Childcare Specialist
A childcare specialist looks after the children of owners and charter guests, from babies to early teens. On larger yachts the job goes well beyond babysitting. You plan a daily programme, run the kids' club, manage water safety with the deck team and keep parents informed. Most people hired already hold formal childcare qualifications and have years of private family work behind them.
The jobWhat fills the day
Your day follows the children's routine and the guests' plans. You run meals, naps and bedtimes, plan crafts, games and themed days, and go out with the deck crew for swimming, paddleboarding and tender trips. You keep allergy and medical notes, check that life jackets fit, and keep children away from the passerelle, cranes and swim platform while toys are being launched. You brief the interior and galley on children's menus and timings. Parents should always know where their children are and what they did that day.
If there are no children aboard, there is usually no job, so many posts are booked trip by trip or for a season. On a 45m charter yacht you might be hired for a single week, share a cabin with a stew and help the interior once the children are asleep. On private yachts of 80m and above with young families the post can be permanent. You get a dedicated playroom, a budget for equipment, and sometimes two or three childcare crew covering shifts. Families with infants often bring their own nanny, and you work alongside them.
Captains and family offices want proof. That means a recognised qualification such as CACHE Level 3, Norland or NNEB, or a background in teaching or paediatric nursing. You also need an enhanced DBS or equivalent police check, paediatric first aid and references from private families that can be checked. A lifeguard or swim teaching qualification sets you apart. Languages help a great deal, and French, Russian, Arabic and Mandarin speakers are always in demand. Discretion matters as much as skill. You will see a family up close and must never talk about it.
Many people come from land-based nanny work or a steward/nanny dual role, and build a name with management companies and specialist agencies. Repeat bookings from the same owners lead to permanent private posts, travel with the family between the yacht and their homes, or governess roles that add schooling. Some move across to crew careers by taking a stew or deck course. A few use their contacts to become yacht nurses, tutors or guest coordinators ashore. Rotation is uncommon, because most work follows the family calendar.
Skills captains look for
- Early years development
- Water and pool safety
- Activity programme planning
- Paediatric first aid
- Allergy and medical management
- Discretion with UHNW families
- Foreign languages
A day aboardOwner trip, 85m motor yacht, Costa Smeralda, Sardinia
Check in with the parents at breakfast on the aft deck. Confirm the day's plan and note any sunburn or sleep problems from the night before.
Breakfast with three children aged 3, 6 and 9 in the kids' area. The galley keeps a separate nut-free station for the middle child.
Crafts and storytelling in the playroom while the yacht repositions to anchor off Cala di Volpe.
Swim session from the platform with a deckhand in the water and the youngest in a properly fitted life jacket. Short supervised paddleboard for the older two.
Lunch with the children, then the youngest naps. You eat and rest in the crew mess with the monitor on.
Tender trip to a quiet beach with two deckhands. Sun cream, hats, water and the first aid kit are packed and checked before leaving.
Baths, quiet games and a short update to the parents on what the children ate, did and enjoyed.
Children's dinner and bedtime routine, finished before the adults sit down to dinner on the sundeck.
Off duty in the cabin next to the children's suite, with the baby monitor on overnight.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Freelance trips are often paid at a day rate of around USD 250-400, and charter crew usually share tips of 10-20% of the charter fee. Permanent family posts may include flights, paid leave and travel between residences. See the Spa, Wellness & Childcare salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- Paediatric First Aid (12-hour)
- Enhanced DBS or equivalent background check
- Level 3 childcare qualification (CACHE, Norland or equivalent)
Gets you hired
- RLSS NPLQ or pool lifeguard qualification
- Safeguarding children training
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- Swim teaching qualification
- PDSD
Visas
- Schengen visa
- US B1/B2 visa
Where it leadsA typical career path
Questions crew ask
Do I need STCW if I am only aboard for one week?
Usually yes. If you are signed on as crew, most commercially coded yachts need you to hold STCW Basic Safety Training and an ENG1. Book both before you register with agencies, because captains rarely wait for them.
How is this different from a nanny role?
A nanny normally cares for one family's children day to day. A childcare specialist is more often hired by the yacht to run a planned programme for guest children, sometimes from several families at once. The job leans more on activity planning, water safety and working with the crew.
Will I be expected to help the interior team?
On smaller yachts, often yes, once the children are asleep or ashore with their parents. On large family yachts with a dedicated childcare team the role usually stays separate. Ask the agent or captain before you accept.
Does nursery or school experience count?
Yes, especially with a Level 3 qualification or a teaching degree. Yachts do prefer some experience with private families, so a season of private nanny work or a steward/nanny post makes your CV much stronger.