Nanny Specialist
The Nanny Specialist (NS) Credential is designed for nannies and sitters who do not have a high school diploma but have invested in childcare training and have work experience.
Except for the high school diploma, Nanny specialists must meet all the requirements of the Certified Nanny program. Instead of a high school diploma, applicants must submit 3 letters of recommendation.
Nanny Specialist Requirements
Here are the requirements to earn the NS certification:
CPR and First Aid
Must have current (not expired) CPR and First Aid training and documented certification from a reputable training organization.
Childcare Training
Must have at least 20 clock hours or 3 credit hours of childcare and/or early childhood education training from a reputable training organization.
Childcare Work Experience
Must have at least 2,000 hours (1 year) of documented, paid childcare experience. Documentation includes a pay stub or submitting a form completed by an employer.
Letters of Recommendation
Must be at least 21 years old, have a legal government identification (from any country) and have 3 letters of recommendations from employers that include their contact information.
Nanny Proficiency Test
Must pass the NCP proficiency exam with an 80%. The NCP proficiency exam has 100 multiple choice questions based on the National Nanny Standards. You get two (2) attempts to pass the exam.
Background Check
Submit a background check processed by a reputable company within the past 12 months. Additional fees will apply if you need to run a background check.
Test Your Nanny Knowledge
To become a Certified Nanny, you have to pass a proficiency exam based on the US Nanny Association National Nanny Standards. This video is a trivia game with quiz questions based on the Nanny standards and certification exam. The trivia game is available in English and Spanish.
“English is my second language so I was excited to take the Specialist Nanny exam in Spanish. Now that I have this credential, I am more confident asking for higher pay.”
$299 Certification Fee
US Nanny Association certification requires a non-refundable fee. This fee covers the cost for the secure online platform to upload and house the certification documents and the cost for online proctoring of the exam. The fee also provides for the time and cost of US Nanny Association administrators to read all submitted documents and exam results as well as make calls and inquiries as needed to confirm the certification requirements are met.
This fee does not include any childcare training, CPR and First Aid training or a background check. Training and background checks are paid separately and directly to businesses and organizations that provide those services.
Optional NCP Review Class
The US Nanny Association has high standards and expectations but also supports nannies for success.
The NCP certification has an optional NCP review class (currently in English only). The NCP review class is online with 24/7 access, takes 6.5 clock hours to complete and costs $149. The review course fee is an additional cost to the certification fee.
If you complete the course in its entirety, you will get a certification of attendance that can be used towards the NCP or continuing education training requirement. Registration and attendance of this review course does not in any way guarantee that a candidate will pass the exam. This course is NOT required. Review course fees are non-refundable.
