DEFINITION: "Discipline" means the ongoing process of helping children to develop self-control for self-management while protecting and maintaining the integrity of the child

A. POSITIVE DISCIPLINE

    1. Caregivers shall use positive discipline, which shall include the following:

        a. Communicate to children using positive statements.

        b. Encourage children with adult support, to use their own words and solutions in order to resolve their own interpersonal conflicts.

        c. Communicate with children by getting down to their eye level and talking to them in a calm quiet manner about what behavior is expected.

B. INAPPROPRIATE DISCIPLINE

    1. Any person, while on child care premises, shall not engage in any of the following actions toward children:

        a. Inflict corporal punishment in any manner upon a child’s body.

        b. Hit, spank, beat, shake, pinch, or any other measure that produces physical discomfort.

        c. Cruel, harsh, unusual, humiliating, or frightening methods of discipline, including threatening the use of physical punishment.

        d. Placement in a locked or dark room.

        e. Public or private humiliation, yelling, or abusive or profane language.

C. Staff shall not associate disciplinary action or rewards with rest, food, or toileting.

D. Caregivers shall not:

    1. Use time out for any child less than three (3) years of age.

    2. Use time out for any purpose other than to enable the child to regain control.

    3. Physically restrain children except:

        a. when it is necessary to ensure their own safety or that of others;

        b. only for as long as it is necessary for control of the situation.

E. DISCIPLINE DOCUMENTATION/COMMUNICATION TO PARENTS

    1. This Policy shall be distributed to parents and staff.

    2. Caregivers shall have ongoing communication between home and day care regarding all aspects of the care of the child.

    3. Caregivers shall document any history of recurring discipline problems and subsequent formal parent conferences in the child’s record.

    4. In cases of recurring or severe misbehavior, parents will be contacted so that we may work things out together. If the misbehavior continues the Director may place the child on a two week probationary period. If the situation does not improve, or a plan cannot be implemented for improvement during the probationary period, parents will have one week to withdraw their child from the Child Care.