Thursday, 22 September 2011
The Education Review Office (ERO) has recently released their first report on Au Pair Link. Au Pair Link is the only Au Pair agency licensed by the New Zealand Ministry of Education as a Home Based Early Childhood Education provider. The report for Au Pair Link’s Bay of Plenty region can be viewed on the Education Review Office website here.
Cecilia Robinson, Managing Director of Au Pair Link, says that the Education Review Office report reaffirms that Au Pairs provide quality childcare and excellent learning experiences for children. “We have always known that Au Pairs provide quality childcare, but it is pleasing to see the Education Review Office validate the educational value of Au Pair childcare.”
Mrs Robinson says that because Au Pairs are live-in caregivers they develop very strong bonds with the children they care for and the children’s parents (or the ‘Host Family’). “We believe that home based childcare provides the best environment for early childhood development and learning.”
The ERO report identified key strength areas of Au Pair Link’s Early Childhood Education service including:
- careful selection, placement and induction of au pairs;
- comprehensive, well documented, high quality management systems and procedures to guide all aspects of service operations, including health and safety;
- positive, affirming relationships and effective communication between the programme manager, au pairs, children and their families;
- strong support by the programme manager in assisting au pairs to provide a balanced, stimulating learning programme for children; and
- well-developed self-review and quality assurance practices.
Casey Muraahi, Au Pair Link’s Education Services Manager, explains that one of Au Pair Link’s key objectives is to foster cultural understanding and tolerance through Au Pair programmes. “We believe that cultural awareness is a very important aspect of quality Early Childhood Education and development for children.”
In their report the ERO has stated that, “A feature of the programme is the opportunities for children to gain an awareness of other cultures through their relationships with Au Pairs.” The ERO also gave a ringing endorsement of Au Pair Link’s wider Early Childhood Education service. “The service promotes a balanced, stimulating learning programme for children. Au Pairs are supported and encouraged to provide a variety of learning experiences in areas such as literacy, numeracy, creative and messy play. The programme is enriched by outings, excursions and use of community facilities.”
Mrs Robinson, who founded Au Pair Link with her husband, says that the report is a huge boost to the company and reward for many years of hard work. “We are extremely proud of our first ERO review and the Au Pair Link team – we love what we do! There are few industries worldwide where you get to create such positive and life changing experiences.”
Au Pair Link has also enjoyed recent success having been nominated as a finalist in the Westpac Business Awards.
To download the full Education Review Office report, please click here.