How to hire a child caretaker

How to hire a child caretaker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step child caretaker hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a child caretaker job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new child caretaker
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a child caretaker, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect child caretaker also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of child caretaker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Child Caretaker	Description	Hourly rate
   Child Caretaker	Childcare workers provide care for children when parents and other family members are unavailable. They attend to children’s basic needs, such as bathing and feeding... Show more	$11-21
   Nanny	Nannies are family employees who are primarily responsible for taking care of children in the family's house. They are usually tapped to take care of the kids while the parents are at work or away on vacation... Show more	$12-29
   Toddler Teacher	A toddler teacher is responsible for teaching young learners by administering physical care and monitoring their social and mental development. Toddler teachers prepare fun and engaging activities for the children and evaluate their behaviors and assess how they interact with the environment... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Childcare Services
   • CPR
   • Conflict Resolution
   • Clean Environment
   • Nutritional Meals
   • Meal Preparation
   • Developmental Problems
   • Role Model
   • Social Development
   • General Care
   • Healthy Meals
   • Child Development
   • Healthy Environment
   • Medical Appointments

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Attend meetings and programs for certifications such as CPR on infants, children, and adults.
   • Provide group and individual behavior support and intervention as trained, including the use of TCI appropriate physical restraint as necessary.
   • Help with ABC's and numbers on part-time schedule.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your child caretaker job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A child caretaker can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, child caretakers' average salary in mississippi is 47% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level child caretakers 49% less than senior-level child caretakers.
   • Certifications. A child caretaker with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a child caretaker's salary.

   Average child caretaker salary

   $15.60hourly

   $32,447 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level child caretaker salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a child caretaker job description

   A good child caretaker job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a child caretaker job description:

   Child caretaker job description example

   Chamberlain College of Nursing has immediate need for qualified Maternal Child Faculty (part-time) in our Davenport, IA, Bachelors of Science in Nursing program.
   
   Teaching is onsite with our clinical partner, in the Iowa area, and will take place in late September in 12-hour rotations (7a-7p) for three consecutive days. The course of instruction may include:
   
   This course focuses on family-centered approaches to maternal/newborn care and incorporates health promotion and wellness issues. The childbearing cycle, including normal experience, high-risk factors, complications and alterations are studied. Additional women's health issues are included. A variety of populations and settings are used in the experiential learning component of this course.
   
   You've been preparing for this moment your whole life, dedicating yourself to become an expert with the knowledge and skills to help, to heal, to nurture, and change lives like only a nurse can.
   
   Today, more than ever before, the next generation of nurses needs you. Your passion. Your expertise. Your heart.
   
   Chamberlain College of Nursing clinical educators experience the powerful satisfaction that comes from helping educate, empower and embolden students and advance the health of people, families, and communities as we face new challenges ahead together. We build long-term relationships with superior nurse educators who are experts in their field and committed to providing the finest in practitioner-focused education.
   
   If you are passionate about nursing and advancing your career through the power of education, we eagerly invite you to step forward and apply today. Will you join us?
   Proof of COVID-19 vaccination may be required to teach at certain clinical partner sites.
   
   In this role, the clinical instructor:
   
   + Implements the College's philosophy, curriculum, program outcomes, and course objectives through clinical teaching and service to the College, community, health system and profession
   
   + Assumes responsibility for all autonomous aspects of individual teaching assignments
   
   + Plans clinical experiences for and provides direct supervision and evaluation of nursing students delivering nursing care to an individual or group of individuals
   
   + Evaluates and provides documented feedback to student on level of performance based on course objectives
   
   + Is available for remediation of students as required or needed
   
   + Orients and maintains current knowledge related to agency/clinical policies, procedures, and expectations with the assistance of the agency/clinical personnel
   
   + Develops and posts written clinical assignments consistent with student's knowledge base, skill competency and individual learning needs
   
   + Grades homework, quizzes, tests, lab assignments, clinical paperwork and other written work in a timely manner
   
   + May teach didactic course content under supervision of course coordinator
   
   + Keeps course coordinator informed of all student and agency issues and concerns
   
   + Reports to the dean or assistant dean: a course coordinator will also provide direct oversight
   
   You are encouraged to explore this opportunity if you have:
   
   + A master's or doctoral degree in Nursing from a regionally accredited college or university
   
   + An unencumbered professional nursing license in the state of Iowa.
   
   + At least two years professional experience within last five years in the area of instruction as a registered nurse
   
   + Proof of COVID-19 vaccination may be required to teach at certain clinical partner sites
   
   + Teaching or precepting experience is preferred but not required
   
   + Have genuine passion for nursing, education, and lifelong learning
   
   + Have exceptional subject matter expertise with excellent written and verbal communication skills
   
   + Are eager to serve students and colleagues with passion, respect and care
   
   + Operate with a sense of responsibility and purpose with the desire to enrich colleagues, students and the broader community
   
   + As an organization dedicated to educating the healthcare leaders of tomorrow and empowering members to make inspiring contributions to our global community, we know that it is our responsibility to lead by example and continue minimizing the risks of spreading COVID-19. Employment at Adtalem and/or its subsidiaries requires compliance with the organization's Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, to the extent permitted by the laws of your country, province/state, and/or local area. All employees in areas of the world that permit mandatory COVID-19 vaccination are required to be fully vaccinated within 60 days of their date of hire unless they receive an exemption from Adtalem's HR Coaching Resource Center because of issues such as access or an approved medical or religious accommodation
   
   Thank you for applying for this outstanding opportunity today!
   
   We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. At Adtalem, we welcome everyone and have a strong commitment towards diversity and inclusion. We encourage our Colleagues to be their true authentic selves and support laws that prohibit discrimination everywhere we do business. We also maintain a drug-free workplace.
   
   Chamberlain University has a 130-year history and the mission to educate, empower, and embolden diverse healthcare professionals who advance the health of people, families, communities, and nations. We're 99,000 strong, with 31,000 students and 68,000 alumni armed with the skills, passion, and determination to make a difference in today's complex healthcare environment. By living Chamberlain Care , we've built a culture in which colleagues and students thrive and we graduate extraordinary healthcare professionals who transform the health of people worldwide.
   
   Our regionally accredited University is comprised of the College of Nursing and the College of Health Professions. Our College of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program at 22 campuses and online post-licensure degree programs and certificates including RN to BSN, RN to MSN, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with six Specialty Tracks, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Our College of Health Professions offers online options with a Master of Public Health degree, Public Health Certificate programs, and a Master of Social Work degree. Learn more about Chamberlain University, part of Adtalem Global Education, at www.chamberlain.edu.
   
   Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
   
   We pride ourselves in nurturing a culture that encourages everyone to bring their full selves to work each day. To us, diversity and inclusion needs to be intentional to be impactful. We don't just welcome differences, we celebrate them. #WeAreAdtalem
   
   To learn more about our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion, click here to visit our Diversity page.
   
   Req Number: 2022-123847
   
   FLSA U.S./Global Status: U.S. - Exempt

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5. Post your job

   To find the right child caretaker for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with child caretakers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit child caretakers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your child caretaker job on Zippia to find and recruit child caretaker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with child caretaker candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new child caretaker

   Once you've selected the best child caretaker candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new child caretaker. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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