Roles and duties of the specialised educator
There are many roles and responsibilities for a special educator. Their main aim is to support children, young people and adults in their psychological, social and educational development. They may work in institutions such as homes, educational centres, foster homes or child welfare services. The main tasks and responsibilities of a specialised educator can be summarised as follows;
- Maintaining a safe and stable environment for children, young people and adults.
- Establish relationships of trust with the people under their responsibility.
- Providing active listening and assistance to individuals.
- Analyse individual needs and behaviours.
- Develop personalised plans to improve people's well-being.
- Write reports and reviews on the progress of people in their care.
- Assisting people to find solutions to their problems.
- Providing advice and information to the education team.
- Coordinating specific activities to help individuals improve their social and emotional skills.
- Participating in audits and evaluation sessions to assess the effectiveness of services.
- Organising recreational activities for people in their care.
All these tasks and responsibilities require both technical skills and human qualities, such as patience, communication and empathy. To fulfil their role effectively, special educators must also keep up to date with the latest developments in special education.
Salary and career development for special educators
The salary of a special educator is governed by the civil service regulations. It varies considerably depending on experience and location. It is generally based on the salary scale for local authority employees and may be supplemented by bonuses and allowances. Here are the gross annual salary increases in France per year of experience for an Educateur spécialisé / éducatrice spécialisée :
- 0 to 2 years: €2,186 to €2,693
- 2 to 5 years: €2,693 to €3,452
- 5 to 10 years: €3,452 to €4,547
- 10 to 15 years: €4,547 to €5,901
- Over 15 years: €5,901 and more.
Once they have gained more experience, special educators can look forward to career prospects such as:Social workerBehavioural and clinical educatorSchool and vocational guidance counsellorClinical psychologistEducational team leader.
