This paper considers the procedures through which gender as a social construction restricts and orientates individuals when they choose child care as a profession. The literature review describes the social construction of gender, the concepts of care and child care, in particular, in order to highlight gender as a shaping factor both in the choice and the practice of the childcare profession. This paper draws conclusions regarding the concept of care and the caring profession, the relation of gender and career choices with focus on child care, and finally on gendered boundaries as expressed in the perceptions of childcare workers.