Child Care Reference Letter and Email Examples

Child care worker and children
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A good reference can help a job seeker stand out from the competition in any field. But in child care, solid references are essential. If you've been asked to write a reference letter for someone applying for a child care position, you can bet that the hiring manager will put significant weight on your recommendation.

To ensure that your letter helps your contact make a good impression, review sample reference letters for a child care position. Remember to include specifics and use these examples as a guide to help you get started.

How to Write a Reference Letter for a Child Care Position

Keep in mind the following tips when you're writing your letter:

Be Specific

Include examples of the applicant's interactions with children. You can highlight skills and qualifications that make them a strong candidate, such as multitasking, communication, and any related coursework or certifications.

Highlight Their Character

You’ll be providing an endorsement of the person's ability to do the job and your confidence in them. But perhaps most importantly, you’ll be attesting to their character. Whether the hiring manager is a parent or an administrator, they’ll want to be sure that the child care worker they hire is a responsible, hardworking, kind person. Make sure your letter emphasizes those qualities.

Be Enthusiastic

Since their honesty and integrity will be so crucial to their success in child care, make sure that you are completely comfortable giving the person a glowing recommendation, based on personal and professional experiences with them.

Note

If you don’t feel that you can write a glowing endorsement of your colleague’s skills, it’s better to politely decline. A lukewarm recommendation is worse than none at all.

Reference Letter for Child Care Example

Ms. Donna Selle
214 Riverview Drive
Crane Landing, NY 10705

September 3, 2021

Ms. Jeanette Larossa
303 High Street
Crane Landing, NY 10705

Dear Ms. Larossa,

I am writing to you in reference to Bonnie Green. Ms. Green has been in my employ as a babysitter and mother's helper for the past four years.

During that time, I have had the pleasure of seeing her grow from a high school student into a mature young woman graduating with her associates degree in child care. I believe that she is well qualified and experienced to accept the challenge of being a full-time nanny.

When Ms. Green first came to my employ, she primarily watched my son, age one, while I worked from my home office. As he grew older and was joined by a brother, Ms. Green's responsibilities increased to watching the two children alone, making meals for them, and taking them on short outings to the park, the swimming pool, the mall, etc.

I have the utmost confidence in her judgment and maturity and have always felt comfortable leaving my children in her care.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 555-111-1234 or donnaselle@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Signature (hard copy letter)

Donna Selle

Sending an Email Reference Letter

When you're sending the reference via email, the content will be the same, but your format will vary slightly. Your contact information will follow your signature, and you can omit the contact information of the person doing the hiring.

You’ll need to be specific in your subject line, including “reference” or “referral” and the person’s first and last names. This will make it clear at a glance who the reference is about.

Child Care Email Reference Example

Subject: Reference - Priscilla Pringle

Dear Mr. Smith,

I have known Priscilla Pringle for many years, and I am happy to be writing a reference for her for the position in your afterschool program. Priscilla was a student of mine at State College during her child care studies. I was her faculty advisor and had the opportunity to oversee her classroom studies as well as the time that she spent with children during her student teaching assignment.

Priscilla consistently showed enthusiasm, attention to detail, and compassion in everything she did. Certified in First Aid and Child and Baby CPR, she is vigilant in maintaining a safe and clean environment for her charges.

She was engaged in the classroom, always going the extra distance to make sure her work was of the highest quality. Not only was her own academic work excellent, but she also tutored her peers who were struggling with some of the material. She was able to put her studies to practical use with the children when she had the opportunity to student teach at our afterschool program here on campus.

Since her graduation, I have followed Priscilla’s career in child care, and I believe her to be a very capable young woman. She has worked with children of different ages, abilities, and learning styles, and has brought her vast patience and empathy, as well as her communication and organizational skills, to a variety of child care settings. I believe her experience will make her an ideal candidate for your position.

If I can answer any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Strong
estrong123@email.com
(555) 123-4567

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