PREFACE

The main mission of the Center for the Study of Children's Sleep (CESI) is the training of health and education professionals capable of treating children's sleep problems with a respectful approach to the needs of the child according to their stage of development.

The CESI does not promote cognitive behavioral techniques designed to impose solitary sleep based on letting them cry (Crying it out, Controlled crying, and Camping out) or any training method that encourages letting the child cry without an active attempt from the caregiver to comfort the child. These techniques are incompatible with CESI's philosophy.

With the aim of providing clarity to consulting families and safeguarding the prestige of the Center for Infant Sleep Studies and that of related professionals, the CESI Code of Ethics details the commitments assumed by the professionals attached to its network:

• With the baby

• With the families

• With other health professionals

• With the profession and with CESI

• With society

By adhering to this code, professionals trained at CESI:

• Are authorized by CESI to use their certification seal and to mention CESI in promoting their practice.

• Appear on the list of affiliated professionals that is made available to families seeking help or guidance.

The CESI sleep therapist assumes the following commitments:

​

GENERAL DISPOSITIONS

Article 1

This Code of Ethics is intended to serve as a guideline of professional conduct for Certified Adherent Therapists. Compliance with these guidelines is a requirement and condition for the validity of the authorization to use the certification seal, the name of CESI in the promotion of its services and to be included in the list of  attached professionals for families.

1) Commitment and duties in relation to the baby/child

The family sleep therapist:

Article 2

• Respects and recognizes the needs of the baby as a human mammal.

• Works to balance the needs of the family with those of the baby/child, prioritizing the well-being of the latter.

• In no case does it use methodologies that can create suffering, manifested with crying or not and that can compromise the physical and psychological well-being of the baby/child.

• In no case does he/she urges parents not to actively comfort their child.

Article 3

• Does not carry out any intervention that implies, justifies or recommends the crying of the baby, since they do not respect the CESI framework.

Article 4

• Does not use or justify baby training techniques, whether the baby is either alone or accompanied, or interventions that force sleep alone beyond the child's healthy adaptation capacity.

• Their main objective is to resolve the conflict between the needs of the child and the mother, father or caregivers, regardless of where each member of the family sleeps.

Article 5

• Does not promote the neglect of the baby's crying, nor does he/she justify it with statements such as:

  • Crying is a necessary evil.

  • That is the baby's way of "protesting" the therapy.

• The welfare of the child will always prevail.

• In case of crying, they always recommend active comfort in order to relieve the infant's discomfort.

Article 6

• Following the WHO guidelines, he/she encourages, respects and cares for breastfeeding in all its facets.

• He/she portrays falling asleep at the breast as a natural act and treats it as such.

• He/She does not induce unwanted weaning by the family with false hopes of improving sleep, nor does it carry out any other practice that could lead to early weaning if it is not the mother's wish.

• He/she does not recommend to eliminate breastfeeding when babies use it as a soothing technique (not as nutrition), especially in babies under one year of age.

2) Commitment and duties in relation to families, mothers, fathers or guardians

The family sleep therapist:

Article 7

• Does not discriminate for reasons of age, nationality, marital status, religion or sexual orientation.

Article 8

• Respects the family's right to privacy. It only collects the strictly necessary information, and always with the authorization and consent of the family.

• Keeps professional secrecy, which can only be exempted by the express consent of the client or consultant.

Article 9

• Provides adequate information about the issues being addressed, the goals being set, and the methods used for non-crying/active comforting.

Article 10

• Informs mothers, fathers or guardians before starting the intervention about the ethical obligation of the professionals with the baby.

Article 11

• Takes special care not to create false expectations that are later difficult to meet professionally.

Article 12

• Agrees on the working conditions and remuneration clearly, before beginning any therapy or intervention.

Article 13

• Actively works so that families maintain their autonomy and become active subjects in solving their problems.

Article 14

• Presents clear, precise and rigorous reports, about the current situation, the techniques used for their preparation, and state any used data. 

3) Commitments and duties in relation to other colleagues and health professionals

The family sleep therapist:

Article 15

• Collaborates with other professionals when needed, without prejudice, with the objective of achieving well-being, health and quality of life for people.

Article 16

• When a certain evaluation or intervention requieres the assistance of other disciplins or other professional competences, the sleep therapist contacts other professionals, either himself/herself, with the express consent, or by providing contact details to the client.

Article 17

• Respects the right and attends to the duty of reciprocal respect between the different professionals involved, especially among those who are closest in their different areas (psychologists, doctors, nurses, physical therapists, educators, lactation consultants, etc.)

4) Commitments and duties in relation to CESI

The family sleep therapist:

Article 18

• Does not lend his/her name or signature to people without the necessary qualifications and preparation,  and  reports cases of intrusion or impersonation that come to their attention.

• Does not cover up misleading and fraudulent activities with their degree

Article 19

• Does not affirm in any form (advertisements, plaques, business cards, programs, etc.) that he/she holds a qualification or title that they do not indeed have. This is not only a crime, it constitutes a serious violation of professional ethics.

Article 20

• Are obliged to respect the intellectual property of the contents of CESI or other sources. The sources will always be cited in the texts and images that they use in any medium, whether physical or digital.

5) Commitments and duties in relation to the exercise of the profession

The family sleep therapist:

Article 21

• Is committed to uphold the professional standards expected of a CESI Sleep Therapist and to work on sleep problems within the framework defined by this code of ethics

Article 22

• Will to keep updated and undergo further training.

Article 23

• Makes this code of professional behavior available to its clients for consultation. Without this requirement, they will not be able to appear on the list of professionals for families offered by CESI.

6) Commitments and duties in relation to society

The family sleep therapist:

Article 24

• Complies with the principles of legality democratically established in the country in which the service is exercised and the ethical principles collected in the professional association of the professional's basic specialty.

Article 25

• It is protected by a professional liability insurance corresponding to all  the professionals  who work in the health sector  or others likely to cause harm to people, or the equivalent required by local law.

Article 26

• Uses truthful and clear advertising, avoiding the manipulation of people and misleading or vague advertising. 

Complaints and reports

CESI processes the complaints that are presented to it by users, taking special care to promote the best development of awareness and professional performance.

Procedure:

1. Complaints or demands must be made in writing via email to info@suenoinfantil.com 

2. You must provide all the documentation, evidence and information available on the matter to the aforementioned email

3. Complaints or lawsuits submitted anonymously will not be accepted.

4. The person who is the subject of the complaint will be informed and may submit written arguments.

5. Once the pertinent checks have been made, if deemed appropriate, the professional may be removed from the database of Sleep Therapists that CESI has available to families.

6. To facilitate the development of research on ethical issues, scientific-professional summaries will be drawn up for each and every one of the files processed, with the due guarantee of confidentiality and reservation of all parties involved, with the aim of creating a library of ethical casuistry. These summaries will be archived in the CESI documentation service and may be consulted by certified professionals.