Child Care Workers

Career summary

Child care workers may also be called day care workers.

#from 8449 Child Care Workers changed from instructor. Nothing else brought over., checked 3/25/19 lh

Child care workers teach children physical, emotional, intellectual, and social skills. They do this by leading a variety of activities. These include:

• Playing games
• Outdoor play
• Reading books
• Singing songs

Child care workers take care of children's physical needs. This includes:

• Preparing and serving meals and snacks
• Changing diapers
• Helping kids use the restroom
• Cleaning up

Child care workers also take care of children’s' emotional needs. For example, they calm children who are upset. They also stop children from fighting and may discipline them.

Child care workers monitor children's developmental growth. If they see signs of emotional or other developmental problems, they discuss them with their supervisor. They also discuss these problems with the child's parents. They may keep records of children's developmental progress.

Related careers

This career is part of the Human Services cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Health Information Technicians
• Home Health Aides
• Hotel Desk Clerks
• Life Guards and Ski Patrollers
• Occupational Therapist Aides
• Occupational Therapist Assistants
• Personal and Home Care Aides
• Physical Therapist Aides
• Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers
• Psychiatric Aides
• Recreation Attendants
• Residential Counselors
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Teacher Aides

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to child care workers.

• Greet children as they arrive. Help them remove their coats and guide them to an activity.
• Organize and participate in recreational activities.
• Monitor children's play and interaction to maintain their safety.
• Read to children.
• Teach children simple painting, drawing, handiwork, and songs.
• Prepare food, serve meals, and clean up.
• Teach and help children with health and personal tasks, such as eating, resting, and using the restroom.
• Watch for children who do not feel well.
• Discipline children for fighting or other bad behavior.
• Clean food equipment, bedding, and children's area. Clean toys and play equipment.
• May care for infants. Change their diapers when necessary.
• Keep records of each child's progress.
• Watch for children who show signs of emotional or developmental problems. Discuss these matters with supervisor and the child's parents.
• Chaperone children on outings.

Common work activities

Child care workers perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Assist and care for others
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Think creatively
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Get information needed to do the job
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Evaluate information against standards
• Document and record information
• Develop goals and strategies
• Develop and build teams
• Perform for or work with the public
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Teach others
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Schedule work and activities

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, child care workers:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of contact with children, parents, and staff.
• Communicate with parents and coworkers daily by telephone and in person.
• Often deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous children and parents.
• Are greatly responsible for the health and safety of children.
• Are placed in conflict situations weekly.
• Are responsible for the work outcomes and results of others.
• Write letters and memos often.
• Work as part of a childcare team.

Physical work conditions

• Mostly work indoors. However, they spend some time outside with children for short periods almost every day.
• Are sometimes exposed to noise and sound levels that are distracting.
• Are exposed to disease and infections monthly.
• Work very near children. They may lift, carry, and hold children.

Work performance

• Must be somewhat accurate when doing their job. This is especially true when doing tasks that involve children's safety.
• Can make most decisions and set most tasks without consulting a supervisor. Their decisions strongly impact the wellbeing of children in their care.

Hours/travel

• May work early morning, day, or early evening hours. Most child care centers operate ten to 12 hours per day.
• May work part time or full time.

Physical demands

Child care workers frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.
• Bend or twist their body.
• Kneel, stoop, crouch, or crawl.

It is important for child care workers to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for child care workers to be able to:

• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.

Skills and abilities

Child care workers need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand written information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.

Work with people

• Look for ways to help people.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Child Care Assisting
• Child Care Services Management
• Early Childhood Education and Teaching

Other programs of study to consider

• Child Development
• Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
• Family and Consumer Sciences, General

Training

To work as a child care worker, you typically need to:

• have at least a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Many employers do not require training beyond a high school diploma. However, others require child care workers to have an associate degree. Some employers require a bachelor's degree in early childhood education. Courses in nutrition, psychology, and child development are all good preparation for this occupation. Courses in art, music, and a second language, such as Spanish, are also helpful.

Work experience

Babysitting experience is excellent preparation for working in this occupation.

On-the-job training

Many child care workers learn their skills on the job from an experienced worker. Training includes:

• caring for infants and children;
• understanding child care center policies and procedures;
• knowing safety regulations; and
• studying child nutrition.

Training may last up to a month.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Child Care
• Child Development
• Food and Nutrition
• Parenting
• Psychology
• Safety and First Aid

Many child care workers are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers look for people who like working with children. They may require applicants to have first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) cards. Many require applicants to pass a background check. Some employers require experience working with children with disabilities.

Often some educational background in early childhood education is preferred. Advanced positions may require two to four years of college course work emphasizing early childhood education, nursery, preschool, and child development. They also look for applicants who are in good physical health and emotionally capable of dealing with the demands of the job. Some employers may require workers to be bilingual.

Tips

Volunteer at child care center to see if you like the work. Talk with child care workers about their jobs.

Licensing/certification

The owner of a family day care home or a day care center must have a child care facility license. Licensed day care operators and child care workers must have first aid, CPR, and HIV/AIDS training. A tuberculin (TB) skin test is also required. State law also requires individuals who have unsupervised or regular access to children in a child care setting to undergo a criminal history and background check.

For more information, contact:

Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families 

P.O. Box 40970
Olympia, WA 98504-0970
1.866.482.4325
360.725.4665

#1/23/20

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Childcare Workers 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

#In Washington, the average entry-level wage for child care workers is $10.55 per hour ($1,828 per month). An early childhood program specialist 1 with no experience earns $12.75 to $16.81 per hour working for the State of Washington.

The minimum wage for Washington State as of January 1, 2020 is $13.50 per hour. Some areas of the state may have a higher minimum wage.

#Updated ES wage info 07.16 sd

#Updated DOP 08.16 sd

Pay varies by employer and the worker's level of experience and responsibility. Wage information for live-in child care workers (nannies) is not available. However, it is common for employers to provide these workers with room and board along with a small salary.

Earnings of self-employed child care workers vary. The number of hours they work, the number and ages of the children, and the area of the country all affect wages.

Benefits for child care workers vary. Full-time child care workers may receive health insurance and paid vacations. Many employers provide free or discounted child care to employees. Self-employed child care workers must provide their own insurance.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

#Between 2014 and 2024, it is estimated that there will be 341 openings annually due to new positions and 589 openings annually from workers leaving this career.

#Updated outlook 05.16 sd

In Washington, the outlook will depend on public and private funding, expansion of child care staffing and facilities, and consumer demand for child care services. Currently, demand for child care services is great, but funds are limited. In addition, the number of small, family home child care providers in the state has decreased which creates fewer job opportunities for child care workers. The decrease in providers is partly due to the rising costs of running this type of home-based business. As the cost of care rises, more parents may find it harder to afford these services as well.

#Source of info on decrease in family child care businesses in state & rising costs of them from Seattle Times, 3/22/16 article,"'It's a broken market': State sees steep drop in home-based care." Comments added by CJ. two-year rule on this. lh 2/21/17 

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

About 25% of child care workers are self-employed.

Major employers:

• Child day care services
• Private households
• Elementary and secondary schools

National outlook

Growth for this occupation will be slower than average. Parents will continue to enroll their children in day care centers as they need to work. Other parents would like their children to have educational and social experiences. However, the increasing cost of child care and increasing number of stay-at-home parents may reduce demand for child care workers.

Job opportunities for qualified child care workers will be very good. In addition to the increased demand, this occupation has a high turnover rate. Many child care workers leave this occupation because of the low pay or to pursue other interests.

Other resources

American Federation of Teachers 
555 New Jersey Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
202.879.4400

American Red Cross 

Association for Early Learning Leaders 
1250 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. 3, Ste. #400
Austin, TX 78746
800.537.1118

Child Care Aware of America 
1515 N. Courthouse Road
3rd Floor
Arlington, VA 22201

Council for Professional Recognition 
2460 - 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
800.424.4310
202.265.9090

NannyNetwork.com 

National Association for Family Child Care 
1743 West Alexander Street, #201
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
801.886.2322

National Child Care Association 
PO Box 2948
Merrifield, VA 22116
877.537.6222

US Small Business Administration 
Seattle District Office
2401 Fourth Avenue, Suite 450
Seattle, WA 98121
206.553.7310

What is a Nanny? 

References

Career cluster

• Human Services

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Childcare Workers (39-9011.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupations

• Attendant, Children's Institution (359.677-010) 
• Child-care Attendant, School (355.674-010) 
• Nursery School Attendant (359.677-018) 
• Playroom Attendant (359.677-026) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Social/Artistic/Conventional

COPSystem

• Service Skilled