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Au
Pair: (Definition) Foreign national in the United States for up to a
year to experience American life. Lives as part of the host family and
receives a small stipend in exchange for babysitting and help with
housework. May or may not have previous childcare experience.
What
it Costs
Families must pay for the application fee, agency
fee, plus contribute up to $500 towards the Au Pair's education
requirements while they are here. These fees usually total (on
average) $5,000 - $6,000. The minimum Au Pair stipend (that
host families are required to pay to the au pair) is $139.05 per
week. This makes the average cost for an Au Pair to be between
$250 - $280 per week . Host Families are not required to pay Social
Security or take taxes out of Au Pair's pay. In addition, Au Pair
weekly stipends are eligible for Dependent Care Flexible Spending
Account (FSA) reimbursement programs through employers, as well as
child care tax credits through the Federal and State government.
Where
to Find an Au Pair:
Au Pair Agencies (the US
Department of State has a new list, a few new agencies have been
added and some of the existing agencies have changed names).
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/jexchanges/private/aupair.htm
Some Feedback from an experienced Host
Family:
"We pre-matched with both of our au
pairs. I used the following Sites:www.greataupair.com
, www.aupair-world.net
, www.aupairsearch.com
,www.aupair-options.com.
Even though you pay a small fee to be a
member of the site to use the service, most agencies will give you a
bit of a discount if you are pre-matching. Pre-matching does
take longer and can be more time for the host family, but my husband
and I preferred it. I felt that I got to know the Au Pair better and
wasn't limited to the time constraints of 'matching' with the
agencies. After we pre-matched with the Au Pair, we gave her
the information of the agency that we were working with, and had her
go through that agency. It worked out better in my opinion."
Requirements
For Families:
Application fees: Vary by agency.
Generally, anywhere from $150 - $300 to apply to the agency.
Some agencies will offer discounts to host families who are
re-applying in subsequent years, and some will offer discounts to
new host families.
Paperwork: Be prepared to complete
plenty of paperwork. The application to the agency general
consists of providing general information about yourself/family (parent(s)
names, address, phone number, SSN, e-mail address, occupation, names
of children, ages, etc.). You will also be expected to
complete a 'host family agreement which will list the host family's
expectations of the au pair, what her work schedule will be, what
duties she will be expected to perform, what the children's
activities are, if she will be expected to drive the children
to/from school or activities, what hobbies and interests the parents
and children have, if she will be invited to go on vacation with the
family, etc. You will also be asked to provide 2-3
letters of reference, as well as to write a 'Dear Au Pair' letter,
describing yourself, your family, the children, children's
activities, your expectations, what things you like to do together
as a family, describing the area in which you live etc.
What
to look for:
Someone who generally cares about children and
their best interest. Someone who has experience with kids, does not
have problems taking direction from the parents in how they want
their children raised. A person who interacts well with children, is
able to handle difficult situations with kids, teach children good
values and model good behavior. Communicate both well with children
and with host family.
Questions to Ask
Know your State's Regs
Pros and
Cons
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Helpful
Links:
AupairFamily.us:
A Helpful site for families who are considering the Au Pair option.
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