Did You Know?

During the first year of a child's life their feet grow rapidly, reaching almost half their adult size. Then, by the age of 11-12, a child's foot is about 90% of its adult length.

Terms Commonly Used in the ChildCare Field

Types of In-home ChildCare Providers

• Au pair: "Au Pair" means "on par" or equal and it refers to a live-in childcare provider from another country that is seeking to learn about another country's culture while also caring for the family's children. Au pairs come to the United States on a J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa. Most au pairs are between the ages of 18 to 26 and are placed through a placement agency. Au Pairs generally do not have formal childcare training or education.


• Babysitter: Most well known term used refers to any individual (ranging from young teenager to senior) watching a child on an on-call basis or small set amount of hours per week. A babysitter's sole responsibility is the safety of the children.


• Doula: The word "doula" is greek and means slave or servant. However, a doula in our modern culture is in no means one of those definitions! More accurately a doula is the parent's assistant (physically and emotionally) during pregnancy, labor, the birth and postpartum. Some doulas may only provide care up to the birth while others may specifically provide care during postpartum. A doula may also be referred to as a childbirth assistant birth companion/assistant.


• Manny: A Manny differs from a Nanny only in that he is a male providing the care.Please refer to Nanny below for a full definition.


• Nanny:A Nanny is a professional hired by a family to provide childcare in addition to other responsibilities related to the household.  A Nanny is a "household employee" and the parent(s) are the "household employer".  A Nanny participates in the social, emotional and intellectual development of the child(ren) and will work with the parents to provide a safe and nurturing environment.  A Nanny may also be referred to as a professional caregiver although the term professional caregiver can also refer to a person caring for any individual in their private home.


• Night Nurse: A night nurse provides evening and overnight care for infants or young children. They have special training and in Britain are required to pass the NNEB (Nursery Nurse Examination Board) in order to work as one.



Miscellaneous Terms

• Live-In: A childcare provider that is living with the family either in the main house or in an "in-law" unit on the premises. Part or all of the childcare provided is in exchange for living quarters (depending on amount of hours and work provided).


• Live-Out: Any childcare provided by a person that does not live in the family's home


• On Call: Childcare provided on an as needed basis. Often times a babysitter but sometimes a nanny may work for a family only when needed. An on call position is not a reliable source of income as the nanny or babysitter rarely receives compensation for being available but only when they actually work.