An Au Pair is a great, affordable childcare solution if you have a spare room. Carshalton-based agency Find An Au Pair is the perfect place to start looking.
Juggling careers and children is one of the biggest challenges mums are faced with. If your work takes you away from your kids, searching for affordable childcare where your children can develop within a safe environment causes a lot of heartache.
A great option, if you have a spare room, is an Au Pair. Carshalton-based company Find An Au Pair provides families with affordable childcare through cultural exchange. Founded by Carshalton Mum Nicole Kirk, Find An Au Pair can help you decide if an Au Pair would suit you and then help you through the process of finding the right one.
What is an Au Pair?
An Au Pair is generally aged between 17 and 27 and lives in another country as part of a cultural exchange programme, looking after children, experiencing a new culture and improving their English skills.
“I started Find An Au Pair in October 2010 because I really wanted families to know about this great opportunity,” says Nicole, who worked as an Au Pair in Seattle and Holland before employing Au Pairs herself to look after her own children.
“I am passionate about the business, having been an Au Pair, an agent and now a host mum to Au Pairs,” says mum-of-two Nicole. “Having an Au Pair is a fantastic way to have someone mind your children within your own home.”
Cultural Exchange
“The key thing to remember is that being an Au Pair is not a job,” explains Nicole, who works with partner agents in Europe who interview Au Pairs with childcare experience. “It is part of an international cultural exchange program with 25,000 participants worldwide per year.”
Au Pairs are welcomed as a member of the family with their own room which is not shared with the children. “Either a TV, radio or computer should be in the room to allow the Au Pair to have time away from the family and to study,” adds Nicole.
Au Pairs attend a language course and in exchange for a room and weekly pocket money they assist you with childcare, babysitting and light household duties. “It can be a real win-win situation for parents and participants,” says Nicole.
How does Find An Au Pair work?
“The Au Pairs produce a profile for prospective families,” explains Nicole. “From the family’s point of view, I discuss the family’s requirements and help put together a profile of themselves. We then look at possible matches.”
“The great thing about going through an agency is that both you and your Au Pair receive support throughout the year,” adds Nicole. “Your Au Pair will also get to meet a network of other Au Pairs.”
“Having an An Pair is not only an affordable childcare solution,” says Nicole, “it also leaves you with the peace of mind that your children are cared for in your own home.”
Summer Au Pair offer
Nicole has recently relaunched her website and has put together some fantastic offers for families considering an Au Pair.
“A great way to ‘try out’ the programme is to start off with a short term summer Au Pair,” says Nicole. “Being an ex Au Pair in Holland and Seattle, I did not need to be convinced that an Au Pair was the best childcare solution for me, but I understand that other parents may be a bit hesitant.”
If you are considering having an Au Pair, why not give Nicole a call? Nicole is a friendly Carshalton Mum and can chat over the phone, skype, meet you for a coffee or come and talk to you in a group.
Find out more and read Carshalton Mums‘ reviews of Find An Au Pair.
For more information, contact:
Nicole Kirk
Owner
Find an Au Pair
Tel : 07821 080 884
www.findanaupair.co.uk
nicole@findanaupair.co.uk
This article was first published on www.carshaltonmums.com