Child care worker
Also known as: day care director, child care director, day care worker, early childhood center director, nursery school worker, preschool worker
About this occupation
Child care workers provide care for children when the parents or family members are unavailable. They look after the children's basic needs and help or supervise them during play. Child care workers can work for preschools, daycare centres, childcare agencies or individual families.
Essential skills and knowledge
- attend to children's basic physical needs
- communicate with youth
- assist in children's development of basic personal skills
- handle chemical cleaning agents
- play with children
- maintain relations with children's parents
- supervise children
- workplace sanitation
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Childcare Workers (O*NET 39-9011.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- 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.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Social, Artistic, Conventional
Top skills: Monitoring, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking
US median pay: US$34,980 a year (2025), 518,910 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.5)
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
- Nannies
- Personal Care Aides
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
- Home Health Aides
- Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education
- Health Education Specialists
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.