A maternal assistant for Baby

What are the tasks of the maternal assistant?

Its functions are very precise: 

• Ensure the well-being and health of the children it welcomes, in particular through rigorous hygiene and balanced meals.
• Participate in the awakening of the personality of each child, through diversified activities well adapted to their age.
• Ensure their development and emotional balance, through personalized relationships.
• Establish a relationship of mutual trust with parents (think about professional secrecy in particular!)

Why does a childminder need to be approved?

To be able to welcome children at home (four at the most at the same time), a childminder must be approved. This certificate, issued by the General Council of the department, normally constitutes a pledge of confidence concerning the educational qualities of the childminder, but also the health and safety of her housing. Approval is issued for a period of 5 years, renewable. To obtain it, the childminders had to receive a visit from a nursery nurse from the PMI, often accompanied by an educator of young children or a psychologist. They must also undergo an initial training of 60 hours before being able to exercise, which will be followed by a second training module of at least 60 hours, one year after the start of the exercise.

How to choose your childminder?

Many structures offer the contact details of approved childminders. You can get information at the town hall or at the maternal and child protection service (PMI) closest to home. We can also turn to a childminders relay (RAM). There are also some offers on Pôle Emploi.

Once we have selected the childminders who seem to correspond the most to us, we fix appointments in order to get to know them. During the interviews, we do not hesitate to address all the points that are important to us. We talk with them about the course of the days: outings, meals, naps, games … Before hiring, we must check that the childminder is approved by the department and that she is affiliated with Social Security.

Maternal assistant: what salary?

The salary is negotiated by mutual agreement and does not take income into account. There is no official rate, just a daily minimum which corresponds to the Gross hourly minimum wage (2,82 euros on 01/01/2019). We must add the paid vacation, as well as a maintenance allowance, covering in particular the costs of games and early learning materials as well as the consumption of water, electricity, heating, etc. It is up to us to determine by mutual agreement the amount of this daily allowance. When no supplies are provided by the parents, the minimum amount of this allowance is 3,08 euros per day for 9 hours of reception and per child cared for. Baby’s meal expenses are not included in maintenance allowances. To remunerate the maternal assistant, one can benefit from the Free choice of childcare supplement, granted by the family allowance fund.

The Assmat have a collective agreement

The profession of maternal assistant is recognized! They have their own collective agreement, a true labor code, which also makes it easier for their employers to find their way around.

Among the major improvements:

• The establishment of a compulsory pension plan (in the event of illness or accident);
• The organization of continuing professional training;
• The establishment of an employment contract of indefinite duration;
• Editing of a standard payslip;
• The definition of a basic gross hourly wage;
• The right to annual leave;
• And for the dates of leave, they will be fixed by the employer, unless the childminder welcomes children from different families and, in this case, the holidays will be fixed by mutual agreement.

Family day nursery, home for childminders, a good compromise

This solution offers a good compromise between community life and family atmosphere. Once or twice a week, Baby spends an afternoon in a so-called family crèche and is gently introduced to community life. This type of establishment is placed under the direction of a nursery nurse, a doctor or a child. The rest of the time, the child is looked after at his nanny’s home. Another alternative: homes for childminders. The reception of children is then carried out within these houses, and no longer at their respective homes.. Childminders working in childminders’ homes hold an authorization authorizing them to do so. Their employers remain the parents of the children in care. In this case, the parent remains the employer of the only childminder to whom he entrusts his child.

Nursery assistant and Covid, how does it work?

While we are in the heart of a health crisis, are childminders impacted by anti-covid measures? The answer is yes. While it is still possible to have your child looked after by a childminder, she cannot have more than ten children simultaneously on childcare days.

Do you want to talk about it between parents? To give your opinion, to bring your testimony? We meet on https://forum.parents.fr.