Early Childhood Careers

• About 37 percent of people who work in child care are self-employed – taking care of children in their homes or working as nannies in private households.

• A variety of opportunities for careers that are both satisfying and rewarding are available, as these examples show:
  
  • Working directly with children in career teaching areas.

• • Early Childhood Teacher who leads an early-childhood classroom.
  • Assistant Teacher who helps the teacher in an early-childhood classroom.
  • Infant and Toddler Nursery Supervisor who leads an infant or toddler classroom.

• • Providing support to parents and other caregivers in various capacities.

• • Resource and Referral Specialist who conducts searches and provides parents with the information they need to interview and select child-care providers.
  • Mental Health Consultant who provides support to centers that care for children with social and emotional problems, helping providers, children and their families have a positive experience.
  • Special Needs Consultant/Early Intervention Specialist who provides support to centers that care for children with special needs or developmental issues.

• • Supervising other staff.

• • Director who oversees a child-care facility’s daily program, procedures and staff.
  • Coordinator who oversees an entire early-childhood program including curriculum, implementation and staff under the public-school system.

• • Starting your own family child-care business in your home (requires the licensing listed next).

• • Standard License to care for up to six children under the age of 6 and two school-aged children before and after school.
  • Large Home License to care for up to 12 children with the help of another qualified adult.
  • Infant and Toddler License to care for three children under the age of 2 only.
  • Experienced Family Child Care Provider License to care for more flexible numbers and ages of children.