CODE OF CONDUCT
HOW TO USE A CODE OF CONDUCT
Organizations should have a clear code of conduct for staff, volunteers, and older youth who
serve children. A code of conduct is a document that describes how staff, volunteers, and older
youth will interact and conduct themselves with children. A good code of conduct is balanced.
It allows for interactions that are warm, encouraging, and appropriate; it clearly prohibits
interactions that are dangerous, inappropriate, and harmful. It should contain descriptions
that reflect values and the activities within the youth serving organization.
ENCOURAGED INTERACTIONS PROHIBITED INTERACTIONS
Praise, encouragement, and Isolated one-on-one interactions
acknowledgement Risqué jokes or profanity
Rewards available to all who achieve Favoritism, such as gift giving to an
Asking permission to to touch for individual child
Private interactions through social
necessary purposes
media, computer or handheld devices
Side hugs, handshakes and high fives
Touching of personal areas- face, mouth,
Warmth and kindness
legs, breasts, stomach, genitals or
Public social media alerts to groups of patting buttocks
kids and parents Corporal punishment of any kind
Any touching or affection in youth serving Showing or involving youth in child
organizations should be observable sexual abuse material
DISTRIBUTION
The code of conduct should be posted throughout the environment, shared with parents and
children, and be available on a website. This creates transparency. It helps parents and
children cooperate with and support the guidelines that staff and volunteers must follow.
REVIEWING THE CODE OF CONDUCT
Each Staff member, volunteer, and older youth should receive an in-person review of the
code of conduct when they fill a youth serving role. They should review and sign the
document annually.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT
D2L.ORG/CODEOFCODUCT
CODE OF CONDUCT
Portions of the sample are excerpted from YMCA of the USA's Code of Conduct.
A code of conduct should be customized to the needs, activities, and culture of your organization.
1. To protect (org name) staff, volunteers, and program participants, at no time during a (org name) program
may a staff person or volunteer be alone with a single child where the staff person or volunteer cannot be
observed by others.
2. Staff shall never leave a child unsupervised.
3. Staff and volunteers will make sure a restroom is not occupied before allowing children to use the facilities.
Staff will stand in the doorway while children are using the restroom. If staff or volunteers are assisting
younger children, doors to the facility must remain open.
4. Staff and volunteers will conduct and supervise private activities (diapering, putting on bathing suits,
showering) in pairs. When this is not feasible, staff should be positioned so that they are visible to others.
5. Staff shall not abuse children or use corporal punishment of any kind. This includes physical abuse, verbal
abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, or neglect. Any type of abuse will not be tolerated and is cause for
dismissal.
6. Staff and volunteers will respect children's rights to not be touched in ways that make them feel
uncomfortable. A child's right to say "No" is to be encouraged and respected. Other than diapering, children
are not to be touched in areas of the bodies that would be covered by a bathing suit.
7. Staff and volunteers will use appropriate touch including pats on the back or shoulder, side hugs, handshakes
and high fives. Staff and volunteers will refrain from full frontal hugging, touching of personal areas, or
patting of the buttocks.
8. Staff and volunteers will use positive techniques of guidance, including redirection, positive reinforcement,
and encouragement rather than competition, comparison, and criticism.
9. Staff and volunteers will not give gifts or special favors to individual children, or show preferential treatment
to a child or group of children to the exclusion of others.
10. Staff and volunteers will not have private interactions though social media, computer or handheld devices
with any children in the program.
11. Staff and volunteers will respond to children with respect and consideration and treat all children equally
regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual identity, or culture.
12. Staff and volunteers will refrain from intimate displays of affection toward others.
13. Using, possessing, or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs during working hours is prohibited.
14. Smoking or use of tobacco in the presence of children or parents during working hours is prohibited.
15. Profanity, inappropriate jokes, sharing intimate details of one's personal life, and any kind of harassment is
prohibited.
16. Staff may not be alone with children they meet in (org name) programs outside of (org name). This includes
babysitting, sleepovers, and inviting children to their home. Any exceptions require a written explanation
before the fact and are subject to administrator approval.
17. Staff are not to transport children in their own vehicles.
18. Staff may not date program participants under the age of 18 years of age.
19. Under no circumstance should staff release children to anyone other than the authorized parent, guardian, or
other adult authorized by the parent or guardian [written parent authorization on file with (org name)].
20. Staff and volunteers are required to report any suspicion of child abuse to the proper authorities and are
required to read and sign all policies relating to identifying, documenting and reporting child abuse and
attend prevention training.
I understand that any violation of this Code of Conduct may result in termination.
Employee Signature & Date Supervisor Signature & Date
