The following people are expected to behave in a respectful manner and comply with this code of conduct:

• management and staff members,
• children,
• parents/guardians of children enrolled,
• parents/guardians of children being placed on our waiting list or already on the list,
• all others involved with our centre including therapists, school personnel, practicum students, licensing coordinators and inspectors, contractors/maintenance service providers, etc.

Guiding Principles for Appropriate Behaviour

• Be Respectful-We are respectful of ourselves and other people. We are respectful of the ideas and feelings of others. We are respectful of the environment, equipment, and materials,
• Be Responsible-We are responsible for our actions and words. We treat each other as we want to be treated. When we make a mistake, we make amends and repairs rather than excuses,
• Be Safe-We work and play safely to help keep ourselves and others from getting hurt,
• Be Cooperative-We solve our problems by talking and listening to each other respectfully to find a solution. When we cannot solve a problem ourselves, we ask for help,
• Be Supportive of Learning-We learn to the best of our abilities and support the learning of others.

Proactive Strategies

We will actively strive to create and maintain an environment that supports the health, safety, and well-being of everyone associated with our Facility by employing pro-active strategies and appropriate policies and procedures. This includes:

• -Developing positive relationships, including making time to talk and listen,
• Establishing clear, consistent, simple limits and stating limits in a positive way,
• Providing explanations for limits, rules, procedures and policies,
• Role-modeling and encouraging appropriate behavior,
• Working together in partnership to solve problems,
• Having realistic and developmentally appropriate expectations for behavior,
• Ensuring our environment, our program and all materials used in our program meet the needs and interests of children and others associated with our program, and that they encourage appropriate behavior and reduce the potential for inappropriate behavior,
• Establishing consistent, yet flexible schedules and routines that help children gain trust, security and self-control.

Developmental Capabilities of Children

We recognize the varying developmental capabilities of children and understand that it is normal for children to display inappropriate behavior at times for a variety of reasons. The developmental capabilities of each child will always be considered when determining both expectations for appropriate behavior and consequences for inappropriate behavior.

Unacceptable Behaviours

The following behaviors are unacceptable and will not be tolerated:

• -All forms of bullying (physical, verbal, emotional, social or cyber-bullying including comments, actions or visual displays that are intentional, hurtful and repetitive. For example: hitting, pushing, name-calling, mocking, excluding someone, spreading rumors or gossip either in person or by using social networking internet sites, public networking/ file sharing sites or any other type of internet website,
• Harassment, including behavior that degrades, demeans, humiliates or embarrasses someone that a reasonable person would know is unwelcome,
• All forms of abuse (sexual, physical, or psychological) including verbally, in writing or otherwise,
• Discrimination against any person or group because of their race, color, ancestry, nationality, place of origin, ethnic background, religion, age, sex, gender-determined characteristics, sexual orientation, marital or family status, source of income, political belief, and physical or mental disability,
• Actions that put another person at risk of harm,
• The inappropriate use of technology, including e-mail, the internet, and other technology, in keeping with the Facility’s policy on the use of technology.

Consequences for Inappropriate Behaviour

Individuals found breaching the Code of Conduct or for displaying any form of inappropriate behaviors outlined in this Code will be subject to disciplinary action. The disciplinary action and resulting consequences will depend on the severity, nature, the circumstances, and the frequency surrounding the inappropriate behavior. The Facility recognizes the importance of ensuring any consequences are pre-planned, fair, consistent and, in the case of children, based on the level of a child’s development. We also recognize that consequences should be an opportunity to learn, not only one of discipline. In keeping with this, we will ensure, whenever practicable, that any resulting consequences are based on discussion and a cooperative approach and that they provide opportunities for the person to change his/her behavior.
This code of conduct sets out the expectations for respectful behaviors within our facility and is meant to assist in maintaining a safe, caring learning environment for all who participate in our program.