4.17 Behavior Management Policy

It is the policy of the Center and the laws of the State of North Carolina to neither spank nor physically punish a child. A constructive technique for managing behavior and maintaining a child’s self worth will be applied. The Director and administrative team will provide guidance in these skills. The goal of behavior management is to teach the child self-control and self-correcting techniques. Employees are required to sign a statement stating they will follow the FEELC guidelines for child behavior management. 

While each child and each behavioral situation is unique, we shall use a few basic management strategies to help the child learn to manage his/her own behavior. For example, we shall focus our attention on positive behavior while ignoring negative behavior. In addition, when negative behavior arises, we shall redirect the child to another activity. When conflicts arise, problem solving and addressing of feelings will occur. Room arrangement shall be inviting and classroom activities shall be stimulating in order to reduce behavioral problems. Directions or suggestions are stated simply and positively. Actions of the child, not the child’s personality, are the focus. Corrective action will be immediate. Consistency will be maintained. Children will not be isolated, denied food, sleep, or bathroom use due to negative behavior. 

First Environments works closely with community organizations who provide services for young children. Professionals help to identify the function of the behavior and work with families and staff to develop individualized plans to address behaviors.

First Environments will make every attempt to work with the individual child and family to address difficult behavior in the classroom. It is our goal to limit the use of suspension, expulsion and other exclusionary measures.

Under extreme situations, First Environments may require a parent to pick up their child due to aggressive or uncontrollable behavior. Persistent uncontrollable behavior and/or serious hurtful behaviors are not compatible with group care for a number of reasons. First, the safety and well being of the other children and teachers need to be protected. Second, this behavior requires a significant amount of one-on-one attention from the classroom’s primary teachers, and therefore effectively puts the classroom out of ratio. This puts a stress on the whole classroom, as teachers are not able to provide the other children with the attention that is essential for quality care.

Recurrent Uncontrollable Behavior:

It is the goal of FEELC to work proactively and constructively on behavioral issues with each child and family using the strategies described above.  However, if a child displays persistent uncontrollable behavior and the above approaches are to no avail, the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be required to remove the child from FEELC immediately.

Admitting the child back into FEELC will only occur after appropriate steps have been taken by the parent(s)/guardian(s) to correct the child’s behavior, and only after consultation between the Executive Director and the parent(s)/guardian(s).

For example:

  • A child repeatedly refuses to participate in necessary routines and/or activities (hand washing, resting/napping, toileting, meals, or staying within sight and sound of the group) and they require one to one teacher assistance.

  • A child becomes dependent on direct teacher assistance in order to cope with their typical emotional needs or to prevent unacceptable behaviors.

  • A child displays age inappropriate tantrums that last longer than twenty-minutes and/or occurs more than three times in one day.

  • A child needs to be separated from the group more than two times in one day.

  • Persistent hurtful behavior and/or lack of self control

The Center’s behavior management policy does not allow threats or physical punishment by staff. Parents must abide by the same policy when in the Center. Children are subject to suspension for a period of two weeks should parents violate Center policy. Fees will be required during the two-week suspension to ensure the child’s slot is available at the end of the suspended period. 

Parents are required to sign the Enrollment Agreement which states: 

I HAVE READ AND AGREE TO ALL OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THOSE OF THE PARENT’S HANDBOOK. THE PARENT HANDBOOK IS ACCESSABLE ON THE FEELC WEB-SITE: http://www.firstenvironments.org

 

Last updated: 12/14/2019