Section 7.05 - Interactions Among Adults and ChildrenThe following requirements apply to all programs, including family child care, small group and school age and large group and school age child care.
(1) Educators must be responsive to children's individual needs and support the development of self-esteem, self-expression, autonomy, social competence, and school readiness.(2) Educators must be nurturing and responsive to children by:(a) frequently expressing warmth to individual children through behaviors such as holding babies, social conversations (including response to babies' vocalizations), joint laughter, eye contact, and smiles, and communicating at children's eye level;(b) providing attentive, consistent, comforting, and culturally sensitive care;(c) being consistent and predictable in their physical and emotional care of children, and when implementing program rules and expectations;(d) recognizing signs of stress in children's behavior and responding with appropriate stress-reducing activities.(3) Educators must support children in the development of self-esteem, independence, and self-regulation by: (a) demonstrating courtesy and respect when interacting with children and adults;(b) encouraging appropriate expression of emotions, both positive (e.g. joy, pleasure, excitement) and negative (e.g., anger, frustration and sadness);(c) providing opportunities for children to develop self-help skills as they are ready; encouraging children's efforts, work and accomplishments;(d) assuring that all children have equal opportunities to take part in all activities and use all materials;(e) offering opportunities for children to make choices and decisions.(4) Educators must support children in the development of social competence by:(a) promoting interaction and language use among children and between children and adults by talking to and with children frequently;(b) encouraging children to share experiences and ideas;(c) modeling cooperation, problem-solving strategies and responsible behavior for children;(d) assisting children in learning social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and working together;(e) encouraging children to listen to, help, and support each other;(f) providing guidance to assist children in resolving conflicts, finding solutions to problems, and making decisions.(g) helping children to understand and respect people different from themselves;(h) helping children learn to respect each other's possessions and work;(i) helping children learn effective ways to deal with bullying, teasing, or other forms of intolerance.(5) Educators must provide guidance to children in a positive and consistent way based on an understanding of the individual needs and development of children by: (a) encouraging self-control and using positive child guidance techniques such as recognizing and reinforcing children's appropriate behaviors, having reasonable and positive expectations, setting clear and consistent limits, and redirecting;(b) helping children learn social, communication, and emotional regulation skills they can use in place of challenging behaviors;(c) using environmental modifications, activity modifications, adult or peer support, and other teaching strategies to encourage appropriate behavior and prevent challenging behaviors;(d) intervening quickly when children are physically aggressive with one another and helping them develop more positive strategies for resolving conflict;(e) explaining rules and procedures and the reasons for them to children, and where appropriate and feasible, allowing children to participate in the establishment of program rules, policies and procedures;(f) discussing behavior management techniques among staff to promote consistency.(6) Educators must have a method of communicating effectively with each child.(7) Educators must direct child guidance to the goal of maximizing the growth and development of children and protecting the group and the individuals within it.(8) The following practices are strictly prohibited:(a) spanking or other corporal punishment of children;(b) subjecting children to cruel or severe punishment such as humiliation, verbal or physical abuse, neglect, or abusive treatment including any type of physical hitting inflicted in any manner upon the body, shaking, threats, or derogatory remarks;(c) depriving children of outdoor time, meals or snacks; force feeding children or otherwise making them eat against their will, or in any way using food as a consequence;(d) disciplining a child for soiling, wetting, or not using the toilet; forcing a child to remain in soiled clothing or to remain on the toilet, or using any other unusual or excessive practices for toileting;(e) confining a child to a swing, high chair, crib, playpen or any other piece of equipment for an extended period of time in lieu of supervision; and(f) excessive time-out. Time-out may not exceed one minute for each year of the child's age and must take place within an educator's view.