Skip to content
Resume example

Specialist support worker resume example

An éducateur spécialisé supports children, teenagers or adults in vulnerable situations, from young people placed in care to adults with intellectual disabilities.

The work changes with the setting. In a children's home (MECS), you share daily life with the young people: getting them to school, managing conflicts, meeting parents during supervised visits, writing reports for the children's judge. In an institute for children with disabilities (IME), you run educational workshops and work on autonomy with each child. In street outreach (prévention spécialisée), you meet teenagers in their neighbourhood without any mandate. Wherever you work, each person has an individual plan you build with them, review in team meetings and translate into written reports. Evenings, weekends and on-call duty are frequent in residential settings.

Resume example

[First name Last name]

Éducateur Spécialisé (DEES) | Child Protection, Residential Care

[City] · [phone] · [email]

Profile

Éducateur spécialisé with [x] years in child protection, as referent for young people placed by the ASE. I write reports for the children's judge, coordinate with schools and families, and lead the house's life on evening and weekend shifts.

Experience

Éducateur spécialisé, Maison d'enfants à caractère social [Name], [City]

[month year] to present

  • Acted as referent for [x] teenagers placed by the ASE, coordinating their individual plans
  • Wrote half-yearly reports for the children's judge and presented them at hearings when required
  • Organised supervised visits between young people and their parents, with written feedback to the team
  • Set up a weekly climbing project with a local club to work on trust and risk-taking
  • Worked evening, weekend and on-call shifts as part of the residential team

Resume headlines

  • Éducateur Spécialisé (DEES) | Child Protection, Residential Care
  • Specialist Support Worker for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
  • Éducatrice Spécialisée | Street Outreach and Youth Prevention

Summaries for your profile

Entry level

Newly qualified éducatrice spécialisée (DEES, [year]) with placements in a MECS and an IME. I have co-led educational workshops, written observation reports and taken part in team synthesis meetings.

Experienced

Éducateur spécialisé with [x] years in child protection, as referent for young people placed by the ASE. I write reports for the children's judge, coordinate with schools and families, and lead the house's life on evening and weekend shifts.

Career change

After [x] years as a sports coach in a neighbourhood club, I trained as an éducateur spécialisé through apprenticeship. I use sport and outdoor projects as a way to build trust with teenagers who reject other adults.

Tips

  • Specify the public and the setting for each job: MECS, IME, ITEP, foyer de vie, prévention spécialisée.
  • Mention your role as referent if you held one, and the types of reports you write.
  • Describe one or two projects you led, as they show how you work.
  • List the partners you work with (ASE, PJJ, schools, psychiatry services).
  • Write your diploma in full and add the year, since the DEES changed level in 2018.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Listing tasks that apply to any social worker instead of your own setting.
  • Hiding your placements when you have just graduated.
  • Forgetting to mention whether you accept residential shifts and on-call duty.
  • Naming young people or giving details that could identify them.

Working as a specialist support worker in France

Search for éducateur spécialisé or éducatrice spécialisée, often shortened to ES; related posts are moniteur-éducateur (DEME), éducateur de jeunes enfants (DEEJE) and éducateur technique spécialisé. The usual qualification is the Diplôme d'État d'éducateur spécialisé (DEES), a three-year course at bachelor's level in a social work school, accessible through Parcoursup, apprenticeship or VAE. Most jobs are in associations under collective agreements, and in public child protection services. Holders of a foreign social work qualification should check recognition with the French authorities before applying. Employers check criminal records for work with minors and vulnerable adults.

Your job search, on autopilot

Start my specialist support worker job scan

JobFast searches the major job boards for listings that fit you, scores each one out of 10 and prepares a tailored CV and cover letter. You review, you approve.

Start for free

No credit card · No account to get started

Frequently asked questions

Is the DEES required to work as an éducateur spécialisé?

In practice, yes. Employers covered by the main collective agreements recruit éducateurs spécialisés on the basis of the Diplôme d'État d'éducateur spécialisé. Without it, you may be hired as a moniteur-éducateur (with the DEME) or as an unqualified educational worker, sometimes while training through work-study or VAE.

How do I describe a foreign social work qualification?

Give the exact name of the diploma, the country, the length of training and the placements. Then indicate whether you have applied for recognition in France. Employers need to know which position and pay grid apply, so a clear answer avoids doubts.

Should I mention supervision or analysis of practice?

Yes, in a line. French teams value regular analysis of practice sessions, and mentioning that you took part shows you reflect on your work and accept looking at difficult situations with others.

More resume examples