Flexible childcare designed for your family
The priority for any Au Pair will be the care of your child/ren. Their daily routine will be designed to fit to your family’s schedule. Typical duties can include getting children up and ready in the morning and helping them go to bed at night, drop-offs and pick-ups from school and after school activities, bath times, play dates and homework - every family is different. The benefit of having an Au Pair for your family is their schedule is designed to fit to your needs. That means no more racing home before childcare closes or worrying that your meeting is running overtime.
01
Make mornings stress-free
Families start early and so do AIFS Au Pairs! For families with younger children, Au Pairs are on hand for morning nappy changes, dressing, and making breakfasts. For older children, they may also prepare packed lunches, do the school run, and ensure those school bags contain the lunchbox, hat and that missing water bottle!
02
Keep all activities on track
Daily activities will depend on your family and the age of your child/ren. For younger ones, your Au Pair may take a trip to the park or playgroup, while for older ones this might mean after-school activities and homework. For parents, your Au Pair means no more trying to juggle all these activities with work – you arrive home to spend quality time with your children rather than struggle with getting everything done before bed time.
03
Enjoy mealtimes as a family
Mealtimes are important for any family, although for working parents it can be difficult to find the time to get food on the table. Many Au Pairs love to cook and can help make dinners and other meals for your family, especially if younger children have earlier schedules. Don’t be surprised to find cupcakes, fruit animals and other treats appearing in your kitchen!
04
Flex your evenings & weekends
Not every family has a Monday-Friday, 9-5 schedule. Late or last-minute work arrangements are often a challenge with traditional childcare, but not when you have an Au Pair. Instead you have the peace of mind knowing your children are at home and being well cared for.
05
Plan time off appropriately
Your Au Pair will work a maximum of 35 hours per week. Most Au Pairs will use their spare time to explore the local area, head to the gym, catch up with friends or just relax, on their own or with your family.
The Benefits
How an Au Pair Can Help
Flexible, high quality, in-home childcare designed to suit your family’s needs
A cost affective and affordable alternative to traditional childcare
An immersive, enriching experience that exposes your family to new cultures
Stress-free days no longer juggling school runs, and after-school activities
Peace of mind with AIFS’ rigorous child protection and safeguarding framework
24/7 support from AIFS, including our After-Hours Community Counsellor
Need help with something?
Frequently Asked Questions
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01What is an Au Pair?
An Au Pair is a young person who comes to Australia from another country to provide childcare and related in-home support in exchange for experiencing life with an Australian Family. As the Host Family, you will supply room, board and pocket money for the duration of the placement.
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02What are the typical duties of an Au Pair?
An Au Pair’s primary role is childcare. While they are happy and able to help with light household duties that are childcare related (e.g. tidying the children’s room, making their beds, helping with meals or laundry for children), they are not housekeepers or cleaners.
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03What are the working hours of an Au Pair?
Au Pairs in Australia may work up to 35 hours per week and should have at least 1.5 days off per week. While AIFS and Au Pairs understand that flexibility is important as family schedules can easily change, we ask all Host Families to complete a sample schedule so that an Au Pair can understand what is expected of them prior to placement.
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04How much flexibility can I expect from an Au Pair?
As part of the AIFS Au Pair Application, every Host Family is asked to complete a sample schedule so that an Au Pair can understand what will be expected from them. Schedules frequently change so Au Pairs do understand that flexibility is a key component to a successful placement, but as part of the agreement they will also need some time to plan their own personal activities.
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05How much does an Au Pair cost?
There are several costs to consider when using AIFS to find your Au Pair. AIFS will charge a Service Fee (non-refundable) and a Placement Fee, which is due 1 month prior to your Au Pair’s arrival.
Once your Au Pair has arrived, you’ll also need to cover the costs of weekly pocket money for your Au Pair, their completion bonus and leave and full board throughout their placement.
For more information about AIFS’ fees and the costs you will need to consider, please visit our fees page.
