Many mother and father have heard about internet hosting au pairs as a childcare choice however really feel confused by the method. This submit breaks down who au pairs are and the way this system works!

What’s an au pair?

An au pair is an adolescent from one other nation who joins your loved ones to help with childcare. Throughout their keep, they share their language, holidays, meals and customs with the entire household and study extra about American tradition.

Au pairs stick with their host households for no less than one yr, however can select to remain for an additional 6, 9 or 12 months (both with the identical household or a brand new household).

Whereas they’re within the U.S., au pairs additionally fulfill a required instructional part by taking courses at an accredited establishment. Some au pairs decide to take ongoing programs whereas others choose to take a category over a weekend. 

Overview of the au pair course of 

I would be the first one to confess that earlier than I joined the au pair program, I assumed the method could be extraordinarily daunting. However I promise you, it isn’t! To legally host an au pair, it is advisable to undergo an company, and so they do numerous the preliminary legwork for you.

Company employees will personally interview and display screen all candidates, assist au pairs safe their visas and put together them for his or her time within the U.S. I researched three completely different businesses and after talking with different mother and father and evaluating the varied applicant swimming pools, I in the end went with Cultural Care Au Pair. 

After you create a household profile, you can begin looking for au pairs who’ve the expertise and character you’re on the lookout for. If there’s mutual curiosity, you’ll interview them and in the end discover your “match”.  

All host households pay a payment on to their company, and that is clearly outlined from the start (yow will discover Cultural Care’s charges on their web site). As well as, households pay a minimal stipend on to their au pairs every week.

The stipend quantity is regulated by the Division of State and at the moment stands at $195.75 in most states.

After you discover your remaining au pair match, a Native Childcare Advisor (LCC) will interview your loved ones to make sure that you could have a devoted personal bed room to your au pair that’s up-to-code. The LCC can even evaluation the foundations of this system with and encourage you to ask as many questions as you want.

It’s necessary to arrange your kids to your au pair’s arrival as properly! We matched with our au pair seven months upfront, so there was loads of time to assist our little ones get used to the thought of somebody new coming to stay with us. We FaceTimed periodically, and our youngsters have been so excited to assist arrange her room and put collectively a candy “welcome basket” for her. 

I’d not say that matching up to now upfront is typical or wanted—it simply occurred that manner for us. I’d advocate beginning your seek for an au pair a minimum of 10-12 weeks upfront of once you need them to reach, as a result of every nations visa approval course of appears to be like a bit of bit completely different.

Many of the program guidelines are fairly easy. Au pairs can’t work greater than 45 hours every week. They will work as much as, however no more than ten hours a day.

Every company varies a bit of with weekend necessities, nonetheless, and Cultural Care Au Pair requires that au pairs obtain one full weekend off monthly and 1.5 days consecutive days off per week. You’ll wish to give your au pair a schedule upfront in order that they know their working hours. 

Your au pair can’t be the only caregiver for an toddler beneath twelve weeks of age. However this doesn’t imply that they can’t help together with your toddler!

Our au pair arrived when my youngest was 9 weeks outdated and he or she was tremendous useful. I used to be capable of get a lot carried out along with her by my aspect, serving as an additional set of palms, particularly for the “massive youngsters”.

Au pairs are allowed to drive in case you are in want of a driver. Nevertheless, you’ll want to research your state’s particular guidelines to search out out whether or not they want a neighborhood driver’s license or if their nation has reciprocity together with your particular state. 

It’s possible you’ll be questioning: what occurs if it seems your au pair is just not match for your loved ones? At any time limit the household or the au pair could provoke what is known as a “rematch” after religion effort is made to mitigate any issues.

All through the rematch course of, your LCC and Cultural Care employees will likely be available to make the transition as simple as attainable, and that will help you discover a new au pair. 

Why ought to I select an au pair?

An au pair gives a novel childcare expertise that’s really not like anything when “carried out proper.” By this I imply that you just decide to embracing the “spirit of this system” and welcome your au pair into your property as a member of the family.