Au Pair in America is a well-established agency operating since 1986. Its program fees are comparable to other agencies, and it provides extensive screening and matching services.
Host families must provide au pairs with a home phone and a basic cell plan (with some data for GPS navigation). Families should also consider negotiated expenses like train/bus passes.
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The Age of the Children
Childcare is a significant financial commitment for many families. Some enroll their children in daycare or aftercare programs, while others hire nannies or babysitters to help with care. Still, other families decide to host au pairs. These foreign caregivers become more than just other caregivers, as they bring their unique cultural backgrounds and create meaningful relationships with the kids they care for.
Au pairs help with the daily hassles of caring for children, such as feeding and bathing them and putting them down for naptimes and bedtimes. They also play and encourage physical activity, educate the children through books and arts & crafts, and drive them to and from practices, games, lessons, and appointments.
For this service, the host family typically pays an au pair a stipend that covers basic living expenses plus a small amount for childcare. In addition, the au pair program cost which is not refundable once an au pair is matched with the family—covers research and screening for the au pair, international travel and training fees, and healthcare coverage.
The Number of Children
As most parents know, quality childcare costs money. And when you’re writing checks to an au pair agency each week for the benefit of your children, it’s no secret that the funds can add up.
In addition to their weekly stipend, au pairs are provided with a private bedroom and bathroom, meals, two weeks of paid vacation time, a whole weekend off each month, up to $500 toward attending a post-secondary educational institution, and other benefits such as a pre-tax medical and dental insurance plan. The stipend amounts consider the weekly room and board cost and Fair Labor Standards Act considerations.
Many au pairs have experience caring for special needs children with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and neurological conditions like cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Additionally, au teams with expertise in physical and occupational therapy, medication administration, and feeding tube care can help families with multiple children with varying needs. For this reason, many au pairs are willing to work with various children in a household.
The Number of Au Pairs
Au pairs are young people from around the world who live as members of their host families and provide up to 45 hours of childcare per week. They share their language, culture, and customs with their family, enriching the household.
Traditional au pair agencies act as intermediaries between young people interested in becoming au pairs and families looking for help with child care. They charge a fee to fulfill this role and, in turn, help au pairs find a suitable match by interviewing, evaluating, and screening applicants.
CHI Au Pair screens all its au pair candidates using multiple criteria, including previous childcare experience evaluation, background checks, and psychometric testing. The agency also requires au pairs to complete a week of training before starting their program, which can include first aid, CPR, and more. Finally, agency fees cover the cost of facilitating the au pair’s J-type visa with various governments and paying for local and regional area coordinators who handle day-to-day au pairs’ questions and concerns. This includes conducting monthly check-ins with au pairs and their host families.
The Location of the Host Family
In addition to agency program fees, host families must also pay for the Au Pair’s travel and expenses. This can be costly, mainly if the Au Pair is far from your home or work.
The Au pair program is a unique portion of US immigration law that allows young men and women worldwide to come to the United States, live with a host family for a year, and provide childcare in exchange for a modest salary. Though some organizations have criticized the program as a form of forced labor, most Au Pairs enjoy their time in the US and value their experience.
Traditionally, au pairs are women (though men can participate) between the ages of 18 and 26 who live with a host family to help with their children’s care while learning a new language and experiencing a different culture. Many Au Pairs and their American hosts establish lasting international relationships and remain in contact over the years. As the coronavirus pandemic has closed schools and daycares, hosting an au pair may seem like a good option for parents needing flexible and affordable child care.
The Agency
Hiring an au pair may seem daunting, but it can be a rewarding experience for the entire family. Au pairs can uniquely form strong relationships with children, and this unique dynamic has been proven to help children develop social-emotional skills more quickly than they would in a daycare or similar childcare setting.
Au pair agencies act as intermediaries between young au pair candidates from abroad and host families who wish to hire them. These agencies charge fees for their services, often fulfilling some screening process or evaluating candidates before proposing them to host families.
Agency fees vary by program but generally include recruitment and selection of au pairs, background checks, psychological evaluations, visa application, insurance coverage, orientation, and international airfare for your au pair. Some agencies also offer additional services, such as matching specialists or local childcare consultants, that increase the upfront cost. These additional fees can sometimes be reduced or waived if you have a code from another au pair family, are a member of an association, get a referral from a regional area coordinator, or are applying for a rematch.
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