Au Pair vs. nanny: what’s the difference?

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Au pairs and nannies both provide in-home childcare, but au pairs are typically young people from another country seeking cultural exchange, while nannies are often career childcare professionals. Au pairs have specific regulations and receive room and board plus a small allowance, while nannies receive a living wage. Au pairs may not speak the local language well and are usually identified through agencies, while nannies can already speak the language and may be hired through various means.

Both au pairs and nannies provide in-home childcare, but there are some major differences between the two positions. An au pair is typically a young woman, occasionally a young man, from another country who seeks cultural exchange through work in the host country. He or she may not have any experience caring for children. A nanny is often someone who is in childcare as a career, has experience, and may be younger or older. These people are usually resident in the same country where they work.

Au pairs usually work according to the specific government regulations of the host country. In the United States, for example, foreign nationals between the ages of 18 and 26 can stay with a host family for up to 12 months and have limited childcare, which is designated as no more than 10 hours a day. There are other specific regulations in place regarding salaries and the amount of free time.

The idea of ​​the au pair program is to make the person feel more like a part of the family than an employee. These people live and often go on holiday with their host families. They receive room and board and a small weekly or monthly allowance. In return, they do basic household chores and help the parents take care of the children. In the United States, au pairs cannot care for children under the age of three months without a parent and cannot work in homes with children under the age of two without undergoing childcare training. childhood.

Nannies, on the other hand, care for children as a career and normally receive a living wage. They often have a great deal of experience working with children, are interviewed for the job, and come with references. The child care professional may live at home or travel home every day. He or she may work full-time or part-time, depending on the position, and may remain in the position for as long as needed or desired. A nanny might also perform household duties in addition to child care.

Coming from another country, au pairs may not speak the language of the host country very well. As part of their cultural exchange program, they will often take classes to learn the language of the host country or to obtain academic credit. A nanny can already speak the local language.

Other differences between the two are how they are hired for jobs. The au pair is typically identified through an agency. The nanny might be hired through an agency, from a newspaper ad, through word of mouth from a friend, or otherwise.




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