Erica L. Walters – ELW Childcare Consulting
Consulting · Est. 2023

Childcare Guidance
From Someone Who
Lives It

Twenty-one years of in-home experience with distinguished families, combined with a master’s degree in Family, Youth and Community Science, brought to your family personally.

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M.S. Family, Youth and Community ScienceUniversity of Florida
21 Years In-Home Nanny ExperienceWashington DC · NYC · Orlando
High-Net-Worth Family SpecialistLive-in · Full-Charge · Household Management
Author, The Childcare HandbookAvailable now on Etsy

The childcare decisions you make now will shape your child’s development for a lifetime. You deserve expert guidance.

A Rare Combination of
Practice and Scholarship

Most childcare consultants bring either field experience or academic credentials. I bring both, and they inform each other every day.

Since 2003, I have worked as a professional nanny for distinguished families in Washington DC, New York City, Orlando, and Gainesville, navigating everything from newborn care to competitive school admissions, complex family dynamics to international travel. For the past eight and a half years I have been the full-charge, live-in caregiver for one remarkable family.

During that time, I returned to graduate school, not to leave the work, but to understand it more deeply. My master’s research at the University of Florida culminated in The Childcare Handbook, a practical guide translating academic research into real guidance for families.

When you work with me, you are not getting advice from a textbook, or anecdotes without rigor. You are getting thoughtful experience metabolized through a deep understanding of the current field of child and family development.

21+
Years as a Nanny
8.5
Yrs, Current Role
M.S.
Family and Youth Science
4+
Cities of Experience

How I Can
Help Your Family

Whether you are expecting your first child and overwhelmed by options, or you are ready to hire a nanny and want to get it right, I offer personalized guidance rooted in 21 years of experience and graduate-level research.

Childcare Planning for New Parents

You do not know what you do not know yet. Let us map out your options against your family’s actual values, schedule, and budget.

Nanny Search and Hiring Support

From crafting the right job description to vetting candidates and structuring an ethical employment relationship, I will guide you through the entire process.

Childcare Fit Assessment

Already have someone in mind? I will help you evaluate whether they are truly the right fit for your family’s unique lifestyle, goals, and dynamics.

Developmental Childcare Guidance

Understand what the research actually says about how different types of childcare affect your child’s long-term development, without the overwhelm.

HNW Family Support

Specialized guidance for families with complex household structures, domestic staff teams, extensive travel, or multi-home arrangements.

Nanny Employment and Ethics

Learn how to be a great employer: fair compensation, clear expectations, respectful boundaries, and a working relationship that retains excellent caregivers.

The Foundation Behind
Every Recommendation

M.S. Family, Youth and Community Sciences

University of Florida. Concentration in Family and Youth Development. Research spanning Montessori education, Positive Youth Development, adverse childhood experiences, and the developmental effects of childcare type and quality.

The Childcare Handbook

My master’s capstone: a book translating the scientific literature on childcare into an actionable guide for parents. Written for real families making real decisions, available now as a PDF on Etsy.

B.A. English Literature

With a focus on Children’s Literature, the foundation of a career spent thinking about how stories, language, and learning shape the lives of children from their earliest years.

Child Safety Certifications

Stewards of Children (sexual abuse prevention), Human Trafficking 101 (Polaris), and Dating Matters (CDC teen dating violence prevention). Protecting children means staying rigorously trained.

Parenting and Family Science Training

Positive Parenting and Marriage Enhancement certificates from the University of Florida, grounding my consulting in evidence-based frameworks for healthy family functioning.

Diverse Family Experience

Positions with LGBTQ+ families, families navigating parental loss, neurodivergent children, postpartum mothers, and families preparing children for competitive school admissions.

Published Guide

Not Ready to Book? Start With The Childcare Handbook

A 78-page research-based guide to choosing nanny, daycare, and au pair care. Written from two decades of experience and graduate-level scholarship. An instant PDF download available now on Etsy.

Get the Handbook
Also by Erica

Planning a Family Trip? Visit Tallest Tower Travel

Disney and family travel planning from someone who has spent years navigating the parks with children of every age. The same expertise and personal attention, applied to your family’s adventures.

Visit Tallest Tower Travel

Ready to Get Your Childcare Right?

Consultations are personal, unhurried, and grounded in real expertise. I work with a small number of families at a time, so if you are ready, let us start the conversation.

Book Your Consultation