In France, legislation about the occupation of "babysitting" hasn’t stopped being more and more specific. Indeed, since 1945, the French Health Care Ministry has created local governments and reinforced the laws ruling the profession, in order to provide the best services to the parents, and the highest protection to children.

Moreover, child carers are now divided into many specialties, working either in the hospital sector, in paediatric centres, in day nurseries, or in their own house. For each occupation, there is a specific name, specific training, a specific collective labour agreement, and an official social and professional status. In France, it’s therefore not possible anymore to improvise yourself a babysitter, and work with children when you don’t really know what you’re doing...

Many occupations, many names...

At least four different kinds of workers can be officially classified as "child specialists" in France. According to the French Health Care Ministry, 99% of these professionals are women, and they can be grouped as:

• Paediatric nurses: They usually work in a nursery, a hospital or a clinic. They provide medical and sometimes surgical care to children from birth to teenage years, and create a strong link between doctors and parents. They can also work as a general manager in day nurseries, or in specialized social services centres. They have a specific 5 years of training in school.

• Child Care Assistant: They are to be found mainly in day nurseries or nurseries. They provide to very young children the first types of cares, such as hygiene, food and attention. They don’t have as much medical knowledge as the Paediatric nurses, but are specifically trained to help young children in their awakening through games and activities. They benefit from a one year training in special school to be able to work.

• Babysitter (childminder): They are the modern "nurses," and take care of children in their own house, or in PMI centres (Local Centres for Child and Mother Protection, in France). They are dedicated to the care of children, to helping their education according to the parents’ educational wishes, and to encourage their awakening through different activities. They work as freelance, or in a team of social workers. They have to get a licence delivered by the Local Social Services, and have to get compulsory training to be allowed to work.

• Babysitter: The least "regulated" occupation of all. These are the classical babysitters that parents can call when they go out for a few hours. Nowadays, more and more parents use professionals to do this job, and tend to trust some local organizations or associations, providing professional services with a team of professional and trained workers.

Working with young children is a matter of passion and devotion...

All of the child care professionals certainly have two things in common. The first one might be a strong passion and dedication for the care of young children. Indeed, it is hard work to work in the social services sector… bearing in mind that some families have difficult situations or hard personal stories. The second one might be the will to work in a sector being in contact with people all the time. Nevertheless, choosing to work as a professional children carer will definitely offer the insurance of getting a job almost everywhere in France!