WLGO Presents: Childcare Solutions: Nannies Vs. Au Pairs Michele Parrish Roberta Bailey Roberts April 23, 2010

Child Care Options: Au Pair Roberta Roberts

What is an Au Pair? “Au pair” means equal (on par). The Au pair lives with you as part of the family Include them in family outings, holidays and events Au pairs are exchange visitors from overseas who travel to the US on a 12 month J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa with option to extend up to 12 additional months This is a cultural exchange to gain a better understanding and appreciation of American culture while living with an American family and caring for their young children.

Cost & Hours Average cost for 45 hrs / week care is 325-365 per week For 1 or more children Costs: Application fee ($0-$350) Program Fee ($6700-8400) depending on agency & experience level The minimum weekly stipend is $195.75 per week Based on federal minimum wage less an allowance for room and board. Host families pay up to $500 per candidate per year toward the cost of the au pair's required academic course work (at least 6 credit hours / yr) Scheduling their classes at a local college can be a challenge Hours Au pairs may provide childcare and light childcare related housework for the host family for up to 45 hours per week and up to 10 hours per day. Since the Au pair lives in your house, there is more schedule flexibility. Expected to communicate a weekly schedule Vacation & Days off minimum of two weeks paid vacation for each 12 month exchange term minimum 1.5 days off per week and one full weekend off per month.

Will an Au Pair work for you? Interest in exploring each other’s culture Patience with different styles / assumptions Comfortable sharing your house & family life Commitment to being host parent. Sometimes they need a hug or shoulder to cry on Sometimes they make mistakes Value the flexibility of live-in child care Most cost effective for 2+ kids High up-front cost, low weekly Willing to work through the tough times Mis-communication / language barriers Culture shock and home-sickness Re-match is possible if it doesn’t work out

Our experience We have 3 children (8yr, 5yr & 2yr) We need to juggle 2nd grade (out at 3pm), pre-school and toddler I work at Intel (25min from home), my husband works in Portland (2 hr commute 2-3 days a week, working from home the rest) We are on our 2nd Au pair Our current au pair has been a much better match for the family based on personality & culture Our cultural comfort zone We lived in Costa Rica for 2 years and we relate well to a central / South American background. We enjoy practicing our spanish We had much more culture shock & miscommunication with Thai background. Older is not always wiser or more mature 25 year old was much more independent and less part of the family. More drama in her personal life. 19 year old is the kid’s big sister and blends very well. She’s got good common sense. We are definitely her host “parents”.

Au Pair Agencies There are many different agencies available Look for one with good presence in your area They can provide a critical support network for your au pair to socialize with other au pairs. If you have a specific country / region interest, confirm if they have applicants from there. References Trade group: International Au Pair Association http://www.iapa.org/Docs/index/index.php4 United States     Novato Au Pair Foundation      Stamford Au Pair in America      Boulder Au Pair International (USA)      San Francisco AuPairCare Inc.   NY City Au Pair USA/InterExchange      Murray goAUPAIR San Anselmo CHI Au Pair USA     Cambridge Cultural Care Au Pair      Laguna Beach EurAupair Intercultural Child Care Programs     

Application Process Host Family: Au Pair US citizen / perm resident Fluent English Room & Board (private bedroom) Host application with references & in-home consultation with agency Describe your family, home and lifestyle Identify what are your key criteria Personal letter with photos Au Pair Candidates apply through a designated Au Pair agency in their country Minimum requirements per US & agency 18-26 years old Conversational English Good health High school graduate Min 200 hrs child care experience Background investigation If accepted and matched with a US host family, agency provides au pair with the official documents to apply for a J-1 Visa at a US Embassy or Consulate in the au pair’s home country. After reviewing many applications, you get down to 1-3 and have a phone interview with them. It is very hard to judge personality / fit, So you have to go with your instincts on limited data and then work through the challenges.

Child Care Options: Nannies Michele Parrish

Nanny Overview Personal Hire Rates: $10-$30/hr depending on geography, # of children, level of training/experience, etc. Plus: Taxes (add 15% ), Worker’s Comp (5%) Hours: Negotiable Paid Vacation: Negotiable Roles: Negotiable Cleaning Cooking Errands Animal Care Online Nanny Sourcing: ~ $30/mth Nannies4hire.com Care.com GoNannies.com

Michele’s Experience To Date Three Nannies Hired within One Year Timeframe 18 yr old: Travelled Well but Immature, Unable to Keep up with Responsibilities, Boyfriend Issues, Quit w/ No Notice 20yr old: Flexible, Good Performance to Responsibilities, Issues w/ Transportation and Later Fired for Stealing 39yr Old Mother of 6: Outstanding, Cares for Savannah like her own, Responsible, Great Cook, Takes Care of Grocery Shopping, Laundry, and More

Things to Consider Back-ups Pay Structure Philosophy What will you do when your nanny is ill, has car trouble, etc? Pay Structure Do you wish to pay weekly salary, hourly rate, or other? Will you offer paid vacation? Will you withhold taxes? Philosophy What are your philosophies on raising your child/children? How can you best align upfront on everything from nutrition to discipline to developmental activities?

CARE SHEET Date: House Mgmt: Meals: Diet: Naps (Time and Length) Savannah Jewel Time Protein (16grams) Veggies (1 cup min) Fruit (1 cup min) Carbohydrate (4 servings =1/2 oz each=4TBS) Vitamins (regular and Calcium) Water/ Juice/ Milk Bath/ Brush Teeth Breakfast Snack Lunch Dinner Naps (Time and Length) Activities (Rosetta Stone, Baby Can Read, Music, Reading, Dance, Singing, Play) Notables (Milestones, Mood, Anything Out of Norm) Hours Covered

Nanny Taxes & Worker’s Comp Forms: Go to www.IRS.gov Obtain household employer identification number (apply a few months prior to submitting taxes) W2: Your responsibility to issue after end of year (before March 31st the following year) W3: Your responsibility to send to Social Security Administration before deadline Submit copies of nanny tax forms with your 1040 Online Tax Calculation and Submission Go to Social Security Online - Business Services Online to create a login account Best to submit forms online Worker’s Comps Search for your state’s Bureau of Worker’s Compensation Rates will vary by state Track pay and submit payroll report 2x/year (may vary by state)

Hiring Advice Do be very specific about what you want Nanny Interview Data Name Age Location Experience Education Certifications CPR/First Aid Early Childhood Dev? Religion Upbringing Availability Live-in? Rates Energy/Spirit Cleanliness Cooking Errands Music Dogs Dance Insurance References Background Check Do be very specific about what you want Ex: Religion, Level of Cleanliness, Etc. Don’t be afraid to set high standards Do check references and backgrounds Do have a trial period for the benefit of both parties Do consider having two nannies part-time for more schedule flexibility