ECA Code of Ethics and Duty of Care in Childcare: A Detailed Analysis

This assignment explores the ECA Code of Ethics and Duty of Care in childcare settings. It defines the Code of Ethics as an aspirational framework for ethical responsibilities of childhood professionals, emphasizing the protection, safety, and well-being of children. The assignment highlights the importance of speaking out against unethical practices, respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander caregiving traditions, and developing trust with families and communities. It details the responsibilities of professionals in communication, interaction, and creating safe environments, while also addressing non-discrimination and ethical leadership. Furthermore, the assignment explains the concept of Duty of Care, emphasizing the need for a safe environment, skilled professionals, and precautions against foreseeable risks. It refers to the Child Care Act of 2001 and discusses the consequences of failing to adhere to duty of care standards, including potential legal actions, while considering factors like those in the Tasmanian Civil Liability Act 2002. The assignment also references relevant documents from the Department of Education in Tasmania and Imagine Education Australia.

Running head: ECA CODE OF ETHICS
ECA CODE OF ETHICS
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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ECA CODE OF ETHICS
Question 1;
Code of Ethics can be described as an aspirational framework for reflection about the
different ethical responsibilities that need to be followed and maintained by childhood
professionals who are seen to work with or on behalf of children and their families. This policy
considers protection, safety as well as well-being of children to be the most vital aspect of
education. Therefore, it is considered that the main responsibility of the childhood professionals
would be to speak out or take actions if they witness any form of unethical practice taking place
with the children. This code of ethics defines Aboriginal and Torres islander’s traditional ways
of care giving to the children. This code believes that every child care professionals need to be
very careful about the decisions they make and the actions they take either individually as well as
collectively and they need to respond to all concerned individuals with respect. The code of
ethics is also based on the foundation that every childhood professionals have the responsibility
to develop trust and unique relationships with families, children and community and maintain
professional accountability.
Childhood professionals need to be careful while communicating, interacting and
working with children and colleagues and maintain specific responsibilities of their professions.
While interacting and working with the children professionals need to act in the best interest of
the children and develop a safe, healthy as well as inclusive environment for the children.
Allowing the children to be in the present and enjoy the moments and not pressuring them to be
prepared for future is another principle that needs to be followed and even shared with family
members of the children. Children should never be discriminated on the basis of age, sex,
gender, economic status, lifestyle, religion, culture and others and follow ethics of justice. While
working with colleagues, professionals need to encourage their colleagues to act in accordance

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with the code and take actions whenever they witness any form of unethical behaviors taking
place with children. The professionals also have the responsibility in acknowledging and
supporting diverse strengths as well as experiences of colleagues (ECA Code of Ethics, 2016).
This help in building shared professional knowledge as well as their understanding and skills to
handle children with care. While maintaining the duties of the profession, every childhood
professionals need to base their work on different researches, practice evidences, content
knowledge and theories along with developing proper understanding of the children and families
with whom they work. They should encourage different qualities and ethical leadership within
the profession by supporting them through training and induction. They should also work within
their scopes of professional roles and strictly avoidable misinterpretations of professional
qualifications and competence.
Question 2:
Duty of care can be explained as a duty or responsibility for ensuring reasonable care to
individuals who are assigned to be taken care of, in ways by which foreseeable risks of injury
can be prevented. In order to ensure following of this act by the children professionals, they need
to make sure that child is provided with a safe environment and skilled and knowledgeable
professionals provide proper care to them. The duty of care section falling under the Child Care
act of 2001 also talks about the importance of undertaking every reasonable precautions for
protecting the child from any form of hazard that are likely to cause any types of injury. If any of
the professionals are unable to understand about the important actions for ensuring duty of care,
they should immediately ask questions to clarify and not take risks with children. Every staff
should be ensuring that they are following all the licensing standards in the specific areas of
childcare where they are assigned and they should be providing feedback to the licensee or the

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employers about how different standards can be implemented and followed effectively to ensure
child safety and vest environment. Penalties might be imposed on any or all of the concerned
people if the standards mentioned in the act are not followed leniently by the licensees as well as
associated staffs in the working arena (Duty of Care for services licensed under the Child Care
Act 2001, 2014). Researchers are of the opinion that it is important for the professionals to
recognize that all the standards related to the duty of care not only in the domain of managing
the specific risks but also in relation to framing of appropriate policies and procedures.
The consequences of not following duty of care might range from minimal where no
serious incident had taken place from this lapse to that of maximum where children are seriously
or fatally injured. In such cases, legal actions might be also taken against the professionals
because of negligence like taking risks with the safety of child and not taking adequate care that
would ensure well-being of the children. However, while taking decisions, different factors
involved in determination of the breach of duty of care is considered like the factors mentioned
in Tasmanian Civil Liability Act 2002, sections 11 and 12 and similar others.
References:

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Documentcentre.education.tas.gov.au (2014), Information Sheet - Duty of Care for services
licensed under the Child Care Act 2001 , Approved Registration Bodies, retrieved from:
https://documentcentre.education.tas.gov.au/Documents/Duty%20of%20Care%20Info
%20Sheet%20under%20CCA%20March%202014.pdf
Imagineeducation.com.au (2016), ECA Code of Ethics, Imagine Education Australia retrieved
from:
http://www.imagineeducation.com.au/files/CHC30113/ECA_COE_Brochure_2016.pdf