Why Choose an Au Pair?
Why should you choose an Au Pair? Quite simply, we believe that an Au Pair provides unmatched convenience and support for families. Home based care provides a stable and secure environment for children and a dedicated home based caregiver, such as an Au Pair, ensures that each child gets the full attention, love and support they need. There are four key reasons why we believe that an Au Pair is a great option for busy families:
- Help and support. An Au Pair gives busy families an “extra pair of hands” in the home. Not only does an Au Pair provide dedicated (one-on-one) child care but they also help with light cleaning, cooking and laundry duties for the children.
- Convenience and flexibility. An Au Pair provides child care in the best location of all – home. No more picking up from and dropping off to day care centres. As a live-in caregiver, your Au Pair is there when you need them. If your child is home sick or if you need a babysitter last minute – your Au Pair is there to help.
- Affordability. Only $240 per week for up to 40 hours of child care (excluding PAYE tax). You don’t pay per child or per hour. With Au Pair Link you also have access to the 20 Hours ECE government subsidy for 3 & 4 year old children.
- Cultural Experience. Having someone from a different culture caring for your children is fun and educational. Au Pairs often become like another member of the family and it is not uncommon for Au Pairs and Host Families to stay in touch for years afterward.
A recent report published by Unicef called ‘The child care transition’ highlights the fact that an international movement toward out-of-home child care is a ‘high-stakes gamble with today’s children and tomorrow’s world’. The report points out that, ‘After centuries of being a predominantly private, family affair, the care of very young children is now becoming an out-of-home activity in which governments and private enterprise are increasingly involved.’ In the United States it is now estimated that half of all children under 1 year of age are placed in some form of out-of-home child care (such as day care centres). The impacts of this vast change, in the way we care for our infants and young children, are not yet fully understood.
As a consequence, many concerned parents are now choosing home based child care services. However, for many people the costs associated with employing a nanny are prohibitive. Choosing an Au Pair is a highly affordable way to access quality and educational home based child care. For only $240 per week you can have a quality early childhood educational programme implemented right in your own home.
All our Au Pairs have child care experience and are trained in first aid. With Au Pair Link you will also receive professional and qualified early childhood education support to help ensure that the best possible care is being provided by your Au Pair. We believe that home based child care provided by a dedicated caregiver is simply the best environment for child learning and development.