When trying to decide which childcare approach best suits your family; you are bound to feel overwhelmed and even a little confused with the options. We take a look at the difference between the two most typical choices – a live-in nanny and an au pair, and simplify it for you.
Au pairs are young individuals between the ages of 18 and 26 years. They usually provide childcare services in exchange for a monthly or weekly salary. Often there are additional perks included such as free food or transport, but this is not always the case. An au pair can be a live-in or live out employee, depending on your needs. It is important to set working hours and house rules in place. You can expect for an au pair to get involved in your child’s life and keep things fun and exciting too.
Au pairs are trained in CPR and emergency care, but there is no set qualification required other than to have some experience working with children. Au pairs are usually placed through agencies and become part of an au pair community in the area that they work in.
Nannies are more general childcare providers. Typically, they aren’t placed by agencies. They can advertise privately or find work via word of mouth. Nannies usually have some training and qualifications to offer and tend to be older than au pair candidates. They also typically come from the area that they work in, so there is no need for the host family to assist with socialisation and community integration / involvement. Nannies, unlike au pairs, are often trained in very specific areas of childcare and so, are ideal for parents who have special needs children.
If you are looking for an affordable short term or long-term care au pair solution for your child, take the time to check out our family services at Au Pair Extraordinaire. We will ensure that we find just the right au pair to provide you with affordable and flexible childcare that caters to your every need. For more information or advice, contact us at Au Pair Extraordinaire today.