Childcare Worker Job Description

Childcare worker essential career information:

2012 median pay: $19,510
2010 number of jobs: 1,282,300
Employment growth forecast, 2010-2020: 20 percent
Entry-level education requirements: High school or equivalent

Childcare workers; what they do:

When it comes to people we trust, childcare workers, also known as childcare providers, may rank right up there with doctors, given parents rely heavily on the people who watch over their children.

A childcare career involves providing for children’s basic needs — feeding them, bathing them and interacting with them. Some childcare workers also help children develop the social and intellectual skills they need to succeed at school.

A childcare worker, sometimes called a daycare worker, frequently focuses on children of various ages, especially if they provide homecare for families. A childcare provider A childcare provider career involves helping with homework, playing games and monitoring children and pre-teens’ activities.

Childcare provider careers often include working right alongside pre-school and early childhood education teachers as assistants.

Childcare Worker duties:

Helping children with hygiene
Keeping children safe
Changing diapers
Preparing meals and providing snacks
Watching for signs of emotional or developmental problems
Organizing activities
Keeping records of a child’s activities and progress
Sanitizing toys and equipment
Supporting a child’s emotional and social development
Encouraging children

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daycare worker Childcare workers job titles:

Daycare worker
Childcare provider
Child caregiver
Teacher assistant
Infant teacher
Before and after-school daycare worker
Toddler teacher
Nanny
Family childcare provider

Childcare Workers Education, Certification and License Requirements

Requirements for people seeking a childcare worker career vary among states, employers and the goals of the particular job. Some states require those who choose a childcare career to have a high school diploma, and many require daycare providers and family childcare providers to have a license.

Becoming a licensed center or daycare provider involves staff background checks, complete immunization records and a minimum training requirement.

While some states have no requirements for childcare workers, some employers require an associate’s degree in early childhood education or a child development credential.

States often require daycare workers to have Child Development Associate certification through the Council for Professional Recognition. The certification requires coursework, experience and a high school diploma.

Childcare worker programs cover subjects such as:

Child development
Child psychology
Working with parents
Multicultural education
Nutrition for young children
Technology for educators
Special needs children
Language arts
Practices in education

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Childcare Workers Job Outlook

Forecast: 20 percent employment growth for childcare workers from 2010 to 2020. The growth reflects both increased need among parents for childcare providers while they work and the growing acceptance pre-school education contributes significantly to a child’s success later in life.

Childcare Workers Salary

2012 median annual wage: $19,510
2012, workers at the 75th percentile annual wage: $23,940
2012, workers at the 25th percentile annual wage: $17,600

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Major Employers

Infant teacher

Childcare services
Elementary and secondary schools
Amusement and recreation industries
Civic and social organizations
Residential care facilities

Childcare Workers Education, Certification and License Requirements

Childcare Workers Job Outlook

Childcare Workers Salary

Major Employers

Related Degrees