Career Overview
Attend to children at schools, businesses, private households, and childcare institutions. Perform a variety of tasks, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play.
Also Known As
- Child Care Worker
- Childcare Provider
- Infant Teacher
- Toddler Teacher
Alternate Job Titles
- After School Coordinator
- After School Counselor
- Attendant
- Baby Attendant
- Baby Sitter
- Before and After School Daycare Worker
- Boarding Mother
- Care Provider
- Caregiver
- Child Attendant
- Child Care Aide
- Child Care Assistant
- Child Care Attendant
- Child Care Development Specialist
- Child Care Professional
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Maintain a safe play environment.
- Observe and monitor children's play activities.
- Communicate with children's parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues.
- Support children's emotional and social development, encouraging understanding of others and positive self-concepts.
- Care for children in institutional setting, such as group homes, nursery schools, private businesses, or schools for people with disabilities.
- Sanitize toys and play equipment.
- Dress children and change diapers.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Speech Recognition
- Far Vision
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Selective Attention
- Near Vision
- Time Sharing
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Empathy
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Optimism
- Social Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Independence
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Alarms
- Baby bottles
- Child car safety seats
- Climbing structures
- Desktop computers
- Dryers
- Educational toys
- Emergency first aid kits
- Fire extingushers
- Kitchen stoves
- Laptop computers
- Medicine dosing syringes
- Microwave ovens
- Mobile telephones
- Passenger cars
Work Environment
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Physical Proximity
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $22,900 |
| Median | $32,050 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $44,560 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 520,180
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $37,120
Nannies
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $32,050
Personal Care Aides
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: Varies
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $61,430
Home Health Aides
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: Varies
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.