As a caregiver or parent of young children, the topic of childcare has most certainly crossed your mind. There are many options to choose from such as day care, kindergarten, home-based care and au pairs. In 2017 alone, Au Pair Link had hundreds of au pairs join Kiwi families in just the Auckland region.
So why are families choosing an au pair as a childcare option?
An au pair is a young person from abroad employed by a “host family” to care for their children. Au pairs provide a live-in form of childcare and provide a unique cultural and learning experience. An au pair joins your family to bond with the children and provide one-on-one care, love and stability in the place which matters most – your child’s home.
Au Pair Link Operations Manager, Morgan Holyoake says, “When you compare having an au pair to the cost of sending your child to a day care centre, au pairs are truly an affordable option, as well as being very flexible. Typical weekly costs start from $260 per week and can go up to $470 per week, depending on hours of childcare or type of programme. This weekly cost does not increase with more children, which makes having an au pair unique to all other forms of childcare.”
With the ability to choose and negotiate your hours with your au pair, it’s a great option for busy working families, that don’t always work a 9-5 job.
Au Pair Link is New Zealand’s largest au pair agency, flying au pairs from all over the world into New Zealand homes. Through their service, families are able to connect with pre-screened au pairs; read their profiles and arrange video meetings to make sure they’re the perfect match. Families also have access to 20 hours ECE and WINZ subsidies, local playgroups, events and on-call teacher support.
For more information about getting an au pair, contact the friendly team on 0800 AU PAIR (287 247) or visit www.aupairlink.co.nz.
