Childcare Behavioral Guidance and Positive Discipline Compliance
State childcare licensing strictly prohibits certain discipline practices including corporal punishment, humiliation, food withholding, and isolation. This checklist ensures staff use positive behavioral guidance strategies and that prohibited practices are never used.
- Industry: Childcare and Education
- Frequency: Monthly staff compliance review
- Estimated Time: 45 minutes
- Role: Center Director
- Total Items: 31
Prohibited Practice Audit
Verify no prohibited discipline practices are occurring.
- No corporal punishment or physical discipline of any kind observed or reported?
- No humiliation, ridicule, or shame-based discipline observed or reported?
- No withholding of food or water as discipline?
- No mechanical restraint or use of physical restraint except for immediate safety?
- No extended isolation or time-out beyond developmentally appropriate limits?
- No threatening language or emotional abuse observed or reported?
Positive Guidance Strategies in Use
Verify positive behavioral guidance is being used.
- Staff using proactive strategies to prevent challenging behavior?
- Redirection and distraction used as first response to challenging behavior?
- Visual schedules and social stories available to support children with behavior challenges?
- Positive reinforcement and specific praise regularly used?
- Age-appropriate problem-solving and emotional vocabulary actively taught?
Response to Challenging Behavior
Verify appropriate responses to challenging behavior.
- Individual behavior support plans in place for children with persistent challenges?
- Behavior support plans developed with family and documented?
- Mental health consultation or specialist accessed for complex behavior needs?
- No suspensions or expulsions without exhausting all behavioral support strategies?
- Families involved as partners in addressing challenging behaviors?
Staff Training on Behavioral Guidance
Verify staff training on behavioral guidance.
- All staff trained on facility behavioral guidance policy at hire?
- All staff specifically trained on prohibited discipline practices?
- Annual behavioral guidance refresher training completed?
- Any specialized training (CPI, PBIS, Pyramid Model) provided to staff?
- All staff know reporting requirements for observed prohibited discipline?
Behavior Incident Documentation
Verify behavior incidents are properly documented.
- Behavior incident report forms completed for significant behavior events?
- Parents notified same day of significant behavioral incidents?
- Behavioral incident patterns reviewed monthly by director?
- Documentation meets state licensing reporting requirements?
- Follow-up communication with families after behavior incidents documented?
Policy and Environment
Verify behavioral guidance policy and environment support.
- Behavioral guidance policy posted in parent-visible location?
- All enrolled families received written copy of behavioral guidance policy?
- Classroom environments structured to prevent challenging behavior?
- Calm-down spaces and regulation tools available in each classroom?
- Behavioral guidance policy reviewed and updated annually?
Related Childcare Education Checklists
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- Child Protection and Abuse Prevention Policy Compliance Check
- Childcare Staff Background Check Compliance Audit
- Childcare Mandated Reporter Compliance Checklist
- Childcare Daily Parent Communication and Reporting Protocol
- Preschool Weekly Curriculum Planning and Implementation Review
- Childcare Staff-to-Child Ratio Daily Compliance Log
- Childcare Playground Equipment Annual Safety Inspection
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Why Use This Childcare Behavioral Guidance and Positive Discipline Compliance?
This childcare behavioral guidance and positive discipline compliance helps childcare and education teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for center director professionals, this checklist covers 31 critical inspection points across 6 sections. Recommended frequency: monthly staff compliance review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Childcare Behavioral Guidance and Positive Discipline Compliance cover?
This checklist covers 31 inspection items across 6 sections: Prohibited Practice Audit, Positive Guidance Strategies in Use, Response to Challenging Behavior, Staff Training on Behavioral Guidance, Behavior Incident Documentation, Policy and Environment. It is designed for childcare and education operations and compliance.
How often should this checklist be completed?
This checklist should be completed monthly staff compliance review. Each completion takes approximately 45 minutes.
Who should use this Childcare Behavioral Guidance and Positive Discipline Compliance?
This checklist is designed for Center Director professionals in the childcare and education industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.
Can I download this checklist as a PDF?
Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.