Try it for 5 - Personal Experience Profile
Childcare Worker

Since landing her dream job as a Childcare Worker fourteen years ago, Julie has never looked back. She now spends her days developing activities for children and encouraging them to ‘use their initiative’.

This job is all about community. At the end of the day I hope I’ve impacted positively on all the children who’ve been in my care. I hope that they leave child care as well-adjusted individuals as a result of their exposure to a variety of positive experiences. Some of the children I have cared for are now in high school!

Since high school I became aware that I had an aptitude to work with children in some capacity. It is now fourteen years that I’ve been qualified to work in the child care profession. I’ve had the opportunity to provide care to various groups of children, ranging in age from zero to five years. At present I am working with the three to five age group.

It’s important to gauge each child’s mood at the beginning of the day. I like to create an inviting environment and project a positive image to encourage the children to separate happily from their parents. It also helps to reassure the parents that their most precious thing in the world is going to a safe, nurturing environment.

I believe that children’s development is enhanced if they have opportunities to be self-directed in the activities that they choose to engage in. So I set up a variety of activities to reflect their interests. Observing children at play affirms my knowledge of developmental theory.

As part of a Childcare Worker’s responsibilities, I have to note my observations on the development of individual children and the group as a whole. This enables me to plan specific activities to meet and challenge their developmental needs. A key component to the effectiveness of a program is flexibility.

My interpersonal skills developed quickly once I started work because I had to understand the unspoken needs of a group with very different personalities. Children are so unpredictable and you never know what’s going to amuse them next. Interacting with inquisitive children all day can be mentally and physically tiring, so taking a break and looking after yourself is very important.

Few people realise there’s more to child care than playing. It’s actually a highly regulated industry. There are state regulations to abide by and a federal Quality Improvement and Accreditation System that measures standards. In group care, for instance, it is vital that a high standard of hygiene is maintained to minimise cross infection

Staff members always encourage each other during the day. One of the big skills that you pick up is to interpret the signs of people you interact with. By working together and using time management you can deal with unexpected obstacles.

Children do enjoy adults participating in their play from time to time. You need to be able to relate to them at their level. A sense of humour and the ability to laugh at yourself are two vital qualities for this type of work. If you can visualise yourself in the role of a Childcare Worker, then this can be a rewarding career!

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