ASE is proud to donate 4% of your au pair placement fees (€939 in 2021) to UNICEF
The childcare challenge
It’s no secret that today’s working parents need safe, affordable childcare options. But choosing an option that suits your family’s needs has become a challenging process. What is best for your children? Which alternative fits your work schedule and lifestyle? Is the expense associated with your chosen solution affordable?
Live-in, Au pair childcare is a long-standing, flexible and affordable form of childcare. It may not suit every family. However, if you are committed to cultural exchange and are willing to share your home with a young European, it may provide the perfect answer. If you ask us to set this up for you, you will need to print out, fill in, and return an application form. Simply click the button to download the form (pdf, 373kb).
Au pair Host family Form
The Au pair tradition
For generations, young Europeans have chosen to spend a year in another country, living as part of a family while helping to look after the children. This experience provides them with an opportunity to learn about a different culture, enhance their foreign language skills and expand their understanding of the world around them. In turn, the host family not only broadens its cultural awareness and develops a unique view of its own customs, it also gains an older “sister” who cares for the children and offers them companionship, love and guidance.
Why “Au pair”?
In fact, this is the perfect term for the cultural exchange that takes place when a young person comes and shares your home. “Au pair” – a French expression – means “on par”, that is, living on an equal basis in the family environment, sharing every facet of domestic life.
What are the benefits?
Participation in a cultural exchange programme offers a wealth of educational experience to your children, opening the door to other cultures and people. Your children will be looked after in their own, familiar environment and will benefit from the safety and stability which this brings.
Au pair childcare also represents a cost-effective childcare solution. Baby-sitting once or twice per week is also part of the Au pair’s agreement with you.
This formula also provides you with greater flexibility and ensures that there is another pair of hands available to support your family. This, in turn, means less disruption to family life, compared to the difficulties involved in bringing your children to – and picking them up from – childminders outside the home. Not only this, but the Au pair can help you, too, with light housework, giving you more time to devote to other activities.