Caregiver Essentials
Tell us about yourself
We start with a conversation, not a form dump. We take the time to understand your experience, strengths, caregiving style, availability, values, and what you are looking for in a family. Our goal is to connect you with a family where your skills, expectations and caregiving approach can truly thrive.
What We Do For You
1. We Find Your Perfect Match
We get to know your experience, strengths, availability, values, and priorities, then thoughtfully match you with a family whose needs, expectations, and values align with what you are looking for.
2. We Help You Meet & Choose
We coordinate interviews and trail days so you can get to know the family, experience their home and routines, and see how their parenting and caregiving expectations fit with your approach. Finding a family is more than finding the right job - it’s about finding the right environment for you to thrive in.
3. We Make It Official
We help navigate compensation, benefits, negotiations, and employment terms. Making the offer and contract process clear, fair and seamless.
Ready to join our Caregiver Community?
The Caregiver-Family Partnership
At KhayaBuntu, we believe exceptional care begins with strong relationships.
The most successful caregiver-family partnerships are built on mutual respect, open communication, and a shared commitment to helping children thrive. That's why we take a thoughtful approach to matching caregivers and families, creating connections that support everyone involved.
As a caregiver in our community, you are more than an employee. You are a trusted professional, an important part of a child's life, and a valued partner to the families you serve.
KhayaBuntu Caregiver Standards:
Being part of KhayaBuntu community means meeting our standards and being prepared to represent the level of care and professionalism our families can expect.
KhayaBuntu Standards:
Professional Experience & honest representation - Professional childcare experience means paid childcare work for families or employers outside of your immediate family. Caregiver who are newer to the profession may be considered for babysitting, mother’s-helper or other appropriate opportunities where they can build professional experience.
Professional References - Caregivers must provide at least 2-3 professional references from families or employers they have worked for.
Background Screening & TrustLine registered - Safety and trust are foundational for what we do. Caregivers must successfully complete the background screening process and be TrustLine registered as required by KhayaBuntu before being presented to families.
CPR & First Aid Certified - Caregivers are responsible for children’s safety and well-being, we believe these skills should be current in case of an emergency.
Child safety & Well-being - The safety, emotional well-being, and development of the children in your care comes first.
Reliability & Professionalism - Families are trusting you with what matters most to them. We expect caregivers to be dependable, punctual, prepared and committed to the responsibilities they agreed to take on.
Communication - We expect caregivers to communicate openly, respectfully and proactively with families and with KhayaBuntu. Questions, concerns, schedule changes and challenges should be addressed honestly rather than left unresolved.
Professional Boundaries - We expect caregivers to maintain healthy professional boundaries while building warm, meaningful relationships with the children and families. This means respecting household boundaries, confidentiality, personal information, and the distinction between being a trusted caregiver and being a member of the family.
Continued Growth & Learning - We encourage caregivers to keep developing their knowledge, skills. and confidence through professional development, relevant certifications, education, and experience. As your skills and experience grow so can the opportunities available to you through KhayaBuntu.
KhayaBuntu’s commitment to YOU - Our standards are about creating a community of qualified, trustworthy, and professional caregivers who are committed to providing exceptional care. KhayaBuntu advocates for professional recognition, fair employment, benefits, and opportunities to grow. We also encourage families to invest in their caregivers through opportunities such as education, healthcare support, retirement benefits, and professional development.
Our goal is to create opportunities where caregivers can build meaningful careers, families feel supported and children flourish.
What Caregivers Do:
Caregivers handle all child‑related responsibilities, including:
Childcare routines (feeding, naps, play, outings)
Age‑appropriate developmental activities
Preparing meals/snacks for the child
Child laundry
Cleaning bottles, dishes, toys
Organizing the child’s room, dresser, and play areas
Grocery shopping & running errands
Mileage reimbursed (if caregiver using their own car)- Driving children to activities, errands, school pickup/drop-off etc.
Their role is focused on your child’s needs - not general household management.
If a family needs additional household support, this becomes a Household Manager or Family Assistant role - a different job with different expectations and pay.
What fair Employment Looks Like:
At KhayaBuntu, we believe caregivers deserve fair, legal, and respectful treatment.
Caregivers can expect:
Payment (weekly or bi-weekly) (W‑2) - caregivers are domestic employees under California law.
Overtime - Overtime at 1.5 x hourly rate after 9 hours in a day or 45 hours in a workweek.
Guaranteed hours - When a family guarantees a caregiver a set number of weekly hours within their established weekly schedule. Those hours are paid even when the family chooses not to use them. During family vacations, canceled plans, or schedule changes.
Mileage reimbursement - when using their own car for child transportation.
Sick leave - 5 paid sick days per year.
Paid time off - typically around 90 hours per year in California (after the first 3 months).
KhayaBuntu recommended employment benefits:
Compensation review - Families are encouraged to review compensation annually to recognize experience, performance, increase in responsibilities, cost-of-living changes, and continued commitment to childcare & family’s needs.
Investing in your caregivers’ future - Families who are able to offer additional benefits may consider monthly contributions towards caregivers’ retirement (ROTH/IRA), healthcare, continuing education or tuition assistance.
National Nanny appreciation week - honoring the essential work caregivers do (last full week of September).
Meals provided - Families are encouraged to include their caregiver in household meals or provide reasonable meal options during shifts.
Vehicle care- When caregiver uses personal vehicle to transport children, families are encouraged to contribute toward professional vehicle cleaning/detailing at regular intervals.
These standards create stability, trust, and long‑term success for both families and caregivers.
This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Employment requirements may vary based on the specific role and circumstances. Families are responsible for complying with applicable California employment laws and regulations.