AU PAIRS & MOTHER'S HELP
There are two types of Au Pair in the UK, which will dictate the hours an Au Pair can work, their competencies and how much they are paid.
• Au Pair (placements up to 25 hours a week)
• Au Pair Plus (placements up to 35 hours a week)
AU PAIR AND AU PAIRS PLUS
An au pair plus is similar to an au pair but the only difference is an au pair plus can do up to 35 hours a week. Applicants from EEA Community with the exception of Romanian and Bulgarian citizens can be an au pair plus. An au pair plus has the same duties as an au pair, ie. 2 baby sitting evenings, light housework and chores, childcare but can do 7 hours a day. Expect to pay a minimum of £85 a week for an au pair plus.
MOTHER'S HELP
Sometimes we get asked about mother’s helps from families. Most people know what a nanny is but a mother’s help is an extra pair of hands and helps the parent to look after children and light housework. So their duties are similar to an au pair and au pair plus but they can work up to 10 hours a day.
Obviously, you will have to pay more pocket money in line with increased hours but it’s still a chaper option than a nanny. A mother’s help should be treated as part of the family and not an employee. Most would live in but there are exceptions to the rule. Some may prefer to live out in which case they should be paid slightly more.
An au pair plus is similar to an au pair but the only difference is an au pair plus can do up to 35 hours a week. Applicants from EEA Community with the exception of Romanian and Bulgarian citizens can be an au pair plus. An au pair plus has the same duties as an au pair, ie. 2 baby sitting evenings, light housework and chores, childcare but can do 7 hours a day. Expect to pay a minimum of £85 a week for an au pair plus.
MOTHER'S HELP
Sometimes we get asked about mother’s helps from families. Most people know what a nanny is but a mother’s help is an extra pair of hands and helps the parent to look after children and light housework. So their duties are similar to an au pair and au pair plus but they can work up to 10 hours a day.
Obviously, you will have to pay more pocket money in line with increased hours but it’s still a chaper option than a nanny. A mother’s help should be treated as part of the family and not an employee. Most would live in but there are exceptions to the rule. Some may prefer to live out in which case they should be paid slightly more.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO BE A MOTHER'S HELP?
If you:
• Speak fluent English
• Have either a minimum of one year's experience looking after children or a childcare qualification gained through full-time attendance at college
• Plan to stay in a family for a minimum of one year
• An EU citizen ( not Romanian and Bulgarian nationals) who is eligible to work in the UK
Mother’s help should have at least a minimum of 1 yr childcare experience either in an official childcare setting such as a nursery, preschool or school or someone who is studying childcare full time.
A mother’s help should not have sole charge of the children and is not there to take the place of the mother as the main childcarer and housekepper. It is envisaged that a mother’s help will work with the mother’s supervision initially and possibly have sole charge now and again.Holidays for Mother's Helps are negotiable, but should be not less than two weeks per year.
Salary for live-in Mother's Helps will be between £150 - £200 per week, net after tax, depending in hours and experience. As the salary is higher, you may be required to pay tax on the salary of the mother’s help. Unlike the Au Pair programme, which is effectively a cultural exchange programme, Mother's Help is regarded as an employee.
If you:
• Speak fluent English
• Have either a minimum of one year's experience looking after children or a childcare qualification gained through full-time attendance at college
• Plan to stay in a family for a minimum of one year
• An EU citizen ( not Romanian and Bulgarian nationals) who is eligible to work in the UK
Mother’s help should have at least a minimum of 1 yr childcare experience either in an official childcare setting such as a nursery, preschool or school or someone who is studying childcare full time.
A mother’s help should not have sole charge of the children and is not there to take the place of the mother as the main childcarer and housekepper. It is envisaged that a mother’s help will work with the mother’s supervision initially and possibly have sole charge now and again.Holidays for Mother's Helps are negotiable, but should be not less than two weeks per year.
Salary for live-in Mother's Helps will be between £150 - £200 per week, net after tax, depending in hours and experience. As the salary is higher, you may be required to pay tax on the salary of the mother’s help. Unlike the Au Pair programme, which is effectively a cultural exchange programme, Mother's Help is regarded as an employee.
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