I'm an early childhood professional

At the heart of child development: early childhood professions

The world of early childhood is rich in a multitude of professions, all essential to the well-being and development of young children. But who are these professionals who welcome and accompany our little ones on a daily basis?

A multidisciplinary team at the children's service

Early childhood care facilities (municipal daycares or private, parental or associative....) can count on a multidisciplinary team to provide quality support.

These include:

The head of a childcare facility:This early childhood professional (nursery nurse, nurse, early childhood educator), often with a state diploma, is responsible for managing a multidisciplinary team. He/she is responsible for defining and implementing the structure's pedagogical project, guaranteeing the safety and well-being of the children, and ensuring the smooth administrative running of the establishment.
The assistant of an early childhood establishment: he/she works in close collaboration with the manager. He/she participates in defining and implementing the pedagogical project, ensures the pedagogical follow-up of children, accompanies families, leads the team and ensures the continuity of the service.
Educators of young children: true pedagogues, they set up early-learning activities and accompany children in their learning.
Caregivers: they provide daily care (diaper changes, meals...) and take part in leading groups of children.
Early childhood educational assistants: they work with children under 3 years of age and contribute to their development.
Maternal assistants: they welcome children into their homes and offer them a family setting. Municipal childcare assistants are attached to the City of Montpellier's Service d'Accueil Familial (SAF). Approved by the department, they welcome children into their homes in compliance with current regulations.
Puericultrices: they provide medical and health expertise, in collaboration with doctors and nurses.
Technical staff: cooks, linen maids or maintenance staff, they ensure the smooth running of the premises (kitchen, linen maintenance, premises...).

Rigorous supervision for optimum quality

The number of professionals required in each structure is defined by current regulations, to guarantee supervision appropriate to the number of children.

For facilities with more than 24 places, the law requires the presence of at least 2 people, one of whom must be qualified.

A Health and Prevention Unit to serve young children and their families

Crèches are much more than just places to welcome children. They are also spaces for care, stimulation and prevention.

To guarantee an optimal environment for toddlers, many professionals are involved in what is known as the "Health and Prevention Pole".

This pole brings together experts from different fields: nursery nurses, psychologists, psychomotricians and social workers. Each contributes their know-how to ensure the health, well-being and harmonious development of children.

They play an essential role in disease prevention and health promotion. They inform teams about health protocols, and provide personalized follow-up for children, especially those with special needs. For a child whose state of health requires it, they help and support the establishment's team in understanding and implementing an Individualized Welcome Project (PAI) drawn up by the child's attending physician in agreement with the family.

They provide health education and promotion activities for professionals, particularly with regard to nutritional recommendations, physical activity, sleep, exposure to screens and environmental health.

As part of the departmental system for handling information of concern, in coordination with the structure's director, the psychologist and the Early Childhood Unit, they contribute to identifying children in danger or at risk of being so, and to informing the management and professionals about what to do in such situations.

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They contribute to the emotional and social development of children by observing their behavior, training teams and accompanying families.

Oversee the layout of spaces and the implementation of activities adapted to promote children's psychomotor development.

Their mission is to protect children and foster a social bond between families and professionals.

Networking for comprehensive care

These professionals work closely with educational teams, attending physicians and other partners involved in the child's journey. They contribute to the drafting of facility projects and ensure regular monitoring of children, particularly those with disabilities or special needs.

Key missions of the Health and Prevention Unit

Prevention and health: implementation of health protocols, medical monitoring of children, health promotion.
Accompaniment of families: listening, advice, psychological support.
Training of professionals: awareness of early childhood issues, development of specific skills.
Child protection: identification of at-risk situations, collaboration with social partners.

Thanks to this scheme, crèches offer a secure, stimulating and caring environment for young children, promoting their panning and physical, cognitive, social and emotional development.