Early childhood: making the most of internships and apprenticeships with toddlers

A job built on presence, care and early learning

Working with young children means looking after daily needs (meals, nappy changes, naps, hygiene), but also encouraging language, movement, curiosity and self-confidence. Staff are in constant contact with families and pass on what happened during the day, with tact and discretion.

The work is done as a team: childcare assistants, early years educators, a paediatric nurse, the head of the setting and support staff. Each has their own responsibilities, and an intern needs to understand quickly who decides what.

Many applicants picture mostly playtime. The reality also includes tiring long days, repeated routines, noise and emotional moments when children separate from their parents. An internship is precisely the way to check whether this rhythm suits you before you commit to a full course.

Which qualification for which level of responsibility

In France, several qualifications lead into early childhood work, each with different duties.

• The CAP accompagnant éducatif petite enfance (AEPE), a level 3 vocational certificate that prepares you to work in a nursery, a nursery school (école maternelle), a leisure centre or in a private household employing a childminder or nanny.
• The state diploma of childcare assistant (auxiliaire de puériculture), which focuses on care and support for children, particularly in health and child-protection settings.
• The state diploma of early years educator (éducateur de jeunes enfants), a higher-level qualification centred on the educational project and on leading a team.
• The childminder title (assistant maternel), linked to an approval issued by the département that allows you to look after children at home.

Before choosing, ask yourself whether you prefer education and play, or care and health: the internships will not look alike, and neither will the employers.

CAP AEPE internships: length and accepted settings

In France, the CAP AEPE regulations require at least 14 weeks of training in a workplace, or 448 hours, completed in the three years before the exam. No minimum length is set for each individual placement, but two different working contexts are expected, including a period with children aged 0 to 3 so that the matching practical test can be validated.

According to an academic circular, accepted settings include early-years centres (nurseries, drop-in nurseries and micro-nurseries), group leisure care for minors, nursery schools, and individual care with an approved childminder or in a shared childminder house, under certain conditions. Occasional babysitting, school canteens, hospitals and maternity wards are excluded.

These rules may change and their details vary from one education authority to another, so confirm them with your school or training centre before you sign the placement agreement.

Nursery apprenticeships: what the contract changes

In France, the CAP AEPE can also be prepared as an apprenticeship, often over one year. One example of an offer published by a GRETA (a public adult-training network) describes a fixed-term apprenticeship contract in a group of nurseries: meals, nappy changes, naps, individual support, sensory and motor activities, and conversations with families.

Compared with an internship, an apprentice is an employee: pay is set by regulation according to age and contract year, the apprentice is on site several days a week and alternates with classroom teaching. Paid leave and a workplace mentor (maître d’apprentissage) are part of the package. In return the commitment is heavier: a contract is harder to end than an internship.

Employers in this field are varied: municipal, voluntary-sector, company and private nurseries, early years services run by local authorities, and leisure centres. Always read an advert to the end to find out the location, the hours and the qualification being prepared.

Observe the child before acting

A good intern’s first instinct is not to suggest an activity but to watch. What does the child do on arrival in the morning? How does he or she react when the parent leaves? Which toy is chosen, how long does the concentration last, how does the child eat and fall asleep?

This observation relies on a few reference points: the child’s age, personal rhythm, needs at that moment and emerging independence. Write down precise facts (“Léa picks up the cube, drops it, watches it, does it again”) rather than judgements (“Léa is difficult”).

These notes feed your conversations with your supervisor, help you prepare the end-of-placement review and, when the time comes, let you propose an activity that truly fits the child’s stage of development. They must stay anonymous: change first names or use initials, take no photographs and never leave any document outside the setting.

A typical week and a worked example, for illustration only

Imagine a six-week internship in a group nursery, Monday to Friday, with a room of twelve children aged 18 to 30 months. The first week is given over to the welcome, a tour of the premises and watching the routines. The intern does not change children alone and mainly helps set up meals, tidy up and support transitions between activities.

In the second and third weeks, the intern takes part in nappy changes under a professional’s eye, helps with dressing before outdoor time and reads stories to small groups. In the fourth week, he or she prepares a hand-painting workshop for four children, with materials approved by the supervisor. The last two weeks are for repeating the experience, writing the review and discussing what came as a surprise.

This example is hypothetical: every setting has its own educational project, rhythm and safety rules, and these always take priority over any preconceived idea.

Personal conduct and rules to respect

In a childcare setting, attitude counts as much as technique. Punctuality, a clean and suitable outfit, short nails, tied-back hair, no dangling jewellery and no phone in the room are basic safety and hygiene rules.

Professional confidentiality and discretion are just as important. What you see of families, siblings or a child’s health stays inside the setting. Passing information to parents is a job for the professionals, not the intern, unless the supervisor explicitly says otherwise.

Depending on the setting, health requirements and background checks may be requested before an intern arrives: an up-to-date vaccination record, a medical certificate, a check of suitability to work with children. Ask early so that the signing of the placement agreement is not delayed.

Finding a placement: steps and applications

Nurseries receive many internship requests, especially in spring. Start with a list of settings near you: the town’s early years service, parent-and-childminder drop-in centres (relais petite enfance), parent-run associations, company nurseries and private micro-nurseries. Phone or call in, then send a short letter with your dates, the qualification you are preparing and your school’s contact details.

In your letter, avoid general phrases about loving children. Show instead what you have already done: regular babysitting, work at a leisure centre, looking after younger siblings, an observation placement. Say that you know what your course requires, in particular time spent with children aged 0 to 3.

For an apprenticeship, keep an eye on offers from GRETA centres, local authorities, nursery networks and work-study platforms, then ask your training centre to help put you in touch with employers.

Mistakes that cost you dearly

The first mistake is to step in too fast: comforting a child in place of the supervisor when he or she does not need it, or pushing an activity the child has little interest in. The second is to neglect hygiene (hand-washing, disinfecting surfaces, handling nappies), which lies at the heart of the job.

Other pitfalls include taking photos for your file, comparing children with one another in your notes, openly criticising the team or the parents, or turning up without having read the setting’s educational project. Finally, not asking your supervisor for regular feedback slows your progress. Schedule a ten-minute weekly check-in to find out what you have mastered and what still needs work.