Read this article published in Infocrèche Pro magazine.

Join us at the ZO & KI symposium on January 28, 2015, dedicated to the well-being of early childhood professionals. I’ll be giving a talk on the psychological suffering of professionals, before moderating the day’s discussions.

Devaluing their work, pressurizing teams, budgeting for toddlers… Day-care professionals face many difficulties. Caught up in an initial desire to accompany human beings in their first steps, access to the field can be the fruit of disillusionment.

Very often, when we talk about the problems of day-care centers, we talk about the children’s well-being, their difficulties sleeping and adapting, but also about the parents’ feelings, their annoyances, their pain at being separated from their little one. As for the suffering of professionals, we rarely, if ever, address it. Yet they are central to our work, in the sense that children’s development inevitably depends on that of the men and women who look after them on a daily basis. All the stress, frustration and bitterness, but also the joy, pleasure and enthusiasm that can animate these behind-the-scenes professionals inevitably influence these children’s serenity. Like seismographs, they absorb their every emotion. Even if the words addressed to the little ones are rigorously selected, the whole sphere of infraverbal and non-verbal language, representing 70% of communication, reflects this possible uneasiness. « Day-care teams often complain and make demands, signs of latent professional suffering. Not to mention their many and varied bodily aches and pains. They’ve got it in spades, in every sense of the word, » says Sophie, director of a group day nursery.

Pros like no other

If we don’t talk much about the discomfort of professionals, it’s probably because they are professionals, and because, by virtue of their position, they have to, and are capable of, taking everything in their stride. After all, it’s their job. They’ve chosen it, we say. Yes, but we forget that looking after young children is not like managing a computer system or a stock of goods. The little creatures they look after every day, with all the professionalism in the world, reflect back to them very personal elements of their own childhood, of the confidential, of the unspeakable. Intimacy intrudes into their work, for better or for worse. A natural closeness emerges between these adults, human first and foremost, and these people in the making. « Be professional! », « Keep your distance! », « Control your emotions! » are regularly thrown at them. Some are seen as too close to these diaper-wearing adventurers, others as too distant. The right distance? It’s hard to pinpoint.

In need of social recognition?

Whatever our profession, there are two elements that greatly influence our degree of tolerance to professional frustration and our motivation to accomplish the tasks we’ve been given: the social value of our profession and/or the amount we’re paid. Two weak points in the early childhood sector that can affect those who work in it. If being a crèche professional is currently not very rewarding, it’s undoubtedly because the profession is still misunderstood and a victim of preconceived ideas. Many are unaware of the work carried out by these professionals, who are seen as mere « babysitters ». While their missions have greatly expanded over the years, perceptions of their profession have remained somewhat stagnant. It’s as if they’ve stuck to the beliefs of yesteryear, when the little human being was nothing more than a digestive tract that simply needed to be fed, and whose diaper had to be changed for it to grow up properly. The whole pedagogical and child-awakening aspect, although much publicized in the media, seems to have little presence in the collective unconscious. And ideas on the subject are rife: « Looking after children doesn’t have to require a great deal of training. A good maternal instinct, a bit of authority and that’s it », « I’d gladly swap my stressful office job for that of a crèche professional »…In some cases, the managers of public and private crèches themselves are unaware of the work of these pros in the field. The richness of their profession needs to be better known. And recognized. Because, let’s face it, it’s a tough job. I ‘ve met a few unmotivated professionals, who were haunting the sections year after year. When I tell them that it’s time to think about something else, that reorientation is possible, and that I can help them, they reply wearily that they don’t know how to do anything else… But that’s not true! The multiple skills they have acquired are transferable to other professions! » testifies Marie, director of a day nursery.

Expand the range of low-cost childcare options

Many of them have embarked on this profession, eager to accompany, in their first steps, the adults who will build tomorrow’s society. A noble mission on a human scale, hampered by material constraints. In a society in crisis, with ever-increasing demand, public authorities are aiming to increase the number of affordable childcare options. As a result, some professionals are forced to compromise their professional values and renounce certain ideals of pedagogy and respect for children’s rhythms. « The pedagogical projects of day-care centers are always very attractive, full of good ideas and motivating projects. Unfortunately, the reality is a lot less attractive than on paper. There aren’t enough of us, and sometimes we’re not even equipped to carry out the initiatives, » confides Sarah, an early childhood educator. Maud, a childcare assistant, agrees: « I took part in the opening of a crèche. When we arrived at the premises, the cupboards and rooms were virtually empty, even though we were preparing to welcome 60 children within a week. We had to bring our own toys, painting materials and modeling clay! We felt like we were being left behind, as if our work had no value. But I stuck with it because I was convinced that, at our level, we could accomplish great missions with the means at our disposal. The challenge was met!

In this nebula, it’s a good idea to energize their thinking, enhance their multiple skills, fire up their motivation, and help them (re)discover the inexhaustible assets of their profession. Why not think, together, about how we can reconcile human values with the economic constraints of our society? Why not give rise to new perspectives for adaptation and change, based on the complaints of these professionals? In this context, all our collective and individual projects, training days, continuing education courses and VAE (validation of acquired experience) are proving invaluable. What’s fantastic is that, even if all the above is true, many professionals retain their vocation, and live their profession with passion. As a result, smiles will continue to blossom in our sections.

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A career of second choice?

According to a symposium organized in December 2011 by the Caisse Nationale des Allocations Familiales, the world of early childhood is struggling to attract people. Often, these professions are chosen as a second career option, after a career break such as parental leave or unemployment, or even by default. Some graduates, such as early childhood educators, childcare assistants and nursery nurses, are becoming increasingly rare.