like
a compass, a code can point us in the
right direction, but we need to choose
the road to take. The resolution of
a dilemma requires examination of 
core values and items in the NAEYC
Code, and application of our best
professional judgment based on these
informed considerations.

A code supports us in doing what
is right. It provides support for behav-
ing ethically when there is pressure
or temptation to do what is easiest or
what will make people like us. Nancy
Freeman, who coauthored several
articles and books about the NAEYC
Code (see “Resources,” p. 77), says, 
“When your back is against a wall, the
code of ethics can hold up the wall.”

A code helps to unify our field.
Early childhood educators are a
diverse group; we work in many dif-
ferent settings, and there is little to
unite us except our commitment to
children. The Code of Ethical Conduct
is based on a collaborative process
that reflects our common values and
beliefs. It underscores what we have in
common and can help to forge a sense
of professional identity.

In any situation, we
have obligations to a
number of constituen-
cies—children, families,
colleagues, adminis-
trators, agencies, and
policy makers.

Ethics and the Early
Childhood Educator:
Using the NAEYC Code
(2005 Code Edition)
Stephanie Feeney
and Nancy K. Freeman

Item #110
Non-member: $16.00
NAEYC member: $12.80

Teaching the NAEYC
Code of Ethical Conduct:
Activity Sourcebook
(2005 Code Edition)
Stephanie Feeney, Nancy K. Freeman,
and Eva Moravcik
Item #118
Non-member: $18.00
NAEYC member: $14.40

NAEYC Code of Ethical
Conduct and Statement of
Commitment (2005 Code)
Available in English and Spanish.

Item #531 (in Spanish #531S)
Non-member: 25¢
NAEYC member: 20¢

Resources available from NAEYC

Available at www.naeyc.org/store
or call 1-800-424-2460

Statement of
Commitment Poster
Excerpted from NAEYC’s 2005
Code of Ethical Conduct and
Statement of Commitment.
18″ x 24″ laminated

Item #450
Non-member: $8.00
NAEYC member: $6.40

76 Reprinted from Young Children • March 2010

A code communicates to the
broader community who we are and
what we do. It is a statement that
explains to those outside our field
what we believe and what we stand
for. It is a special kind of promise that
communicates how the public can
count on us to behave. Letting oth-
ers know our commitment to ethical
standards enhances our credibility
and our professionalism.

What makes a code of ethics
effective?
Over the years I have learned some
valuable lessons about how to make a
code of ethics useful and effective.

A code represents many voices.
The members of a profession need to
feel they own their code. The NAEYC
Code emerged from the history and
traditions of early childhood educa-
tion and care in the United States.
When it was written, we sought, and
the Association continues to seek,
input from grassroots members of the
field, both in workshops and through
the journal Young Children. One goal in
developing the NAEYC Code was that
the process be as important as the
code itself. The approach we used was
so effective that professor Kipnis used
it in working with other professional
groups, including prison doctors and
bioethics specialists.

A code succeeds when it is
known and used. NAEYC is commit-
ted to making the Code available and
keeping it visible to our membership
through its activities and with sup-
porting literature. The Association
has printed and distributed more
than a million copies of NAEYC’s
Code of Ethical Conduct & Statement of
Commitment in English and in Spanish,
in inexpensive brochures. The Code
is available online at www.naeyc.org/
files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05 .
NAEYC has published more than 40
articles and two books on the NAEYC
Code and professional ethics. Ethics
workshops are offered at state and
national conferences. The Association
includes professional ethics in policy
documents, teacher education guide-
lines for two- and four-year programs,
and NAEYC Accreditation program

materials. The text of the NAEYC Code
is now widely included in early child-
hood textbooks.

A code is a living document. To
be vital and reflect the membership of
an organization, a code must be scru-
tinized regularly to ensure it reflects
the real issues and concerns of the
field and offers guidance relevant for
the times. It must respond to changes
and diversity in the organization’s
membership, to the moral climate of
the nation and society, and to new
challenges faced by the field. When
the NAEYC Governing Board accepted
and approved the
first NAEYC Code, it
decided that regu-
lar, periodic review
by the member-
ship should occur.
Based on review,
the NAEYC Code
may be affirmed,
updated, or revised.
The NAEYC
Code has been
reviewed/revised
three times—in
1992, 1997, and
2005. A review will
take place this
year, 2010. The first
two revisions of
the NAEYC Code,
in 1992 and 1997,
were minor. In 2005,
the field of early care and education
was changing and faced serious new
challenges, which led to fairly signifi-
cant revisions. A new core value was
added—the commitment to “Respect 
diversity in children, families, and
colleagues.” Increased demands for
assessment of children’s learning led
to the addition of nine new statements
about the assessment strategies and
instruments that are appropriate to
use with young children. Before 2005
the NAEYC Code had not addressed

child assessment because the issue
had never come up.
In addition, in recognition of the
need for early childhood educators
to be effective advocates for children,
NAEYC added new Ideals (Collective)
in Section 4 of the Code, Ethical
Responsibilities to Community and 
Society: 

I-4.3—To work through education,
research, and advocacy toward an
environmentally safe world in which
all children receive health care, food
and shelter; are nurtured; and live
free from violence in their home and
their communities.

I-4.4—To work through education,
research, and advocacy toward a
society in which all young children
have access to high-quality early 
care and education programs.

Creating supplements to the code
for adult educators and program
administrators also illustrates how
work on ethics responds to the needs
of various segments of the early care
and education field.

NAEYC is committed to making the Code available
and keeping it visible to our membership through
its activities and with supporting literature.

Ethics and the future in early
care and education

More than 25 years ago, we had just
begun the work to develop a code of
ethics. Now, a whole new generation of
early childhood educators is on board
in programs, schools, centers, and fam-
ily child care homes, as well as scores
of related specialists, including adult
educators, officials in licensing and pro-
gram monitoring, and other positions.
I envision a new future of ethical edu-
cators in early childhood education,
expanding their thinking and being
strengthened in their ethical decisions
and resolutions by the strong founda-
tion of the NAEYC Code that exists and
responds to needs and change in the
early care and education field.
I envision a time when early child-
hood educators

• grow in their commitment to mak-
ing the Code of Ethical Conduct an
important part of their daily work with
children and adults;

• become more skilled in understand-
ing ethics and using the NAEYC Code
not as an answer book but as a stimu-
lus for serious thought and reflection
about ethical responsibilities;

• recognize that the NAEYC Code
belongs to them and participate in the
ongoing work on ethics;

• commit themselves to helping others,
both within and outside the early child-
hood field, to know about educators’
strong moral commitment to children
and to a code of ethics, which will hap-
pen because we have shown the posi-
tive effects of ethical guidance on the
welfare of children and on our sense of
competence and professional identity;

• have access to consistent and effec-
tive training in professional ethics to
help them meet their moral commit-
ments to children and families; and

• help educators of older children
become more aware of the importance
of professional ethics by modeling
good practice, which will happen
because our work has some valuable
information for these educators: ACEI 
(Association for Childhood Education
International) has endorsed the
Code. In addition, NAFCC (National
Association for Family Child Care) has
adopted the Code.

My hope too is that we use our
moral commitment as educators to
further the collective ideals of seek-
ing a safe world, ensuring high-quality 
early childhood programs for every
child, and becoming ever more skilled
in making our Code of Ethical Conduct
the basis for successful advocacy
addressing the needs of young chil-
dren and their families.
Work on the practice of ethics
provides opportunities for people in
different roles and with different per-
spectives to focus on shared values.
Paying attention to professional ethics
can strengthen the community of early
childhood educators and remind us to
keep our moral compasses pointed in
the direction of achieving what is best
for all young children and all families.

References
Feeney, S., & K. Kipnis. 1985. Professional

ethics in early childhood education. Young
Children 40 (3): 54–58.

Katz, L., & E. Ward. 1991. Ethical behavior in
early childhood education. Expanded ed.
Washington, DC: NAEYC.

NAEYC. 2005. Code of ethical conduct & state-
ment of commitment. Brochure. Rev. ed. 
Washington, DC: Author. www.naeyc.org/
positionstatements/ethical_conduct

NAEYC. 2004. Code of ethical conduct: Supple-
ment for early childhood adult educators. A
joint position statement of the National Asso-
ciation for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC), National Association of Early Child-
hood Teacher Educators (NAECTE), and
American Associate Degree Early Childhood
Teacher Educators (ACCESS). www.naeyc.
org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ethics04

NAEYC. 2006. Code of ethical conduct: Supple-
ment for early childhood program adminis-
trators. A position statement of the National
Association for the Education of Young Chil-
dren (NAEYC). www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/
file/positions/PSETH05_supp

NCNS (National Committee on Nursery
Schools). 1929. Minimum essentials for
nursery school education. New York: NANE
(National Association for Nursery Educa-
tion, predecessor to NAEYC).

Resources
Feeney, S., & N.K. Freeman. 2002. Early childhood

education as an emerging profession: Ongoing 
conversations. Exchange (143): 38–41.

Feeney, S., & N.K. Freeman. 2005. Ethics and the
early childhood educator: Using the NAEYC
Code. 2005 code ed. Washington DC: NAEYC.

Feeney, S., N.K. Freeman, & E. Moravcik. 2008.
Teaching the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct.
Rev. ed. Washington DC: NAEYC. 

Freeman, N.K., & S. Feeney. 2004. The NAEYC
Code is a living document. Young Children 59
(6): 12–16.

Freeman, N.K., & S. Feeney. 2009. Professional-
ism and ethics in early care and education.
In Continuing Issues in Early Childhood Edu-
cation, 3rd ed., eds. S. Feeney, A. Galper &
C. Seefeldt, 196–21. Upper Saddle River, NJ: 
Merrill/Pearson.

Copyright © 2010 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See Permissions and Reprints
online at www.naeyc.org/yc/permissions.

A code must respond to
changes and diversity in
the organization’s mem-
bership, to the moral
climate of the nation and
society, and to new chal-
lenges faced by the field.

View an Online Series of Videos
Featuring

the naeYC Code of ethical Conduct

Conversations with Stephanie
Feeney and Peter Pizzolongo

Author Stephanie Feeney and NAEYC
senior director for professional devel-
opment, Peter Pizzolongo, discuss the
history of the NAEYC Code’s develop-
ment and subsequent revisions, the
importance of a code of ethics for a
profession, and the elements of the
NAEYC Code.
The Feeney/Pizzolongo conversa-
tions demonstrate a process for using
the NAEYC Code to address ethical
dilemmas. They explore strategies for
furthering recognition of the code and
its use by all who provide services to
young children and their families. The
series includes seven videos, vary-
ing in length of viewing time, and are
accessible at www.naeyc.org/yc.
Additional resources for teaching
about and using the NAEYC Code of
Ethical Conduct are available on the
NAEYC Web site:

www.naeyc.org/ecp/resources.

Code of Ethical Conduct
and Statement of Commitment

A position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children

Preamble
NAEYC recognizes that those who work with young
children face many daily decisions that have moral and
ethical implications. The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
offers guidelines for responsible behavior and sets forth a
common basis for resolving the principal ethical dilemmas
encountered in early childhood care and education. The
Statement of Commitment is not part of the Code but is a
personal acknowledgement of an individual’s willingness to
embrace the distinctive values and moral obligations of the
field of early childhood care and education.
The primary focus of the Code is on daily practice with
children and their families in programs for children from birth
through 8 years of age, such as infant/toddler programs,
preschool and prekindergarten programs, child care centers,
hospital and child life settings, family child care homes,
kindergartens, and primary classrooms. When the issues
involve young children, then these provisions also apply to
specialists who do not work directly with children, including
program administrators, parent educators, early childhood
adult educators, and officials with responsibility for program
monitoring and licensing. (Note: See also the “Code of Ethi-
cal Conduct: Supplement for Early Childhood Adult Educa-
tors,” online at www.naeyc.org/about/positions/pdf/ethics04.
pdf. and the “Code of Ethical Conduct: Supplement for Early
Childhood Program Administrators,” online at http://www.
naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05_supp )

Core values

Standards of ethical behavior in early childhood care
and education are based on commitment to the follow-
ing core values that are deeply rooted in the history of
the field of early childhood care and education. We have
made a commitment to
• Appreciate childhood as a unique and valuable stage of
the human life cycle
• Base our work on knowledge of how children develop
and learn
• Appreciate and support the bond between the child
and family
• Recognize that children are best understood and sup-
ported in the context of family, culture,* community, and
society
• Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each
individual (child, family member, and colleague)
• Respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues
• Recognize that children and adults achieve their full
potential in the context of relationships that are based
on trust and respect

* The term culture includes ethnicity, racial identity, economic
level, family structure, language, and religious and political beliefs,
which profoundly influence each child’s development and relation-
ship to the world.

Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

POSITION STATEMENT

Revised April 2005,
Reaffirmed and Updated May 2011

Endorsed by the Association for Childhood Education International and

Southern Early Childhood Association

Adopted by the National Association for Family Child Care

2NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011

Conceptual framework

The Code sets forth a framework of professional respon-
sibilities in four sections. Each section addresses an area
of professional relationships: (1) with children, (2) with
families, (3) among colleagues, and (4) with the commu-
nity and society. Each section includes an introduction
to the primary responsibilities of the early childhood
practitioner in that context. The introduction is followed
by a set of ideals (I) that reflect exemplary professional
practice and by a set of principles (P) describing prac-
tices that are required, prohibited, or permitted.
The ideals reflect the aspirations of practitioners.
The principles guide conduct and assist practitioners in
resolving ethical dilemmas.* Both ideals and principles
are intended to direct practitioners to those questions
which, when responsibly answered, can provide the
basis for conscientious decision making. While the Code
provides specific direction for addressing some ethical
dilemmas, many others will require the practitioner to
combine the guidance of the Code with professional
judgment.
The ideals and principles in this Code present a
shared framework of professional responsibility that
affirms our commitment to the core values of our field.
The Code publicly acknowledges the responsibilities
that we in the field have assumed, and in so doing sup-
ports ethical behavior in our work. Practitioners who
face situations with ethical dimensions are urged to seek
guidance in the applicable parts of this Code and in the
spirit that informs the whole.
Often “the right answer”—the best ethical course of
action to take—is not obvious. There may be no readily
apparent, positive way to handle a situation. When one
important value contradicts another, we face an ethical
dilemma. When we face a dilemma, it is our professional
responsibility to consult the Code and all relevant par-
ties to find the most ethical resolution.

Section I

Ethical Responsibilities to Children

Childhood is a unique and valuable stage in the human
life cycle. Our paramount responsibility is to provide
care and education in settings that are safe, healthy,
nurturing, and responsive for each child. We are commit-

ted to supporting children’s development and learning;
respecting individual differences; and helping children
learn to live, play, and work cooperatively. We are also
committed to promoting children’s self-awareness, com-
petence, self-worth, resiliency, and physical well-being.

Ideals

I-1.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early
childhood care and education and to stay informed
through continuing education and training.

I-1.2—To base program practices upon current knowl-
edge and research in the field of early childhood educa-
tion, child development, and related disciplines, as well
as on particular knowledge of each child.

I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities,
abilities, and potential of each child.

I-1.4—To appreciate the vulnerability of children and
their dependence on adults.

I-1.5—To create and maintain safe and healthy settings
that foster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and
physical development and that respect their dignity
and their contributions.

I-1.6—To use assessment instruments and strategies
that are appropriate for the children to be assessed,
that are used only for the purposes for which they
were designed, and that have the potential to benefit
children.

I-1.7—To use assessment information to understand
and support children’s development and learning, to
support instruction, and to identify children who may
need additional services.

I-1.8—To support the right of each child to play and
learn in an inclusive environment that meets the needs
of children with and without disabilities.

I-1.9—To advocate for and ensure that all children,
including those with special needs, have access to the
support services needed to be successful.

I-1.10—To ensure that each child’s culture, language,
ethnicity, and family structure are recognized and val-
ued in the program.

I-1.11—To provide all children with experiences in a
language that they know, as well as support children
in maintaining the use of their home language and in
learning English.

I-1.12—To work with families to provide a safe and
smooth transition as children and families move from
one program to the next.

* There is not necessarily a corresponding principle for each ideal.

Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

3NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011

Principles

P-1.1—Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall
not participate in practices that are emotionally dam-
aging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading,
dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children.
This principle has precedence over all others in
this Code.

P-1.2—We shall care for and educate children in positive
emotional and social environments that are cognitively
stimulating and that support each child’s culture, lan-
guage, ethnicity, and family structure.

P-1.3—We shall not participate in practices that discrimi-
nate against children by denying benefits, giving special
advantages, or excluding them from programs or
activities on the basis of their sex, race, national origin,
immigration status, preferred home language, religious
beliefs, medical condition, disability, or the marital
status/family structure, sexual orientation, or religious
beliefs or other affiliations of their families. (Aspects of
this principle do not apply in programs that have a law-
ful mandate to provide services to a particular popula-
tion of children.)

P-1.4—We shall use two-way communications to involve
all those with relevant knowledge (including families
and staff) in decisions concerning a child, as appropri-
ate, ensuring confidentiality of sensitive information.
(See also P-2.4.)

P-1.5—We shall use appropriate assessment systems,
which include multiple sources of information, to
provide information on children’s learning and devel-
opment.

P-1.6—We shall strive to ensure that decisions such as
those related to enrollment, retention, or assignment
to special education services, will be based on mul-
tiple sources of information and will never be based
on a single assessment, such as a test score or a single
observation.

P-1.7—We shall strive to build individual relationships
with each child; make individualized adaptations in
teaching strategies, learning environments, and cur-
ricula; and consult with the family so that each child
benefits from the program. If after such efforts have
been exhausted, the current placement does not meet
a child’s needs, or the child is seriously jeopardizing
the ability of other children to benefit from the pro-
gram, we shall collaborate with the child’s family and
appropriate specialists to determine the additional
services needed and/or the placement option(s) most
likely to ensure the child’s success. (Aspects of this

principle may not apply in programs that have a lawful
mandate to provide services to a particular population
of children.)

P-1.8—We shall be familiar with the risk factors for and
symptoms of child abuse and neglect, including physi-
cal, sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse and physical,
emotional, educational, and medical neglect. We shall
know and follow state laws and community procedures
that protect children against abuse and neglect.

P-1.9—When we have reasonable cause to suspect child
abuse or neglect, we shall report it to the appropri-
ate community agency and follow up to ensure that
appropriate action has been taken. When appropriate,
parents or guardians will be informed that the referral
will be or has been made.

P-1.10—When another person tells us of his or her
suspicion that a child is being abused or neglected, we
shall assist that person in taking appropriate action in
order to protect the child.

P-1.11—When we become aware of a practice or situa-
tion that endangers the health, safety, or well-being of
children, we have an ethical responsibility to protect
children or inform parents and/or others who can.

Section II

Ethical Responsibilities to Families

Families* are of primary importance in children’s de-
velopment. Because the family and the early childhood
practitioner have a common interest in the child’s well-
being, we acknowledge a primary responsibility to bring
about communication, cooperation, and collaboration
between the home and early childhood program in ways
that enhance the child’s development.

Ideals

I-2.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base related to
working effectively with families and to stay informed
through continuing education and training.

I-2.2—To develop relationships of mutual trust and cre-
ate partnerships with the families we serve.

I-2.3—To welcome all family members and encourage
them to participate in the program, including involve-
ment in shared decision making.

* The term family may include those adults, besides parents, with
the responsibility of being involved in educating, nurturing, and
advocating for the child.

Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

4NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011

I-2.4—To listen to families, acknowledge and build upon
their strengths and competencies, and learn from
families as we support them in their task of nurturing
children.

I-2.5—To respect the dignity and preferences of each
family and to make an effort to learn about its struc-
ture, culture, language, customs, and beliefs to ensure
a culturally consistent environment for all children and
families.

I-2.6—To acknowledge families’ childrearing values and
their right to make decisions for their children.

I-2.7—To share information about each child’s educa-
tion and development with families and to help them
understand and appreciate the current knowledge base
of the early childhood profession.

I-2.8—To help family members enhance their under-
standing of their children, as staff are enhancing their
understanding of each child through communications
with families, and support family members in the con-
tinuing development of their skills as parents.

I-2.9—To foster families’ efforts to build support net-
works and, when needed, participate in building
networks for families by providing them with oppor-
tunities to interact with program staff, other families,
community resources, and professional services.

Principles

P-2.1—We shall not deny family members access to their
child’s classroom or program setting unless access is
denied by court order or other legal restriction.

P-2.2—We shall inform families of program philosophy,
policies, curriculum, assessment system, cultural prac-
tices, and personnel qualifications, and explain why we
teach as we do—which should be in accordance with
our ethical responsibilities to children (see Section I).

P-2.3—We shall inform families of and, when appropri-
ate, involve them in policy decisions. (See also I-2.3.)

P-2.4—We shall ensure that the family is involved in sig-
nificant decisions affecting their child. (See also P-1.4.)

P-2.5—We shall make every effort to communicate effec-
tively with all families in a language that they under-
stand. We shall use community resources for transla-
tion and interpretation when we do not have sufficient
resources in our own programs.

P-2.6—As families share information with us about their
children and families, we shall ensure that families’ input
is an important contribution to the planning and imple-
mentation of the program.

P-2-7—We shall inform families about the nature and
purpose of the program’s child assessments and how
data about their child will be used.

P-2.8—We shall treat child assessment information con-
fidentially and share this information only when there
is a legitimate need for it.

P-2.9—We shall inform the family of injuries and inci-
dents involving their child, of risks such as exposures
to communicable diseases that might result in infec-
tion, and of occurrences that might result in emotional
stress.

P-2.10—Families shall be fully informed of any proposed
research projects involving their children and shall
have the opportunity to give or withhold consent
without penalty. We shall not permit or participate in
research that could in any way hinder the education,
development, or well-being of children.

P-2.11—We shall not engage in or support exploitation
of families. We shall not use our relationship with a
family for private advantage or personal gain, or enter
into relationships with family members that might im-
pair our effectiveness working with their children.

P-2.12—We shall develop written policies for the protec-
tion of confidentiality and the disclosure of children’s
records. These policy documents shall be made avail-
able to all program personnel and families. Disclosure
of children’s records beyond family members, program
personnel, and consultants having an obligation of
confidentiality shall require familial consent (except in
cases of abuse or neglect).

P-2.13—We shall maintain confidentiality and shall re-
spect the family’s right to privacy, refraining from dis-
closure of confidential information and intrusion into
family life. However, when we have reason to believe
that a child’s welfare is at risk, it is permissible to share
confidential information with agencies, as well as with
individuals who have legal responsibility for interven-
ing in the child’s interest.

P-2.14—In cases where family members are in conflict
with one another, we shall work openly, sharing our
observations of the child, to help all parties involved
make informed decisions. We shall refrain from becom-
ing an advocate for one party.

P-2.15—We shall be familiar with and appropriately refer
families to community resources and professional sup-
port services. After a referral has been made, we shall
follow up to ensure that services have been appropri-
ately provided.

Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

5NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011

P-3A.3—We shall exercise care in expressing views
regarding the personal attributes or professional
conduct of co-workers. Statements should be based on
firsthand knowledge, not hearsay, and relevant to the
interests of children and programs.

P-3A.4—We shall not participate in practices that dis-
criminate against a co-worker because of sex, race, na-
tional origin, religious beliefs or other affiliations, age,
marital status/family structure, disability, or sexual
orientation.

B—Responsibilities to employers

Ideals
I-3B.1—To assist the program in providing the highest

quality of service.
I-3B.2—To do nothing that diminishes the reputation

of the program in which we work unless it is violating
laws and regulations designed to protect children or is
violating the provisions of this Code.

Principles

P-3B.1—We shall follow all program policies. When we
do not agree with program policies, we shall attempt
to effect change through constructive action within the
organization.

P-3B.2—We shall speak or act on behalf of an organiza-
tion only when authorized. We shall take care to ac-
knowledge when we are speaking for the organization
and when we are expressing a personal judgment.

P-3B.3—We shall not violate laws or regulations de-
signed to protect children and shall take appropriate
action consistent with this Code when aware of such
violations.

P-3B.4—If we have concerns about a colleague’s be-
havior, and children’s well-being is not at risk, we may
address the concern with that individual. If children
are at risk or the situation does not improve after it has
been brought to the colleague’s attention, we shall re-
port the colleague’s unethical or incompetent behavior
to an appropriate authority.

P-3B.5—When we have a concern about circumstances
or conditions that impact the quality of care and
education within the program, we shall inform the
program’s administration or, when necessary, other
appropriate authorities.

Section III

Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues
In a caring, cooperative workplace, human dignity is re-
spected, professional satisfaction is promoted, and posi-
tive relationships are developed and sustained. Based
upon our core values, our primary responsibility to
colleagues is to establish and maintain settings and rela-
tionships that support productive work and meet profes-
sional needs. The same ideals that apply to children also
apply as we interact with adults in the workplace. (Note:
Section III includes responsibilities to co-workers and to
employers. See the “Code of Ethical Conduct: Supple-
ment for Early Childhood Program Administrators” for
responsibilities to personnel (employees in the original
2005 Code revision), online at http://www.naeyc.org/
files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05_supp .)

A—Responsibilities to co-workers

Ideals

I-3A.1—To establish and maintain relationships of re-
spect, trust, confidentiality, collaboration, and coop-
eration with co-workers.

I-3A.2—To share resources with co-workers, collaborat-
ing to ensure that the best possible early childhood
care and education program is provided.

I-3A.3—To support co-workers in meeting their profes-
sional needs and in their professional development.

I-3A.4—To accord co-workers due recognition of profes-
sional achievement.

Principles

P-3A.1—We shall recognize the contributions of col-
leagues to our program and not participate in practices
that diminish their reputations or impair their effec-
tiveness in working with children and families.

P-3A.2—When we have concerns about the professional
behavior of a co-worker, we shall first let that person
know of our concern in a way that shows respect for
personal dignity and for the diversity to be found
among staff members, and then attempt to resolve the
matter collegially and in a confidential manner.

Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

6NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011

Section IV

Ethical Responsibilities to Community
and Society

Early childhood programs operate within the context
of their immediate community made up of families and
other institutions concerned with children’s welfare.
Our responsibilities to the community are to provide
programs that meet the diverse needs of families, to
cooperate with agencies and professions that share the
responsibility for children, to assist families in gaining
access to those agencies and allied professionals, and to
assist in the development of community programs that
are needed but not currently available.
As individuals, we acknowledge our responsibility to
provide the best possible programs of care and educa-
tion for children and to conduct ourselves with honesty
and integrity. Because of our specialized expertise
in early childhood development and education and
because the larger society shares responsibility for the
welfare and protection of young children, we acknowl-
edge a collective obligation to advocate for the best
interests of children within early childhood programs
and in the larger community and to serve as a voice for
young children everywhere.
The ideals and principles in this section are presented
to distinguish between those that pertain to the work of
the individual early childhood educator and those that
more typically are engaged in collectively on behalf of
the best interests of children—with the understanding
that individual early childhood educators have a shared
responsibility for addressing the ideals and principles
that are identified as “collective.”

Ideal (Individual)

1-4.1—To provide the community with high-quality early
childhood care and education programs and services.

Ideals (Collective)

I-4.2—To promote cooperation among professionals and
agencies and interdisciplinary collaboration among
professions concerned with addressing issues in the
health, education, and well-being of young children,
their families, and their early childhood educators.

I-4.3—To work through education, research, and advo-
cacy toward an environmentally safe world in which
all children receive health care, food, and shelter; are
nurtured; and live free from violence in their home and
their communities.

I-4.4—To work through education, research, and ad-
vocacy toward a society in which all young children
have access to high-quality early care and education
programs.

I-4.5—To work to ensure that appropriate assessment
systems, which include multiple sources of informa-
tion, are used for purposes that benefit children.

I-4.6—To promote knowledge and understanding of
young children and their needs. To work toward
greater societal acknowledgment of children’s rights
and greater social acceptance of responsibility for the
well-being of all children.

I-4.7—To support policies and laws that promote the
well-being of children and families, and to work to
change those that impair their well-being. To partici-
pate in developing policies and laws that are needed,
and to cooperate with families and other individuals
and groups in these efforts.

I-4.8—To further the professional development of the
field of early childhood care and education and to
strengthen its commitment to realizing its core values
as reflected in this Code.

Principles (Individual)

P-4.1—We shall communicate openly and truthfully
about the nature and extent of services that we pro-
vide.

P-4.2—We shall apply for, accept, and work in positions
for which we are personally well-suited and profession-
ally qualified. We shall not offer services that we do not
have the competence, qualifications, or resources to
provide.

P-4.3—We shall carefully check references and shall not
hire or recommend for employment any person whose
competence, qualifications, or character makes him or
her unsuited for the position.

P-4.4—We shall be objective and accurate in report-
ing the knowledge upon which we base our program
practices.

P-4.5—We shall be knowledgeable about the appropri-
ate use of assessment strategies and instruments and
interpret results accurately to families.

Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

7NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011

P-4.6—We shall be familiar with laws and regulations
that serve to protect the children in our programs and
be vigilant in ensuring that these laws and regulations
are followed.

P-4.7—When we become aware of a practice or situa-
tion that endangers the health, safety, or well-being of
children, we have an ethical responsibility to protect
children or inform parents and/or others who can.

P-4.8—We shall not participate in practices that are in
violation of laws and regulations that protect the chil-
dren in our programs.

P-4.9—When we have evidence that an early childhood
program is violating laws or regulations protecting
children, we shall report the violation to appropriate au-
thorities who can be expected to remedy the situation.

P-4.10—When a program violates or requires its em-
ployees to violate this Code, it is permissible, after fair
assessment of the evidence, to disclose the identity of
that program.

Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

Principles (Collective)

P-4.11—When policies are enacted for purposes that do
not benefit children, we have a collective responsibility
to work to change these policies.

P-4-12—When we have evidence that an agency that
provides services intended to ensure children’s well-
being is failing to meet its obligations, we acknowledge
a collective ethical responsibility to report the problem
to appropriate authorities or to the public. We shall be
vigilant in our follow-up until the situation is resolved.

P-4.13—When a child protection agency fails to provide
adequate protection for abused or neglected children,
we acknowledge a collective ethical responsibility to
work toward the improvement of these services.

8NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011

Code of Ethics . Defines the core values of the field and
provides guidance for what professionals should
do when they encounter conflicting obligations or
responsibilities in their work.

Values . Qualities or principles that individuals believe
to be desirable or worthwhile and that they prize for
themselves, for others, and for the world in which
they live.

Core Values . Commitments held by a profession that
are consciously and knowingly embraced by its
practitioners because they make a contribution to
society. There is a difference between personal val-
ues and the core values of a profession.

Morality . Peoples’ views of what is good, right, and
proper; their beliefs about their obligations; and
their ideas about how they should behave.

Ethics . The study of right and wrong, or duty and
obligation, that involves critical reflection on moral-
ity and the ability to make choices between values
and the examination of the moral dimensions of
relationships.

Professional Ethics . The moral commitments of a
profession that involve moral reflection that extends

and enhances the personal morality practitioners
bring to their work, that concern actions of right and
wrong in the workplace, and that help individuals re-
solve moral dilemmas they encounter in their work.

Ethical Responsibilities . Behaviors that one must
or must not engage in. Ethical responsibilities are
clear-cut and are spelled out in the Code of Ethical
Conduct (for example, early childhood educators
should never share confidential information about a
child or family with a person who has no legitimate
need for knowing).

Ethical Dilemma . A moral conflict that involves
determining appropriate conduct when an indi-
vidual faces conflicting professional values and
responsibilities.

Sources for glossary terms and definitions

Feeney, S., & N. Freeman. 2005. Ethics and the early childhood
educator: Using the NAEYC code. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Kidder, R.M. 1995. How good people make tough choices: Resolv-
ing the dilemmas of ethical living. New York: Fireside.

Kipnis, K. 1987. How to discuss professional ethics. Young Chil-
dren 42 (4): 26–30.

Glossary of Terms Related to Ethics

Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

The National Association for the Education of Young Chil-
dren (NAEYC) is a nonprofit corporation, tax exempt under
Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, dedicated to
acting on behalf of the needs and interests of young children.
The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct (Code) has been de-
veloped in furtherance of NAEYC’s nonprofit and tax exempt
purposes. The information contained in the Code is intended
to provide early childhood educators with guidelines for work-
ing with children from birth through age 8.
An individual’s or program’s use, reference to, or review
of the Code does not guarantee compliance with NAEYC
Early Childhood Program Standards and Accreditation Per-
formance Criteria and program accreditation procedures. It is
recommended that the Code be used as guidance in connec-
tion with implementation of the NAEYC Program Standards,
but such use is not a substitute for diligent review and appli-
cation of the NAEYC Program Standards.
NAEYC has taken reasonable measures to develop the
Code in a fair, reasonable, open, unbiased, and objective
manner, based on currently available data. However, further

Mary Ambery , Ruth Ann Ball, James Clay, Julie Olsen
Edwards, Harriet Egertson, Anthony Fair, Stephanie
Feeney, Jana Fleming, Nancy Freeman, Marla Israel,
Allison McKinnon, Evelyn Wright Moore, Eva Moravcik,
Christina Lopez Morgan, Sarah Mulligan, Nila Rinehart,
Betty Holston Smith, and Peter Pizzolongo, NAEYC Staff

NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
2005 Revisions Workgroup

research or developments may change the current state
of knowledge. Neither NAEYC nor its officers, directors,
members, employees, or agents will be liable for any loss,
damage, or claim with respect to any liabilities, including
direct, special, indirect, or consequential damages incurred
in connection with the Code or reliance on the information
presented.

9NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Revised May 2011

* This Statement of Commitment is not part of the Code but is a personal acknowledgment of
the individual’s willingness to embrace the distinctive values and moral obligations of the field
of early childhood care and education. It is recognition of the moral obligations that lead to an
individual becoming part of the profession.

As an individual who works with young children, I commit myself to furthering the
values of early childhood education as they are reflected in the ideals and prin-
ciples of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct. To the best of my ability I will

• Never harm children.

• Ensure that programs for young children are based on current knowledge and
research of child development and early childhood education.

• Respect and support families in their task of nurturing children.

• Respect colleagues in early childhood care and education and support them in
maintaining the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct.

• Serve as an advocate for children, their families, and their teachers in community
and society.

• Stay informed of and maintain high standards of professional conduct.

• Engage in an ongoing process of self-reflection, realizing that personal characteris-
tics, biases, and beliefs have an impact on children and families.

• Be open to new ideas and be willing to learn from the suggestions of others.

• Continue to learn, grow, and contribute as a professional.

• Honor the ideals and principles of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct.

Statement of Commitment*

Copyright © 2011 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children