New Position Statement: Position Statement on Ethical Practice
DEC is excited to announce that the Position Statement on Ethical Practice is now available!
The Position Statement on Ethical Practice is a public statement of principles and practice guidelines supported by the mission of DEC. The purpose of this statement is to support sound ethical reasoning and decision-making related to supporting families and enhancing the optimal development of young children (0–8 years) who have or are at-risk for developmental delays and disabilities.
This position statement details what ethical practice looks like in terms of the following core principles: advancing equity and inclusion, using best available evidence to make decisions, collaborating with families and other professionals, following relevant policies, and engaging in ongoing learning and reflection. Then, the various roles that professionals take within the EI/ECSE field are discussed. Lastly, each core principle is expanded upon for individual roles. DEC emphasizes the importance of reading this document in its entirety to understand and promote DEC’s ethical principles as a whole. These guidelines supplement, and should be used in tandem with, the laws, regulations, professional licensure standards, and other professional guidance that inform our field.
DEC is grateful to the Chairs of the position statement workgroup, Dr. Hailey Love and Dr. Megan Purcell, the full writing team, and all who contributed to this work.
