Ethical Conduct

Imagine you are an early childhood professional and you notice that a child is coming to school with dirty clothes and has an unkempt appearance. There is a noticeable difference in the child from the beginning of the year. You schedule a visit to the home and find that the mother has a debilitating illness, the washer is in need of repair, and that the father has taken on a double-shift to help pay for the mother's medications.

As you review the key foundations of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct, please respond to the following:

1. In this scenario, what considerations need to be made to ensure that the ethical responsibilities to the child and family are made?
2. How would you respond to this scenario?
3. What protective factors may be present in this scenario that can protect the child from possible trauma?