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Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Is 16 year old too young to work as an Au Pair?

36 replies

EvaLongoria · 07/12/2009 00:31

I have been looking for an Au Pair for a while now. I am single mom with a 2 year old studying a degree.

On the 2 days that I have college my DD goes to a childminder and 2 nights a week stays at her dad's.

I would need Au Pair to drop her off and collect at childminders. I would then need her help on the days I am not at college whilst I am trying to put some studytime in.

I have details for a Nanny job she did the last few months and finishing this week so will be calling the family.

Do you think its too young. Oh and she is french so not local.

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nannynick · 07/12/2009 10:15

The au-pair visa category was removed a little while ago, 2008 I think. Therefore someone from an EEA country is allowed free movement to work in another EEA country.
Under the old au-pair scheme there were rules about things like working hours, going to college. This no longer applies. Therefore someone caring for your child at your home, is a nanny - Ofsted use the term Home Childcarer. They can work whatever hours you like and don't have to go to language college. They don't have Visa restrictions, don't have to go home after a set period.

SofiaAmes · 07/12/2009 06:14

If she is 16 why isn't she in school? As far as I know, the UK is the only western country that allows children to finish education at 16 on a normal basis.

Treeesa · 07/12/2009 01:36

16 is not old enough to qualify under the au pair placement rules - whether its the rules that used to exist, still exist in the UK or that exist in every other country that runs some form of au pair program

Most countries insist on 18 as the minimum age - UK are one of just a few that had 17 as its lower age point.

Saying all that, since she is French then au pair rules do not apply and assume she is free to travel and live with you. Some countries prevent children under 18 years old travelling overseas without parental consent - but if she is already here as a 'nanny' (!!) then presumably they are happy with it. If you do go ahead I'd want to speak with her parents though...

16 would certainly be too young for me to contemplate..

Original poster
EvaLongoria · 07/12/2009 01:23

Hi colditz

Yes I wont employ her, I think the reason I put it on here is for the mere fact that I thought I was coming to the end of my very long search and then stumbled upon the age. I kind of knew the answer before even putting it on here....

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Original poster
EvaLongoria · 07/12/2009 01:21

Nannynick what do you mean. Members of EEA countries are allowed to work as an Au Pair but those from Non-EEA countries are not allowed to work as an Au Pair.

Please correct me if I am wrong

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colditz · 07/12/2009 01:18

She's not old enough to vote

Not old enough to drive

She will require adjusted working conditions due to her age (this is the law, she will need more frequent breaks)

She's not old enough to drink

Not old enough to sign for your shopping delivery if you buy alcohol

She's not old enough to have given birth to a child the same age as yours.

She's BARELY old enough to have sex

If she claims any form of sexual assault, you will be investigated by Social Services, because she is not legally an adult, she is legally a child.

She is very unlikely to have finished her emotional development

You will have to do a health and safety assessment because she is under 18

If you want to go out and use her for babysitting, because you are her employer you may not employ her between the hours of midnight and 4 am because she is under 18

If anything happens to the child whilst in the care of the 16 year old you will be held legally responsible, and not only will your ability to care for your child be investigated, so will your ability to care for the 16 year old.

Please, please don't employ a child.

Original poster
EvaLongoria · 07/12/2009 01:17

I must admit, I found her on a paid au pair website, looked at her profile and everything but her age.

Only for the mere fact that initially I wanted anyone from 19 to 30 years old until I found a 37 year old who responded to me and she is just the type of person who I would love to look after my DD.

She is meeting another family who she agreed with before I decided to have her and I thought it is fair her seeing the other family, waiting on Wednesday to come back to me

This would my reason be why I didnt check her age on the website but chatted to her and on her profile it states she is 17 (still way too young for me) but on the questionnaire thing I emailed her she completed 16 years.

I think I kind of knew the answer but loved her energy in her emails and profile.

Will continue my search

OP posts:
nannynick · 07/12/2009 00:58

Missed the bit where you said she was french. Assuming you are in England, then that makes it worse... as she would be living and working in a different country to her own, away from her friends and family.

As she is from an EEA country, she would be a Live-In Nanny (unqualified). The au-pair visa category was removed over a year ago now. As a live-in employee it is National Minimum Wage exempt, so you could pay her pocket money type wages (though if £95+ a week then National Insurance and later income tax starts to kick in and you would need to operate Simplified PAYE).

nannynick · 07/12/2009 00:52

What makes them an au-pair? Are they from abroad coming to this country to learn English?

Practicalities - do you live very close to the childminders? At 16 the person won't be able to drive, so would need some way of getting to/from the childminders.

16 is very young to be living in a different town, city, county, or country. Agree with frakkin... what do her parents think about her going to your [a strangers] home at such a young age?

What studying will the 16 year old be doing? If they want to do childcare, then doing part-time care whilst on a childcare course is fine ... but if they are just dropping out of education at the soonest opportunity, I would wonder how suitable they are. Would they not get rather bored helping you around the home, with a toddler?

frakkinaroundthechristmastree · 07/12/2009 00:37

Depends completely on the person.

I probably wouldn't have been okay with total sole charge of an awake 2 year old at 16. It's still very young. And I probably wouldn't have been okay going abroad long term to a country where I didn't have friends or relatives to live with a random stranger, even though I'm sure you're very nice.

Odd question - what do her parents think of this?

colditz · 07/12/2009 00:37

Hell yes.

I babysat for someone when I was 16 and my God, if that poor woman had known the stupid things I did she'd have fired me immediately.

I used to give the kid biscuits instead of meals and let her watch videos all day, I used to take her to the park and then simply go looking for her when I had finished talking to my mates, I used to take her in my boyfriend's car, I was often late because I simply didn't comprehend that the mother needed to be at work - I was a child. I had a lot of experience with children, and even with looking after children as I had younger siblings, but my judgement was awful. I wouldn't leave a child under 7 with anyone under 20. I was an idiot at 16, but I came across as mature, responsible and articulate.

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