Ethical codes for early childhood teachers: how and why should we use them

Against the backdrop of the ongoing international discussion on ethical codes for teachers, this introductory chapter explores the main characteristics of ethical codes and their theoretical basis. Accordingly, this chapter serves as a springboard for the five articles in this Special Issue, which focus on ethical codes and core values for early childhood teachers from different countries. It is our hope that this Special Issue contributes to our awareness and knowledge of ethical codes and the challenges of working in compliance with ethical codes and values. Hopefully, this Special Issue and its contributors can inspire further discussion in the early childhood profession about ethical codes, their functions, and challenges in developing and applying them in practice, both nationally and internationally. This introductory chapter provides a brief overview of the purposes of professional ethical codes. We then present the research focus of the five articles comprising this Special Issue and some of the core values they highlight. We also explain the various characteristics of ethical codes and the type of ethics upon which they are based. Finally, this chapter reflects on the international challenges to ethical codes and practice, specifically with respect to the arguments of this issue’s contributors.