Behaviour Management Policies

Discipline is a complex matter and there are many different views on how it should be achieved. Our centre considers the individual needs of all children. Behavior Guidelines are determined by three rules:

• Respect yourself
• Respect Others (children & adults)
• Respect the learning Environment, equipment & materials

Everyone makes mistakes as they learn and grow, so we anticipate that children will have some difficulties in behavior. Our goal is to teach children self-discipline in a positive and respectful manner by modeling the appropriate behaviours, giving examples, and giving them the tools from which to learn good choices from inappropriate choices.

Children are provided with opportunities to make choices. This supports the development of self-control and minimizes frustration.

• Educators will help children label their feelings and discuss conflict situations with children and provide alternatives and guidance and help them resolve disputes.
• Educators will help children gain self-control through this support or by redirecting them to another choice and or activity.
• The Centre may also use “thinking times” as a form of behaviour management. For example, if a child hits another child, the child that did the hitting will be separated to another part of the room and asked to think about what they did and why they did it. This strategy is dependent upon a child’s age as well. For the younger children, language may not be developed enough, in which case the staff would help the child to learn to use their words.
• Children who continue to misbehave after being spoken to may be removed from the situation and ask to have quiet time until they gain self-control. They then will be redirected to another activity.
• Educators will focus on the child’s behavior and not their character. Redirection is a large part of ageappropriate behavior management.
• The Centre reserves the right to seek external support and suggestions from a behavioural consultant for children with persistent and disruptive behavior.
• The Executive Director/Assistant Director (ED/AD) will be made aware of the staff’s concerns regarding any child’s persistent and disruptive behaviour. The ED/AD will then discuss these concerns with the parents/guardian. At the initial discussion, the problem(s) will be identified, and a plan of action agreed upon by the parent and the ED/AD. The plan of action will include a stated period for resolution/improvement of the problem. If the situation continues, the ED/AD will recommend the consideration of professional assessment being initiated by the parent. Upon refusal to initiate such assessment and continuation of the problem, the Board of Directors will be notified of the situation. At such time, upon the Board of Director’s direction, the centre may terminate childcare services effective immediately.

No child will endure any verbal (embarrassing or degrading) or physical (hitting, pushing) abuse of any kind. Abuse also includes withholding the necessities such as food and toileting needs. These are serious matters and will not be tolerated in any way.

For serious incidents, such as hitting or hurting another child, incident reports will be written for parents/guardians to read and sign at the end of the day. The only situation in which a child would be physically removed would be in which the child is engaging in behaviour which could injure or endanger themselves, or any of the other children or staff. Children who pose a threat to others, who have not learned to control aggressive behaviour even after intervention, may be subject to suspension, may be asked to leave the Centre until they can participate fully in the program or withdrawn from the Centre.