Services for Young Children

Sample job description for a Nursery Assistant

Purpose of job:  to contribute a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for children in the nursery.

Main duties:

  1. To contribute to a programme of activities suitable to the age range of children in your area in conjunction with other staff

  2. To keep a proper record of achievement file on your key children for parents

  3. Work alongside parents of special needs children to give full integration in the nursery

  4. Support all staff and engage in a good staff team

  5. Liaise with and support parents and other family members

  6. To attend ALL out of working hours activities, e.g. training, monthly staff meetings, parents’ evenings, summer fair, Christmas party, etc.

  7. To be flexible within the working practices of nursery.  Be prepared to help where needed, including undertaking certain domestic jobs within the nursery, e.g. preparation of snack meals, cleaning of equipment, etc.

  8. Work alongside the manager and staff team to ensure that the philosophy behind the project is fulfilled

  9. Recording accidents in the accident book. Ensure the manager has installed the report before the parent receives it

  10. Look upon the nursery as a ‘whole’, be constantly aware of the needs of the children

  11. Ensure each child is collected by someone known to the nursery

  12. To respect the confidentiality of information received

  13. To develop your role within the team, especially with regard to your position as a keyworker

  14. Specific child care tasks:

    1. The preparation and completion of activities to suit the child’s stage of development

    2. To ensure that mealtimes are a time of pleasant social sharing

    3. Washing and changing children as required

    4. Providing comfort and warmth to a poorly child

  15. To ensure the provision of a high quality environment to meet the needs of individual children from differing cultures and religious backgrounds and stages of development

  16. To be aware of the high profile of the nursery and to uphold its standards at all times