Attachment A - HR-04 Standards of Conduct.pdf

HR-04 Standards of Conduct 
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Standards of Conduct 
POLICY NUMBER:  
HR-04 
SUBJECT: Professional Expectations of Staff, Volunteers, 
and Consultants 
 
PERFORMANCE 
STANDARD(S): 
1302.90(c)(1) and 1302.90 
(c)(2). 
PROGRAM AREA: Human Resources 
Approved by the Head Start Birth to Five Policy Council on  
Approved by the Head Start Birth to Five Governing Board on 
EFFECTIVE DATE: 1/18/11 
Revised 6/15/11; Revised 
4/16/2024 
 
POLICY 
 
The City of Phoenix Head Start Birth to Five Program sets high standards of conduct for 
its employees, contractors, partners, volunteers, and consultants. It is of utmost 
importance that all staff members are aware of their roles and responsibilities in 
ensuring the health and safety of all enrolled children. To achieve this, all staff must 
abide by the Head Start Program Performance Standard on safety practices and 
standards of conduct. This policy outlines the Head Start Birth to Five Program’s 
method of sustainable implementation by the current employees in accordance with the 
Head Start Program Performance Standard 1302.90(c)(1) and 1302.90(c)(2). 
 
The following applies to all Head Start Birth to Five Program staff, Education Service 
Providers (ESP) staff, contracted staff, interns, and volunteers (referred to as 
“persons”). 
 
NEW PERSONS TO THE PROGRAM 
 Before any person can provide services or work with children, the assigned 
supervisor must ensure the person has participated in the two-hour Standards of 
Conduct training in EDvantage. 
 
CITY OF PHOENIX 
Human Services Department 
Education Division 
 
Attachment A

HR-04 Standards of Conduct 
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 When the person has completed the training, the assigned supervisor will meet 
with them to review and sign the Head Start Birth to Five Program Standards of 
Conduct. 
 
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 
 All persons, as identified above, will receive professional development every 
quarter to ensure that they understand the expectations set forth in the standards 
of conduct. The professional development content will cover appropriate 
behaviors and actions that promote safe learning environments. Additionally, it 
will explicitly outline any inappropriate behaviors and actions that staff members 
are prohibited from implementing within the learning environment. 
 The Head Start Birth to Five Program will ensure that the Standards of Conduct 
Policy is reviewed and signed annually by all persons involved in the program. 
 
MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION AND VIOLATIONS 
 Implementation of the Standards of Conduct policy will be monitored through 
observations.   
 If a violation is observed, the observer will immediately take action by stepping in 
to support the classroom staff in addressing the incident and reporting to the 
Deputy Director and the ESP director.   
 
REPORTING VIOLATIONS 
 All violations of the Standards of Conduct policy must be reported within 24 hours 
to one of the Head Start Birth to Five administrative staff: Program Coordinators 
or the Deputy Director.   
 If any violation of the Standards of Conduct policy leads to a significant incident 
that affects the health and safety of a child or children, it is mandatory to report it 
to the Arizona Department of Child Safety and/or the Arizona Department of 
Health Services, Child Care Licensing Bureau. The person who witnessed the 
violation or has knowledge of it must report it immediately.

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 The violation must be reported via a Child Incident Report in ChildPlus within 
three (3) calendar days. 
 The Deputy Director will use the information in the Child Incident Report to 
submit a comprehensive report to the Office of Head Start within seven (7) 
calendar days of the incident (45 CFR §1302.102). This includes any violations of 
supervision, unauthorized release, or inappropriate discipline. 
 The agency the violator reports to will follow their discipline policy and report the 
outcome to the Head Start Birth to Five Deputy Director within 14 calendar days. 
 
FOLLOW-UP AFTER A VIOLATION 
 The Head Start Birth to Five administration will work with the Education Service 
Provider or agency to identify the root cause of the violation. 
 After collecting information, the Head Start Birth to Five team will provide further 
support through professional development, classroom modeling, or other 
appropriate actions.

HR-04 Standards of Conduct 
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City of Phoenix Head Start Birth to Five Program  
Universal Standards of Conduct Agreement 
 
I, ______________________________ understand the importance and role of the 
Head Start Program staff in maintaining safety and security for all children enrolled and 
will follow the Head Start Program Performance Standard on safety practices and 
standards of conduct. 
 I will respect and promote the unique identity of each Head Start Birth to Five 
Program child, family, and colleague and refrain from stereotyping on any basis 
of race, gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, disability, sexual orientation, family 
composition, or gender identity. 
 I will comply with program confidentiality policies regarding personally identifiable 
information about children, families, and other staff members in accordance with 
Head Start Performance Standards and any applicable federal, state, or local 
laws. 
 I will ensure no child is left alone and unsupervised while under my care. 
 I will implement positive strategies to support children’s well-being and prevent 
and address children’s challenging behavior.  
 I understand that I must not:  
(A) Use corporal punishment. 
(B) Use isolation to discipline a child. 
(C) Bind, hold, retrain, or tie a child to restrict movement or tape a child’s 
mouth (e.g., bubbles in the mouth, rest your body). 
(D) Use or withhold food as a punishment or reward at any time.  
(E) Use toilet learning/training methods that punish, demean, or 
humiliate a child. 
(F) Use any form of emotional abuse, including public or private 
humiliation, rejecting, terrorizing, extended ignoring, or corrupting a 
child. 
(G) Physically abuse a child. 
(H) Use any form of verbal abuse, including profane, sarcastic language, 
threats, or derogatory remarks about the child or the child’s family 
and 
(I) Use physical activity or outdoor time as a punishment or reward. 
 I will not solicit or accept personal gratuities, favors, or anything of significant 
monetary value from contractors, potential contractors, and families.

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I have read the Standards of Conduct policy and participated in professional 
development to further my knowledge.  I understand that failure to adhere to these 
standards may result in discipline, up to and including termination of employment or 
services. 
 
 
Printed Name:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Signature:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Title:   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Date: