Childcare is the most trust-heavy work there is, a family is handing you the thing they care about most. Clear paperwork isn't cold; it's part of being the professional they can rely on. It sets expectations, protects everyone, and makes hard moments, a sick day, an emergency, a schedule change, simple instead of stressful.
Here are the documents every nanny or childcare provider should have.
A Childcare / Nanny Agreement
This is the foundation: hours, rate, duties, guaranteed pay, paid time off, holidays, and notice for changes or termination. Putting it in writing protects the working relationship as much as it protects you.
An Authorization & Permissions Form
What are you allowed to do, drive the kids, take them to the park, give approved medication, sign them in and out? An authorization form documents exactly what the parents have permitted, so you're never guessing in the moment.
An Emergency-Consent & Medical Form
In an emergency, minutes matter. An emergency-consent and medical-information form gives you allergies, doctors, insurance, and permission to seek care, the details you'd never want to be hunting for when it counts.
Schedule & Payment Terms
Guaranteed hours, overtime, late-pickup fees, and how you're paid, agreed up front, keep the money conversations short and the focus on the kids.
The Simplest Way to Get Covered
Instead of piecing these together, most nannies and childcare providers start with the Childcare Pro Kit, an attorney-drafted set covering the childcare agreement, authorization and permissions, emergency-consent forms, and payment terms, in plain English you can fill in today.
This is general information, not legal advice, and reading it doesn't create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by state and situation, so have a local attorney review your documents before relying on them.