Au pairs?

[Nature'sKids!]

I know they'd have to be crb checked but aside from that is there anything stopping me having an au pair as an assistant?

Wouldn't be for a long while yet as we need to save money for an extension etc but I'm thinking au pair would be ideal as you don't have to pay them as much as a qualified assistant?

What are your thoughts? Would you / wouldn't you if you had the chance?

[The Juggler]

i think the rules about au pairs 'working' are quite strict hon. so au pairs are meant to be students who live in and help out rather than working as an assistant. They are not allowed to take formal employment as I understand it. Also not sure how long a CRB for an overseas student/au pair would take

have a look on direct.gov I'm sure there would be some info on there.

[boxtree7]

Why don't you use someone who wants to do NVQ in childcare - Need to check with your locla college - I think the charge is £2.70 per hour.

[mufftie]

Sounds a fab idea but like the others say , I bet the legality of it is quite stiff ,
I use my daughter my husband and now I'm registering my son as he is home on leave from the marines after an injury .

[nikki thomson]

Hi, an au-pair is very restricted on the hours they can work it's usually 5 hrs a day, you also need to provide a bedroom and food and pay for her college tuition fees. The average weekly income for an au-pair is between £100 and £150 per week and then you have the other expenses on top to pay including tax if they earn enough. X

[Nature'sKids!]

It's down to each individual au pair partnership how much pay ands work etc. A friend of mine from Austria came to uk as au pair and she got 50£ a week, worked 3 full days I think and 2 before school/ after school and preschool. She also got a part time job somewhere else.

[nikki thomson]

It's down to each individual au pair partnership how much pay ands work etc. A friend of mine from Austria came to uk as au pair and she got 50£ a week, worked 3 full days I think and 2 before school/ after school and preschool. She also got a part time job somewhere else.

£50 a week is slave labour she obviously didn't go through a reputable agency, it really shouldn't be allowed, I was an au-pair 20yrs ago and got paid more than that appalling.

[Nature'sKids!]

This was agreed between them. It was 4 years ago and they're still friends!

[pinky33]

Wow £50 a week that sounds great if you can live with the guilt of working someone for such little money. Even working 5 hrs a day that's only £2.00 an hour and I can't imagine anyone with a heart would even imagine asking someone to work with that.

An Au Pair is normally here to study as a main and then help out with a family NOT a Childminder for pocket money which is normally about £150 a week.

My opinion is that (not aimed at you) if you need help and can't afford an assistant then you probably can't cope with the children your caring for and need to evaluate.

[rickysmiths]

I think you need to get yourself working as a childminder before you start to think about Assistants.
An Au Pair as an assistant?

I wouldn't even think about it as an option, I don't think it is a particularly professional way to go about things but each to their own.

[mandy moo]

Au Pairs - are they not generally, quite youngish?middle to late teens? no child care qualifications/experiance etc as such?
Ive also read that, really not to expect too much from them, simply 'look' at them as 'extended' family teenagers as such, I do appreciate tho young adults are all different, in the terms of experience etc tho.

[Nature'sKids!]

It's all theoretical At the moment anyway. I would be having an au pair from a school in Austria ( the one which I went to) which qualifies you to equivalent of nvq level 4 in kindergarten teaching. There are many (like my friend) who are just looking At getting away for a bit. So while they would be here to help look after the kids (like after school when there's more about) they would be free to do other things too.
Like I say, it's all just thoughts at the moment and I was wondering, as long as crb check was completed, if it were possible.

[*daisychain*]

I think you need to get yourself working as a childminder before you start to think about Assistants.
An Au Pair as an assistant?

I wouldn't even think about it as an option, I don't think it is a particularly professional way to go about things but each to their own.

here, here!