Au Pair wages

This is a subject that is nearly ready to explode. Not only are some Au Pairs grossly underpaid, some Au Pair individuals are being "shared" by different families for different services. You have the Au Pair minding the children, then there is the Au Pair that does the garden, etc.

I don't know how they are being treated generally but I just suspect the worst (with few exceptions). I have the feeling that we will be hearing much more on the subject.
 
Au Pairs don't usually get minimum wage because they are not supposed to work a full working week, usually live in with full room and board. If not, are they an au pair or a nanny/child minder, in which case of course they should have at least minimum wage.

I've had au pairs, each one stayed with us for a year. Had fantastic experiences, but each of ours were only expected to mind the children a maximum of four days a week, after school only, so probably about a 15/16 hour week. They lived with us, were treated like one of the family, were basically like a big sister to our children. We are still in touch with all our au pairs, years later, are in touch with their families and would highly recommend it to others- providing you provide them with the right support and circumstances. All of ours came to learn english for a year, and every single one wanted to stay more than a year!

However I have seen the other side of the situation. I know one family who went to work and had a phone call from the gardai who found their children wandering in the street...the new au pair was in her bedroom on the phone to her boyfriend with door closed. And I know another family who took on an au pair, and a day after she arrived, left her with their three children, only two of which were school going, and went skiing for a week.
 
Hi Vanilla, we've had similar experiences. We're on our 5th au pair. The first was like a daughter to us. We are still in contact and are hoping to meet her on our holidays this summer. Our last au pair was also fantastic and our current au pair is the best yet. We are very fair with our au pairs - they generally just mind and play with the kids. Any house work is only related to the kids, such as cleaning up after them in the kitchen, making their beds etc. I cook all the meals in our house and so I have everthing ready for the kids. The work is light and we've never had an au pair leave us before at least the agreed duration.

We've heard of horror stories though. Our first au pair had a friend who worked from 7am until 6pm Mon-Sat. Very little food in the house and the parents always arguing in front of the kids...terrible. There is huge scope for abuse as the au pairs are vulnerable and don't have any rights. As such (even though rates would probably increase) I do believe that au pairs should be protected like any other worker on a legal basis. Bringing in the minimum wage would close the shop immediately though and the fact that food / board is being provided for would have to come into the question.

The "solution" to all this though is for affordable creche childcare.

Firefly.
 
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