a review of the literature reveals the lack of a single definition and the existence of widely varying approaches for deciding what paid jobs should be included in the care sector this study on latin america is based on the approach that defines paid care w ork as the provision of a service for dependent persons children the sick older persons persons with disabilities by applying these criteria to household surveys in latin america care w orkers were identified as those in the health education social services and household services sectors in the following occupations teachers and teaching assistants at the preschool education level special education teachers child carers professional and registered nurses and nurses aides both home and institutionbased other care and personal service workers companions and domestic w orkers but this average masks some differences in uruguay brazil and chile paid care work accounts for more than of all employment and respectively in a large share of paid care work is domestic work