In the contemporary educational landscape, Accompanying Students with Disabilities (AESH) represent an essential pillar of support for diversity and inclusion. These dedicated professionals work daily with students who have specific needs, thus facilitating their access to education and their full participation in the school environment. Their role extends from personalized educational assistance to support in daily activities, playing a crucial role in balancing the individual needs of students with the demands of the academic curriculum. Their presence in the classroom illustrates the commitment to inclusive education that is adapted for all.
The role of AESH in the individualized support of students
The individualized support provided by AESH constitutes an appropriate response to the demands of attentive and respectful schooling for the particularities of each student with a disability. Operating at the heart of the inclusive school, these assistants play a fundamental role by ensuring a sustained and caring presence, which is essential for stimulating the engagement and success of the students concerned. Their missions revolve around assistance in daily life activities, support in learning, and help with social integration. These professionals thus significantly contribute to the realization of the schooling project developed for each child.
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In this context, AESH work closely with teachers, under the pedagogical responsibility of the latter and the functional authority of the school principal or head of establishment. This partnership ensures tailored support, adapted to the specific needs and development of the students. The objective is twofold: to avoid creating an exclusive relationship with the student that could hinder their autonomy, and to encourage the development of that autonomy instead. AESH also provide their assistance during school outings, promoting social integration and exploration of the outside world.
The advantages and disadvantages of AESH deserve attention. While individualized support fosters the development and integration of students with disabilities, care must be taken not to establish a dependency that could be detrimental to the student’s autonomy. The training of AESH, focused on understanding disability and support techniques, is therefore essential to balance support and encouragement for autonomy.
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The mandatory AESH training lasts 60 hours and aims to prepare these professionals for the realities of the field, providing them with the necessary tools to perform their job. In preschool as well as in other levels of national education, AESH make a significant contribution to school inclusion. Their role is part of the continuity of the principles of education for all, established as a priority objective by the law of February 11, 2005, and reinforced by the law for a school of trust in 2019.
The stakes and challenges of the AESH profession for school inclusion
In the face of the challenges of school inclusion, the profession of AESH stands as a cornerstone in the implementation of ambitious educational policies. Their recruitment, requiring a professional diploma or significant experience with children with disabilities, underscores the importance of specific expertise in supporting these students. The duration of the contract, initially three years with the prospect of a permanent contract after six years, establishes a dynamic of professionalization and job sustainability, essential for the stability of the support provided.
The PIAL (Localized Inclusive Support Poles), introduced by the law for a school of trust, represent a structural reform aimed at optimizing human resource management. Under the leadership of a head of establishment, these poles coordinate the actions of AESH in a defined geographical area, thus ensuring a better distribution and a response adapted to the needs of educational institutions. The referent AESH, a support figure, strengthens this system by providing help and advice to AESH facing difficulties or newly appointed.
The profession of AESH is not without challenges. The necessary adherence to the principles of secularism, respect for the rules of the institutions, and remuneration, of which the minimum index remains a concern, are points of vigilance in attracting and retaining talent in this sector. The mandatory 60-hour training, while fundamental, raises questions about the need for ongoing support for these professionals, whose mission requires constant adaptation to pedagogical developments and the diverse needs of students. Acknowledge these challenges, as they shape the future of inclusive education and national education as a whole.