Getting an au pair for your baby is a major step. Unlike nannies, au pairs are like temporary family members who will be providing live-in childcare assistance. The most unnerving part of welcoming an au pair in your home is that you don’t know them well. Moreover, the biggest challenge is to make them comfortable to develop a harmonious relationship. Therefore, while seeking the services of an au pair childcare agency, ensure that you avoid the following mistakes:

• Overlooking the agency’s credentials Your first job is to find a reliable au pair childcare agency. Make sure that the agency is accredited by respected organizations. Furthermore, inquire how they review and select the prospective au pairs. Likewise, understand how they match au pairs and families together. Crisis management is crucial when it comes to au pairs, therefore, probe on how they have handled any form of problems in the past. Since au pair services require a hefty investment, don’t forget to get a clear picture of all the costs involving the application, program, and weekly stipends.
• Not thoroughly assessing the au pair’s application The au pair childcare agency will send you the application of the au pair you are interested in. So, scrutinize it and look for important details. For example, if you are expecting the au pair to drop and pick your kids from school, check if they have a valid driver’s license.
• Not communicating with them You should insist on having a word with the potential au pair as it will allow you to get to know them and their expectations better. You can come to a consensus on things like everyday duties, weekly stipends, and know if they want to take up a language course during their stay. Therefore, if you like an application, ask the au pair childcare agency to set up a phone call or video chat with the au pair. It will also be a great opportunity to convey your hopes about this alliance and avoid any confusions later.

Here are some popular au pair childcare agencies you can check.

• The International Au Pair Exchange
• Au Pair Foundation
• Cultural Care Au Pair
• Au Pair in America
• Go Au Pair
• Agent Au Pair
• USAuPair
• InterExchange Au Pair USA

Cost of the au pair exchange program
if you want to host an au pair, be mindful of the financial add-ons. These include non-refundable application and processing fees, program fees, a weekly stipend, language course fees and, an overall increase in your household expenses for a year. Usually, the program fees charged by the au pair childcare services come down to a minimum of $7,000 approximately. Furthermore, the minimum weekly stipend for an au pair is around $200 per week. Likewise, an English language course can cost $500 or above approximately.

An au pair is an adult or a young adult aged between 18 and 30 years, who belongs to a different country and provides live-in domestic childcare for approximately 10 to 12 months. An au pair can play a role of an elder sibling for your children. You can find these individuals via au pair childcare agencies that ensure protecting the rights and interests of the involved parties. By the means of this exchange program, parents get a lending hand and reliable companion for their kids. Moreover, the au pair gets an opportunity to experience the country’s culture and learn its language.

Au pairs are often compared to nannies. However, there are some major differences between the both such as:

• Age limit Agencies facilitating au pair childcare services have certain age requirements, whereas while hiring a nanny, there is no such prerequisite.
• Background check Au pair services make sure that they thoroughly review the prospective au pairs as well as their families to thwart exploitative activities. On the contrary, a potential nanny’s records have to be verified by the parents.
• Working hours Au pairs are live-in caretakers but they have designated work hours that can be anywhere from 30 to 45 hours per week, which are agreed upon by both, the host family and au pair. Similarly, nannies have specific work hours, but they should abide by the country’s labor laws.
• Nationality The au pair program’s objectives revolve around positive cultural experience. Therefore, the au pair is required to be of another nationality. On the other hand, parents looking for nannies preferably want a local resident.
• Remuneration An au pair is supposed to receive a weekly stipend, which is usually around $200 a week. Likewise, a nanny receives a weekly or monthly salary that should meet the country’s minimum wage standards.
• Education If the au pair wishes, they can take up a language course during their stay in the country. The host family is responsible for managing the required fees. Conversely, a nanny doesn’t require a language course. Likewise, the family isn’t accountable for any of their educational expenses.
• Employee status An au pair is considered as a temporary family member and friendly companion for the kids, while a nanny is an employee who is supposed to look after the kids mostly while the parents are away. Since an au pair isn’t an employee they can quit any time they want.
• Responsibilities The duties of an au pair are only restricted to childcare and some light domestic work. On the contrary, a nanny’s routine tasks will depend on the agreement between the nanny and the employer.

The costs of au pair childcare services will vary across agencies. Typically, au pair childcare agencies charge a program fee, which can be between $7,000 and $9,000. These exclude the non-refundable application fees and minimum weekly stipend expenses.