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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Daycare Attendant

💰 $ - $

ChildcareEarly ChildhoodEducationHealthcare

🎯 Role Definition

A Daycare Attendant provides compassionate, attentive care and supervision to infants, toddlers and young children in licensed childcare centers, family daycare homes or community programs. This role is responsible for implementing age-appropriate activities, ensuring health and safety, supporting child development milestones, and maintaining clear communication with parents and colleagues. The ideal candidate is patient, observant, certified in pediatric first aid/CPR, and experienced in positive guidance and classroom routines.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Babysitter, nanny or family childcare provider
  • Teacher’s aide or classroom assistant
  • Early Childhood Education student, volunteer or practicum placement

Advancement To:

  • Lead Daycare Teacher / Lead Early Childhood Educator
  • Preschool Teacher or Head Teacher
  • Center Director / Program Director
  • Early Childhood Education Coordinator or Curriculum Specialist

Lateral Moves:

  • After-School Program Staff
  • Family Childcare Provider / Home Daycare Operator
  • Childcare Administrative Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Supervise and ensure the physical safety of groups of children at all times, maintaining required staff-to-child ratios and intervening immediately in unsafe situations to prevent injury or harm.
  • Implement daily age-appropriate lesson plans and activities that promote cognitive, social, emotional and physical development (circle time, story reading, creative arts, sensory play, and motor-skill activities).
  • Perform routine caregiving tasks for infants and toddlers including feeding, bottle preparation, diapering, changing clothes, and assisting with potty training while following sanitation and hygiene procedures.
  • Monitor each child’s developmental progress by observing behavior, recording milestones and raising concerns with lead teacher or parents; support individualized learning goals and accommodation needs.
  • Administer basic first aid and medications according to written parental consent and center policies; maintain accurate medication logs and follow safety protocols for allergies and chronic conditions.
  • Prepare, serve and monitor meals and snacks according to nutritional guidelines and dietary restrictions; practice safe food handling and document intake when required.
  • Maintain a clean, safe and stimulating classroom environment by sanitizing toys, equipment and surfaces, performing routine safety checks and reporting hazards or maintenance needs.
  • Enforce positive behavior guidance strategies using clear, consistent rules and redirection techniques; document incidents and communicate patterns of behavior to supervisors and families.
  • Conduct daily check-in and check-out procedures, verify authorized pickups, and communicate attendance and routine changes to parents and administrative staff.
  • Create and post lesson materials, daily schedules, and observation notes; keep accurate child records, incident reports, sign-in/out logs and confidentiality-protected files.
  • Collaborate with co-teachers and center leadership to plan weekly themes, organize special events, and adapt curriculum for mixed-age groups.
  • Facilitate transitions such as nap/rest time, outdoor play and arrival/departure with routines that reduce stress and maintain order.
  • Lead outdoor play and gross-motor activities while enforcing playground safety rules and supervising equipment use, sun protection and hydration.
  • Communicate professionally and empathetically with parents about daily activities, developmental progress, feeding/sleep patterns and any incidents; provide constructive suggestions for home support.
  • Support children with special needs by following individualized care plans, working with specialists and adapting activities to ensure inclusion and accessibility.
  • Participate in staff meetings, training sessions, licensing visits and required professional development to stay current on childcare regulations and best practices.
  • Assist in onboarding and mentoring new assistants, substitutes or volunteers by demonstrating classroom routines, safety procedures and documentation practices.
  • Prepare and organize learning materials, rotate toys and resources to align with developmental goals, and manage basic classroom inventory and supply reordering.
  • Follow state and local licensing regulations and center policies for health screening, illness exclusion, sanitation, incident reporting and mandatory child abuse reporting.
  • Respond calmly and effectively to emergencies, conduct emergency drills, and assist with evacuation, reunification and first-response actions when needed.
  • Support special events and outreach (open houses, parent-teacher conferences, field trips) by planning logistics, obtaining permissions and supervising children off-site in compliance with safety policies.
  • Maintain confidentiality of family and child records and adhere to privacy policies, safeguarding sensitive information in all written and verbal communications.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist with light administrative duties such as answering phones, completing daily logs, updating attendance records and filing health forms.
  • Support meal planning and food ordering by tracking classroom supply needs and notifying the center manager of shortages.
  • Help coordinate substitute coverage and short-term schedule adjustments in coordination with center leadership.
  • Participate in outreach and enrollment activities by conducting tours, supporting registration paperwork and explaining program policies to prospective families.
  • Contribute to classroom documentation and display boards that communicate curriculum goals and children’s learning to parents.
  • Assist with creating and maintaining classroom portfolios and developmental records for licensing or accreditation reviews.
  • Provide input to improve center policies and routines based on classroom observations and parent feedback.
  • Volunteer to lead or support specialty programs (language immersion, music, nature-based activities) as skills and interest permit.
  • Help train new staff on emergency procedures, medication administration protocols and standard caregiving practices.
  • Engage in community resource referrals when families need additional support (food banks, health clinics, early intervention services).

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Pediatric First Aid & CPR certification (infant/child) — current and verifiable.
  • Knowledge of early childhood development stages, age-appropriate activities and curriculum frameworks (e.g., Creative Curriculum, HighScope, Montessori fundamentals).
  • Experience with behavior guidance and positive discipline techniques, documentation of incidents and implementation of individualized behavior plans.
  • Familiarity with state licensing regulations, safety standards, immunization requirements and health/sanitation practices for childcare settings.
  • Medication administration and documentation skills, including accurate logging of dosages, times and parental consent procedures.
  • Basic food safety and hygiene practices for infant feeding, handling allergies and accommodating special diets.
  • Ability to perform observational assessments and maintain child portfolios, developmental checklists and progress notes.
  • Classroom management and routine-building skills that support transitions, nap times and group activities.
  • Strong record-keeping and basic administrative skills: attendance tracking, incident reporting, filing health records and using childcare management software (e.g., Procare, Brightwheel).
  • Emergency response and evacuation procedures knowledge including CPR response, calling emergency services and parent notification protocols.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication to interact with parents, teachers and supervisors professionally and compassionately.
  • Patience and emotional resilience when supporting challenging behaviors, transitions and high-energy environments.
  • Strong observation skills and attention to detail to notice changes in behavior, health or development.
  • Teamwork and collaboration to coordinate activities, share responsibilities and support co-teachers.
  • Empathy and cultural sensitivity to respect diverse family backgrounds, parenting preferences and child needs.
  • Adaptability and problem-solving to handle schedule changes, unexpected incidents and varied developmental levels.
  • Time management and organization to balance caregiving, teaching, documentation and cleanliness tasks.
  • Conflict resolution and de-escalation skills to calmly manage disputes between children and communicate outcomes to caregivers.
  • Reliability, punctuality and professional integrity to maintain trust with families and adhere to center policies.
  • Initiative and creativity to design engaging activities, rotate materials and enrich the learning environment on a budget.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED; equivalent childcare experience may substitute.

Preferred Education:

  • Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or certificate in Early Childhood Education.
  • Associate’s degree or coursework in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or Human Development.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Psychology or related field for advanced roles.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Child Development
  • Human Development
  • Elementary Education
  • Special Education

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0–3 years in childcare settings for entry-level roles; 1–3 years preferred for full responsibilities.

Preferred:

  • 1+ years experience in a licensed daycare, preschool or nursery environment.
  • Experience working with infants and toddlers, mixed-age groups, or children with special needs.
  • Demonstrated experience in lesson planning, behavior management and parent communication.
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