How come I can get an Aupair at quarter cost of a Nanny

[emmerdale]

I am bit gobsmacked and wonder is there something wrong somewhere.

I have been looking for a Nanny or an AuPair and did major research (at least I think I did). Have posed the same questions to Nanny's and Au Pairs.

You may have read my other thread so you will be aware that I don't need really need anyone full time.

But a nanny is going to cost me X and the AuPair Y and the AuPair is looking for a fraction of the Nanny salary and is still prepared to do the housework ect...

Am I missing something or should I be ecstatic that I can employ an AuPair to do more than a Nanny at a fraction of the cost.

By the way I do not think this would be exploitation as the AuPair offered to do the housework in the first place.

Seems strange though!

I gave you the 'google' info to HELP you find out more information!!!! good grief woman!!!

as i said will go on my merry way now because I see no point in being part of a supposed forum that puts people down for nothing

oh and you didn't put me down for nothing then?????

I couldn't see it on my computer - I told you that already - so what am I supposed to do say "thanks, that helped but I can't see it"

sorry if I have a crap computer

where did I put you down?

that's why I'm telling you how to find similar pages on google!!!!

type in the following words (without the quotes)

"What's the difference between and aupair and a nanny"

There's lots of pages come up with information that could be helpful to you (although a lot is simply echoing what I already posted).

Thank you Gwenick, as I said I am not computer literate or google literate so if I don't know what I am suppposed to do what am I supposed to do.

Sorry for being so thick!!

Will try your suggestion and put all that in google.

Again Iwas not trying to start an argument.

Maybe I should go back into LURK mode

type www.google.co.uk into your browser and then the words I put in the search box (without the "'s).

Some fo the pages you may need to have a look around to find the information but there's quite a few there.

Appologies on behalf of the other half of Mumsnet Emmerdale. If I were new and had these responses I surely have not lasted here for long. Actually, I'm not sure I'm liking it much later

Chandra, I'm sorry you feel that way but please explain to me what is wrong with the replies Gwenick or I gave?

Emmerdale there is a huge difference between Nanny Salaries and Au Pair's Pocket Money rates.
I have "employed" both and have concluded that it doesn't matter if a person is qualified or not, it's whether you get on with them, they have a good attitude and a propensity for hard work as other peoples' children and housework is hard work and at times deadly boring. Being qualified means hopefully that they will be a First Aider and that they will have learnt methods to distract a irritable child, anticipate accidents, will be taught creative play, etc, but an unqualified nanny, if she is interested in childcare could have read very constructive books on the subject and can be equally dedicated.

An Au Pair can be very young and/or have a bad understanding of English without any childcare experience which then means that you really need to be around and have lots of patience to teach them your requirements and you may have difficulty communicating. But, if you persevere you may find a gem and be very happy indeed. I don't know your childrens' ages but this option maybe something you would like to try. It's a good idea to list daily duties in writing so that she knows exactly what is expected of her and any words she doesn't know she can look up which ensures she understands. I think there should be a 2-4 week trial period and as with anybody, if it is clearly not working out, let her go and try another girl.

I have a household staff agency (which I am not plugging or naming) and I have employed all types of staff from qualified nurses, au pairs to Filipina housekeepers. I have been very happy with one Filipina and at the moment I have a Slovakian Mother's Help whose English is fluent, she is 26 and a qualified nurse and I am absolutely delighted. With experience you become wiser.

Good luck

It is trial and error with all categories of staff, qualified or not.

Au Pairs are not the same as nannies. They have little or no experience, and do work for the family in exchange for the chance to live in a new country/learn english/go to college and things like that. They aren't here to be underpaid and untrained nannies. If you want someone to look after your children on her own, get a nanny or a childminder. To put it bluntly, why go for the cheapest option for the most important thing - your children? I also feel sorry for the poor girl working for £50 a week! If she is as great as you say then why be so cheap?

No idea Byn. That is what she asked for but would obviously give her more than that in extras

Well I am in Ireland and pay nanny a good salary but I have a friend down the street with an Au-Pair and she gets a fraction of what I pay. But having said that the other families children are very well looked after.

Go with your gut instinct.

Agree with Byn...

Au pairs technically are youge girls (under 25 i THINK) who come to this country to learn our language (and study!) and live in someones home and help around the house wtc (which may include a small amount of child care (but NOT sole charge, especially for young children) in exchange for a small amount of 'pocket money' and are ALLOWED to go to study etc

Childcare is NOT their purpose, and they should NOT be working more than 5 hours a day 5 days per week.

You can there for expcet them to have poor english (tho of course some are VERY good english speakers)

How anyone would leave their child with a person they find it hard to cuoomunicate with is beyond me!

A nanny on the other hand is a (often) trained proffesionla who looks after children as a career (not a MAXIMUM if 2 years before they go 'home')

We pretty much all speek english, and with most nannies (yes as in every profeesion there are a few who are NOT so good!) you could leave a new born baby (or any othher age child) and rest assured your children will be stimulated / educated and nourished to maximise their development potential!

Also alot of nannies are trained to look after CHILDREN and are there for NOT happy to more than light housework that concerns the CHILD... ie kids washing / ironing, and keeping bedroom clean tidy.... most nannies will also leave you a clean kitchen at end of day (if it was left clean to start with!) and unlaod dishwasher etc!

so if you want your chiLDren to have the best employ a nanny.... IF you are more concerned about hvaing all the shIrts ironed a nanny is not really the answer.

(i do accept that their ARE some good au pairs (who are 'good' with children can cook etc) and their ARE some nannies who are not as good.... but in general that is the difference!

actually Chandra - if you read the last 2 threads - you'll see (I think anyhow) that we managed to 'patch' things up and I (nicely) told emmerdale how to find some information using google??

So sorry couldn't be arsed to read the whole posting as I was so insensed at the initial posts. So please forgive me if I repeat what others may have said.

Did you not read about the young au pair (who according to the original poster is just as good as a trained nanny) who has recently been found innocent of killing a child in her care. Whilst she did not intentionally kill that baby, she was untrained and inexperienced in how to deal with a baby and due to an accident that baby died.

There are many great au pairs around, and they do work extremely well for many families, but please do not assume that someone who is a natural with children will be well enough equiped to deal with them day in day out.

Everyone has to make the right choices for them, and I'm not saying that having an au pair is wrong, I'm saying don't expect the same standards from an au pair that you would get from a nanny.

Sorry to rant, but some people make me so mad. And just for the record, I started out as an au pair, then with experience became a mothers help then progressed to being a nanny. I am now a mother so I think I know what I'm talking about.

If you want to employ this person Emmerdale, then do so. However, I do think it's quite exploitative to hire someone for 50 quid a week to do all your childcare (will you be out at work or at home btw) and your housework. What hours do you expect her to work? I assume you will be paying all her expenses as well as providing her room. Most au pairs I know expect quite a bit of time off to go to language classes and to do babysitting & cleaning jobs so they have some money (50quid does not go far even if it is just 'pocket money')
How experienced is she? Does she speak perfect/excellent English? Does she have any qualifiications?
A friend of mine employed a Polish housekeeper who was a primary teacher in her native country, then employed her as a nanny after she had proved herself to be absolutely devoted to my friend's daughter. However, she did not expect her to also carry on being a housekeeper.
I am employing a former au pair in her first nanny job to work part time for me while I work at home. She isn't living in and I am paying her a fair bit more than 50 pounds a week!
There are rules about employing au pairs and I suspect you might be breaching them. If you are, then she could legally ask to be paid the minimum wage and even sue you for it! Not saying she will, but that she could.

where is your au pair from anyway? From the EU or outside it?

Actually, Aloha, minimum wage does not apply to live-in au pairs/nannies/whatever job title.

au pair rates of pay working hours aupairing conditions au-pair aupairing * money

Au pair conditions in France, Britain, Spain and Germany (and indeed, the rest of the European Union) are fairly similar. Indeed, many EU countries have signed the EUROPEAN AGREEMENT ON AU PAIR PLACEMENT which states that the au pair shall:

• Receive BOARD & LODGING from the receiving family and, where possible, shall OCCUPY A SEPARATE ROOM.
• Be given adequate TIME TO ATTEND LANGUAGE COURSES.
• Have at least ONE FULL FREE DAY PER WEEK, not less than one such free day in every month being a Sunday, and shall have full opportunity to take part in religious worship.
• Receive a certain sum of money, as POCKET MONEY, the amount of which and the intervals at which it is paid shall be determined by the agreement signed by the family & the au pair.

In exchange, the au pair is expected to:

• Work about 5 HOURS PER DAY, looking after the CHILDREN and doing LIGHT HOUSEWORK.
• BABY-SIT in the evening ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK.

'Pocket money' rates are around £50 per week in the UK, and between 50 to 75 euros a week in eurozone countries (amounts vary per country and per hours worked).

In general the posts are only open to young girls, aged between 17 to 30 years old (for non-European citizens, the age range is often 17-25yrs). Some families will accept males as au pairs, particularly if their children are all boys, but there tend to be less available positions.

Most au pair placements tend to be for a minimum of 6 months, although some au pair agencies do offer shorter placements during the summer months.

I can't see that Emmerdale said she was employing the Au-Pair. Guess I would have asked the initial question if I found a Nanny and an Au-Pair who appeared to be just as good as each other.

Can never understand posters who do not read the original post and get all hot under the collar.

That's true, but still not sure that Emmerdale is talking about live in or live out (I assume live in though at that money!).

This thread is depressing. I'm a registered childminder who has been a NNEB nanny. I can't understand how anyone can't see there might be a vast difference between someone young, unqualified, willing to do your housework and care for your kids at £50 a week and someone with a qualification or at least lots of experience who wants to concentrate on the wellbeing and happiness of the kids which will take all of her time if done properly. Is it rocket science? Would you go to a dentist or doctor who wasn't trained but was willing to give you a filling or a diagnosis for a quarter of the cost of the dentist/doctor up the road?

Of course you wouldn't. Your childcare is just as important, don't scrimp on it and think it won't make any difference.

Different if you're going to be about the house all the time and maybe just want a helper with the housework and the bit of occasional help with the kids while your there, I can see an au pair would be suitable then, but if you need a lot more childcare than that especially sole charge an au pair wouldn't be appropriate.

Emmerdale did she only needed someone part time so can't see where she would be breaching anything.

Give the girl a break - she only made her observations and asked what we thought.