Au Pair Care: Child Care provider
Recently, there was an article about warning of the many untrustworthy ads for au pairs found on the web. Anyone who has searched for a job or a childcare provider on the internet has come across deceptive or suspicious advertisements. While some of these ads are blatantly false, others are quite convincing. The prevalence of these types of ads once again underscores just how important it is to use a Department of State designated agency such as Au Pair Care to host an Au pair.
The Department of State created the au pair care program – to protect host families and au pairs. Complaints are often heard from participants about the program rules, and some of them are valid. Families who work for 11-hour shifts find themselves wondering that why their schedule is not within the guidelines that set the au pair’s maximum ten working hours per day. Au pairs often ask why the volunteer hours don’t count towards their educational requirement. The answer comes down to Department of State rules of Au pair care, which are in place not to annoy or make life difficult, but to protect all who are involved in this program.
When the host families and au pairs find each other informally on the web and not through an agency, each party is giving up a valuable layer of protection in the screening and background check of each party. Agency and partner abroad work hard to vet families and au pairs to make sure that they will have a suitable placement.
Another very important part of the puzzle is your local Area Director of Au pair care. That person is your knowledgeable resource as problems or questions arise. In those rare occasions where, for example, a host family require their au pair to work more than allotted 45 hours a week, 10 hours a day, the Area Director of Au pair care can step in to counsel the host family on the proper guidelines and, if necessary, remove the au pair from the home if rules are not being followed.
When rules and procedures are followed by both parties, there is a greater chance that matches will be smooth and uneventful. So you should not take the risk but protect yourself by using an agency like Au Pair Care by developing a strong relationship with your Area Director, and understand your participant agreement to know your rights and expectations.
http://www.linkedin.com/company/aupaircare is leading Au Pair Care agency providing trustworthy child care services across US.
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