Child Care

With all the domestic services we provide here at the Deborah Calkin Agency, we place the most importance in the screening and discernment of our childcare applicants. We know that the safety and care of your children are invaluable and we take this very seriously. All of our childcare applicants know that a television is not a babysitter, and we only hire those who love their job for what they do and not for what they get paid. Our staff is highly trained to weed out phony references and experience by the kind of questions we ask in an interview, and it is highly unlikely that most of our applicants will be accepted. We place the highest value on honesty, character, and integrity; if we feel an applicant has those qualities without a lot of professional experience, we would accept them over someone with a lot of professional experience who we didn’t feel we could trust. All of our applicants must have a minimum of one year of experience to be considered, but we look for those with a minimum of two years of professional experience for most positions.

Sitters

A sitter’s main responsibility is the overall care of the children. The main difference between a nanny and a sitter is that a sitter is usually younger, less experienced, and only provides for the well fare of the children. However, some sitters are nannies that want to work extra hours outside their nanny job. Unlike nannies, sitters are not responsible for any light housekeeping, meal preparation, running errands, or transporting the children. Any additional responsibilities may be negotiated with the sitter, but are typically not part of their job description.

These are the sitter’s main responsibilities:

• Bathing
• Feeding the children
• Changing diapers
• Interacting and playing with the children
• Putting children down for bed/nap

Hotel Sitters

When your family is visiting the Land of Enchantment in the “City Different” also known as Santa Fe, we offer the best sitting service in the state so that you know your children are in the best care when exploring this unique city. Please download the "Hotel Sitter" Request Form and reserve a hotel sitter with us for your stay. Our child care providers will come to your hotel or they can accompany your family outside of the hotel if you need an extra pair of hands. Our sitters can be a big help to your family and help make your vacation more relaxing and enjoyable. The DCA works with the majority of hotels, casinos, and vacation rentals in Santa Fe and the surrounding areas.

On-Site Sitters

If you or your business is hosting a special event where you will be providing child care for your guests, fill out our "On-Site Sitter" Request form to reserve your sitters in advance. All of the DCA Sitters have been pre-screened and are CPR and First Aid trained. Reservations should be made a minimum of three weeks in advance. If your event projects on having more than 80 children, please call the agency for pricing and information. The DCA does not provide the venue or child care equipment for any child care service. Sitters are expected to help set up, disinfect toys and furniture, and clean up after the event if necessary. We look forward to providing the best Sitters for your special event in New Mexico!

Nannies

Types of Nannies and Governesses
Childcare is the Nanny’s main responsibility, which typically include:

• Bathing/Dressing
• Changing diapers/Potty training
• Meal preparation for children
• Playing and interacting with children (also taking to play groups, park, library etc…)
• Teaching/helping children learn age appropriate skills
• Cleaning up after the children
• Taking children to sports/lessons, and appointments
• Communicating with the family and teachers
• Assisting/tutoring with school work

Some optional services a nanny may offer include:

• Traveling with family on vacations
• Light housekeeping (vacuuming, loading dishwasher, taking out trash)
• Child’s laundry
• Grocery shopping
• Other errands

Average Salary
On average nannies make between $12-$20 an hour depending on experience, the number of children, duties, and other benefits.

Typical Hours
The typical Live-Out hours are about 30-55 hours a week. Whereas a Live-In nanny usually works longer hours, has more flexibility, and is provided with separate living quarters and a salary.

Mannies

Mannies are basically male nannies. The main difference is that mannies mainly play the role of big brother and are typically placed with families with boys from ages 6-14. Mannies are great for kids being raised without a father because they can be a positive male role model and example for both girls and boys.

A typical manny’s responsibilities are the following:

• Driving kids to school and other activities
• Supervising kids to clean up, eat, and go to bed on time etc…
• Tutoring/Assisting with school work
• Coaching/playing sports with kids
• Traveling with family on vacation

Temporary Nannies

Temp nannies are hired for families who only need them for a short amount of time, usually for a few months or weeks. There is no difference in duties, pay, or hours than a regular nanny.

Summer Nannies

Summer nannies are hired for the summer (May-August) when the kids are out of school. They do everything a regular nanny does, but are typically able to travel with the family on vacations and drive children to summer activities.

Mother’s/Father’s Helpers

A mother’s helper is basically a nanny. Below are the differences:

• Typically a mother’s helper is hired to help a stay-at-home mother with 3 or more children.
• A mother’s helper can also be someone who works for a mother or father who work from home.
• Most mother’s helpers travel with the family on vacations.
• Usually they are sitters who are looking for experience as a nanny.

Average Salary
Mother’s Helpers typically make between $10-$15 an hour depending on experience, the number of children, duties, and other benefits.

Governess

Educationally qualified teacher to mentor school age children academically. Governesses do not typically do domestic work or physically take care of younger children. Children and parents benefit from a governess in the following ways:

• Less stress in relationship
• Help with difficult homework
• Excel in studies
• College preparation

Average Salary
A Governess with a Bachelor’s degree can make $40,000/year and higher depending upon hours, and experience. A Governess with a Master’s degree in education usually starts at a minimum of $60,000/year.

New Born Specialists

A newborn specialist is there to help a mother and her newborn. At the Deborah Calkin Agency all of our specialists are NCSA certified. A newborn specialist is the same thing as a baby nurse, postpartum doula, and a night nurse. Some of the most experienced and popular newborn specialists will get booked up very quickly so we always advise our clients to start looking as early as 3 months into pregnancy. A newborn specialist will help you feel completely comfortable with your newborn when they leave, however, most are asked to stay longer than the original agreement period after the family realizes how much of a convenience and help a specialist is. Make sure to take this into consideration. According to your due date, and the length of stay you have agreed to, the specialist will allow 1 to 2 weeks on either side to guarantee she will be available when your time comes.

Some of the newborn specialist’s responsibilities are the following:

• Graveyard feedings
• Burping and swaddling
• Breastfeeding guidance and pumping
• Teaching parents good baby hygiene skills (bathing, finger nail clipping, nose, and ear cleaning etc…)
• Sanitizing bottles
• Umbilical and circumcision care
• Baby massages and movements
• Baby’s laundry
• Some additional services a newborn specialist may offer:
• Family’s laundry
• Light housekeeping
• Meal preparation

Average Salary
Newborn specialists make between $20 per hour, up to $50 per hour or more depending on length of stay, experience, and if there are multiples.

Typical Hours
Our specialists work a 10 or 12-hour shift, (usually 9pm-9am) or a 24-hour shift. Some are hired for the first week the baby comes home, and others for 1+months.

Postpartum Caregivers

There isn’t a huge difference between a newborn specialist and a postpartum caregiver. Most Postpartum Caregivers are there to help keep the family running as usual for mothers who are more experienced with their new baby. In some ways they are like a second mother to the family, while a newborn specialist is there to mainly help out in the care of the newborn, and the mother. Listed below are the main differences:

• Care for family
• Newborn and mother care
• Household help
• Sibling care
• Meal preparation
• Run errands for mother
• Typically work more daytime hours

Average Salary
Postpartum Caregivers average salary is $25 per hour for one baby, but can go up depending up if there are multiples and other siblings that require a lot of care. As with all caregivers, the duties and experience play a large role as well in determining the salary.

Typical Hours
A Postpartum Caregiver they can work anywhere from a 6 hour shift, to a 24-hour shift. The smaller shifts, unlike Newborn Specialists, are usually during the day.

Au Pairs

At the Deborah Calkin Agency we provide Au Pairs, and American Au Pairs. An Au Pair is typically an international student citizen of the U.S. and have as much experience as our nannies. The biggest advantage of having an Au Pair is that your children will greatly benefit from exposure to a different language and culture.

Some of the biggest differences from a nanny are the following:

• They require a visa or immigration status
• Usually they can only stay in the country for a limited amount of time
• Fluency in English is not guaranteed

American Au Pairs
An American Au Pair is typically a permanent resident of the U.S. Most families can expect at least a one year commitment, and sometimes longer. An American Au Pair is also usually fluent in English as well as their native language(s).

Average Salary
Au Pairs typically make between $12-$20 an hour depending on experience, the number of children, duties, and other benefits.

Typical Hours
The typical Live-Out hours are about 30-55 hours a week. Whereas a Live-In Au Pair usually works longer hours, has more flexibility, and is provided with separate living quarters and a salary.

Corporate Emergency Childcare

This is a service provided by an employer for their employees. If an employee’s regular childcare arrangements break down, our on-call childcare providers will go to the employee’s home so that the parent is able to go to work. This is also for older school aged kids who are sick and need to be cared for. The employer subsidizes the cost, which is a way to improve company safeguard and productivity. We can arrange a “meet-and-greet” for anyone the company hires for this service so that the parents are able to meet the on-call childcare providers ahead of time.

Average Salary
The salary for an on-call childcare provider is typically higher than a temp or permanent provider because of the fact that they have to be ready to work at all times without any warning. We have to make sure it is well worth their effort, considering they have other obligations. Their salary is a minimum of $12+ per hour with a $10 gas fee for the childcare provider. The hourly rate is dependant upon their experience, certifications, number of children, and other factors. For graveyard employees, the salary is a minimum of $15+ per hour and a $10 gas fee. Usually the corporate employer pays the childcare provider fees as well as the agency fee, while their employee pays the childcare provider the hourly rate.

Typical Hours
Most are the average 9am-5pm unless they are graveyard hours. Since the childcare providers are compensated with a fee, there are no minimum hours.

Service Request

Download and fill in forms. Email, Mail, or Fax in forms to:

Email: Requests@DebsDomesticAgency.com
Mail: 814 Camino De Monte Rey #110 Santa Fe, NM 87505
Fax: 505-988-5295

Service Request

Download and fill in forms. Email, Mail, or Fax in forms to:

Email: Requests@DebsDomesticAgency.com
Mail: 814 Camino De Monte Rey #110 Santa Fe, NM 87505
Fax: 505-988-5295

Child Care Application

Before downloading the application please read our guidelines for all applicants applying with the Deborah Calkin Agency below.

• The Deborah Calkin Agency has a no tolerance "no show" policy. If a situation arises where a domestic employee is not able to make it into work after a placement, the domestic employee must call their employer as soon as they know they are not going to make it in we will not be able to place them again in the future. The same rule applies for being late or scheduling an interview with the Deborah Calkin Agency.
• If we discover anyone applying for a position using any false information in a resume, references, or job experience, we will not be able to place them or use them again in the future.
• Honesty is the best policy. We only place applicants who are sincere, responsible and reliable. In some cases, if we are impressed with an applicant who may not have a lot of professional experience (hey, everyone has to start somewhere right?) we will do our best to place them with a client who is more flexible and open to someone with a lot of potential lacking the experience.
• If any applicant is not willing to take a drug test if requested by our agency or a client, or is unable to bring the required documents to an interview please do not apply. Most clients will not request a drug test, however, we only use applicants who we are sure will be more than willing to take a drug test and pass it.
• If an applicant does not have a resume for the position they are applying for then make one! Providing a resume shows professionalism, and the DCA does not accept anything less.
• Each domestic applicant must provide 3 personal non-related references by former employers, teachers, professors, coaches, pastors, etc...
• All applicants' needs a minimum of 2 references related to the position they are applying to, or a minimum of one year of experience. However, some positions require a minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience.
• All applicants must be willing to undergo a further in depth investigation if requested by a client or the Deborah Calkin Agency, such as fingerprinting or a credit report if entering a management position.
• If we are unable to get in touch with at least 2 or 3 references within 1 week we will be unable to send an applicant to interview for any positions. If an applicant's references do not respond we will contact the applicant, and then it is the applicant's responsibility to get in touch with their references and have them call the agency.
• If any applicant violates any written agreements signed with the Deborah Calkin Agency they may be held financially responsible for any lost wages incurred by the agency, or face legal judgments.

Please bring the application completely filled out to the interview. The DCA does NOT take walk-ins, to schedule an interview send a request to jobs@DebsDomesticAgency.com