Special Needs Nanny for Developmental Support

The Elite Nanny Team•McLean, VA

10d

About The Position

The Elite Nanny Team is recruiting a compassionate, motivated Special Needs Nanny to provide individualized, one-on-one care for a toddler with developmental delays. This full-time, long-term position focuses on developmental support and early childhood education. The nanny will use purposeful play, positive reinforcement, consistent routines, and therapist-recommended activities to help the child build confidence, strengthen developmental skills, gain independence, and reach developmental milestones. The role includes supporting gross motor and fine motor development, sensory processing, communication, speech, social interaction, early learning, and daily living skills. The nanny will work closely with the parents and, as authorized by them, coordinate with the child’s professional therapy team. The family values patient, consistent engagement and meaningful progress at the child’s individual pace.

Requirements

Professional experience as a Physical Therapist Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, PT/OT aide, or in a closely related pediatric developmental support position.
Demonstrated experience working with toddlers or young children experiencing developmental delays.
Strong understanding of gross motor development, fine motor coordination, sensory processing, and early childhood learning.
Experience supporting speech development, communication, and social interaction through engaging, age-appropriate activities.
Ability to understand and consistently reinforce home exercise programs and developmental activities recommended by licensed physical, occupational, and speech therapists.
Patient, nurturing, enthusiastic personality and genuine passion for helping children achieve developmental milestones.
Excellent communication skills and willingness to collaborate closely with parents and the child’s professional therapy team.
Current CPR and First Aid certifications, or willingness to obtain them before employment.
Professional childcare references and ability to successfully complete a comprehensive background screening.

Nice To Haves

Experience in pediatric physical therapy, occupational therapy, developmental disabilities, early intervention, or specialized childcare.

Responsibilities

Provide active, individualized care through purposeful learning, developmental exercises, therapeutic play, and confidence-building activities.
Encourage walking, standing, balance, coordination, mobility, strength, and stability through therapist-recommended activities and movement-based games.
Reinforce physical therapy exercises and developmental routines as directed by the child’s licensed therapists.
Support fine motor development with activities involving grasping, reaching, hand-eye coordination, and finger dexterity.
Use puzzles, stacking blocks, shape sorters, crayons, and sensory toys to support fine motor skills.
Encourage age-appropriate self-feeding, utensil use, and independent daily living skills.
Support occupational therapy goals through structured, enjoyable play.
Promote speech clarity, vocabulary, expressive communication, and verbal communication through reading, singing, conversation, and interactive games.
Introduce letters, sounds, colors, numbers, and early letter recognition through developmentally appropriate educational activities.
Reinforce speech-language exercises and communication strategies recommended by the child’s speech-language pathologist.
Build social confidence through interactive play, turn-taking, imitation, and positive reinforcement.
Encourage appropriate social interactions, shared attention, and communication skills.
Maintain a nurturing, encouraging environment that helps the child feel safe, supported, and motivated to try new skills.
Follow individualized developmental routines and therapist-recommended home activities.
Communicate regularly with parents about daily accomplishments, challenges, and emerging skills.
Maintain simple developmental progress notes to help the family recognize growth over time.
Coordinate with the child’s therapy team, as authorized by the parents, to support consistency between therapy sessions and daily activities.