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A childcare page in your household binder keeps every provider, permission, and routine detail in one place for whoever needs it.
Whether you’re handing off to a babysitter, a nanny, or a family member, this list ensures nothing important gets missed.
What This Checklist Is For:
This checklist documents all the information needed to care for your child in your absence, such as contact details, medical notes, daily routines, and authorization records.
📄 You can find a blank Child Care Information Sheet inside the Home Management Binder so you can personalize it to your own needs.
A household binder is a single reference point for the lists and information you use repeatedly to manage your home. For a full overview of how the system works, visit our household binder guide.
This childcare information checklist is used any time someone else is responsible for your child’s care, even briefly.
Below are the details typically included on this type of list.
Childcare Provider Contact List
The first thing to document is who provides care and how to reach them.
This section should include all regular and backup caregivers, not just your primary provider.
- Full name of each caregiver or provider
- Relationship to the household (nanny, daycare, after-school program, babysitter, relative)
- Phone number and email address
- Physical address, if applicable (daycare center, after-school location)
- Hours or days of regular care
- Backup caregiver name and contact information
- Childcare center director or supervisor name and direct number
Child Identification and Basic Information
Each child in your household should have their basic details recorded here.
If you have more than one child, consider a separate section or column for each.
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- School name and grade (if applicable)
- Teacher name and classroom or contact number
- Child’s photo (current, for ID purposes)
- Social Security number (stored securely; note location if not recorded directly)
- Health insurance plan name, policy number, and group number
- Primary care physician name and office number
Medical and Health Information
This section is one of the most important parts of a childcare page.
Anyone watching your child needs immediate access to this information in case of an urgent situation.
- Known allergies (food, environmental, medication) and severity
- Current medications, dosages, and administration schedule
- Medical conditions or diagnoses the caregiver needs to be aware of
- Vaccination status or record location
- Preferred hospital or urgent care facility
- Any standing instructions from the child’s doctor
- EpiPen or emergency medication location, if applicable
Related Reading: What To Include in a Medical Info List
Daily Routine and Care Instructions
Routine information helps any caregiver, familiar or new, manage the day without repeated calls to you.
Include as much or as little detail as your household requires.
- Wake-up and bedtime schedule
- Nap schedule, if applicable
- Meal and snack times, including any food preferences or restrictions
- Bottle or formula preparation instructions (for infants)
- Homework or screen time rules
- Extracurricular activities, days, times, and locations
- Transportation arrangements (carpool, bus route, pickup instructions)
- Nap, bedtime, or settling routine
- Preferred comfort items or habits
- Behavioral notes the caregiver should know
Emergency Contacts and Authorization
This section covers who to call if you can’t be reached and who has legal permission to pick up or make decisions for your child.
It’s worth reviewing and updating this section at least once a year or whenever your household situation changes.
- Parent or guardian names, cell numbers, and work numbers
- Secondary emergency contacts (grandparent, neighbor, close friend) in priority order
- Individuals authorized to pick up the child from school or care
- Individuals who are NOT authorized to pick up the child, if relevant
- Authorization statement for emergency medical treatment (note whether a signed form is stored elsewhere in the binder)
- Name and contact for the child’s pediatrician
- Poison Control number: 1-800-222-1222
- Local non-emergency police line
Related Reading: Emergency Information Checklist
Legal and Administrative Notes
For households with specific legal arrangements, a brief note section keeps those details accessible without requiring you to locate separate documents each time.
- Custody agreement summary or document location
- Court orders relevant to care or pickup, and where the full document is stored
- School permission or release form status
- Childcare subsidy program or FSA account details, if applicable
Practical Notes
This page works best when it’s updated at the start of each school year and any time a provider, contact, or medical detail changes.
If you have more than one child, a separate sheet for each child keeps the information clean and easy to hand off quickly.
Some households keep a printed copy in the binder at home and a second copy in a go-bag or with the primary caregiver. The authorization section in particular should be reviewed with a family attorney if your household has any custody arrangements in place.
A childcare information checklist gives any caregiver the details they need without requiring you to explain everything from scratch each time.
Keeping it current and in a consistent location in your binder makes it practical rather than just precautionary.
If you’d prefer a ready-made version, the printable Home Management Binder includes a formatted version of this page, organized and ready to print.
