LITTLE
CHILD ABUSE POLICY
FORMS OF PUNISHMENT WHICH ARE PROHIBITED:
All
corporal punishment, punishment inflicted directly on the body including, but
not limited to, spanking, biting, shaking, slapping, twisting or squeezing;
demanding excessive physical exercise, prolonged lack of movement or motion, or
strenuous or bizarre postures; and compelling the child to eat or have in the
child’s mouth soap, foods, hot spices or other substances. Methods of discipline, interaction or toilet
training which demean humiliate or frighten a child are prohibited. Screaming,
name-calling, psychologically aggressive or violent behavior which may offend
or troubles a child is strictly prohibited.
Under no circumstances may a child be isolated, dismissed from the
classroom and/or left alone without constant supervision or deprived of
free-play, gymnastics, music or the playground. Withholding or using food, rest
or sleep as punishment is prohibited. No
form of corporal punishment or restraint will be permitted at Little
If a staff
member is suspected of abusing a child, the following procedure will be
followed by the principal. Immediately upon the principal's notification of the
alleged incident or abuse, the principal will remove the staff member from
direct contact with children at the school until a full investigation has been
completed by the reporting agency.
In
accordance with child abuse reporting laws across the country, teachers,
assistant teachers, school administrators and other mandated reporters must
report any suspected incidents of child abuse and maltreatment concerning a
child, to the reporting agency or the local police. If the principal or any other staff member
determines that a child at the center may be, or has been abused or neglected,
the staff member on his/her own initiative, or the principal will request
written, factual documentation observed by the staff member. The principal or her designee is responsible
for making or causing to be made an immediate report to the Statewide Central
Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment by telephone and by a written report
within 48 hours, to the child protective service of the social services
district in the county in which the child resides. As
educators, we are mandated to report suspected child abuse or neglect and
suspected child abuse or maltreatment will be reported to the Central Register
of Child Abuse and Maltreatment