Find Your Perfect Nanny – Explore the Opportunities of the UK Au Pair Program at Nina.Care

Find Your Perfect Nanny – Explore the Opportunities of the UK Au Pair Program at Nina.Care

When was the last time you took a break and had a chance to relax after the work-home-children responsibilities? When did you last go on a trip without a need to check up on the kids every minute? When did you go on a date with your significant other, having peace of mind that your child is in good hands? If the answer seems to be lost in ages, it is high time you started looking for an au pair – a brilliant solution for those who need a babysitter, a friend for the kids, and just a helping hand with child-rearing responsibilities.

Au pairs are typically 18-30 years old young people who live with you under one roof, help you look after the kids, and get weekly maintenance money from you. We have asked the pioneers of this sphere, Nina Care agency, to help us clarify all the ins and outs of the program and tell us about the benefits of an au pair program at Nina.Care.

What to be ready for when hiring an au pair?

1. Additional help with kids

According to Nina Care specialists, 40% of their clients are looking for assistance with kids, as the hectic lifestyle nowadays doesn’t make it possible to dedicate as much quality time with the kids as parents would like.

2. Affordability

As long as an au-pair program is cheaper than hiring a nanny or paying for day care, the choice is pretty obvious. Besides, unlike other forms of help, you can easily agree on a schedule, as the au pairs are supposed to have a 30-45-hour week.

3. Life experience

Letting someone into your life is a big decision, and on top of that, they will stay in your house for the whole time of cooperation. Your kids will learn to communicate with newcomers, learn to adjust to other people and co-live with them, and will also have a chance to practice a new language (in case that’s your intention).

4. The flexibility of a schedule

Au-pairs are supposed to work 30-45 hours a week, however, it shouldn’t be a rigid schedule. You can agree on a time depending on your daily agenda. This is a huge bonus for parents who can have unscheduled meetings or late comebacks at home. Unlike nannies, where every minute counts, there is more room for cooperation.

5. A new family friend

Provided you dedicate enough time to search for a proper candidate and heed the agency’s advice, you will hire not just a nanny, but a family friend as well. Nina Care agency states that 84.4% of their clients still keep in touch with their au pair, after a year of cooperation.

What are the most important things to consider when choosing the “right one”?

“The right one” is a very subjective perspective and requires time and dedication to study the applications that the agency recommends. When you first meet with the representatives of Nina.Care, or any other au-pair agency, you will have to articulate clearly all your needs regarding the candidate, including the personal characteristics, hobbies, activities to perform, etc. It is also important to prepare a detailed description of your family’s lifestyle and typical days so that the agency assistants can do the proper matching.

The checkpoints of characteristics:

• Active position in life – when young people are initiative, it has a better impact on the kids.
• The similarity of hobbies – if your au-pair and child are into the same activity, it will help them find common ground right from the beginning.
• Personal qualities – it is important to consider the psychological comfort of both your kids and an au pair, thus, make sure they complement each other, not the opposite.
• No relationship – as weird as it seems, but having active relationships can be quite an obstacle, as a lot of time will be dedicated to chatting and talking with the significant other.
• Driving license – depending on your circumstances, this could be a must-have requirement, or quite a useful one, and will provide sufficient mobility and independence.
• No negative digital footprint – with the internet reality being so real nowadays, it is worth checking the activity of a candidate online, including the frequency of it. 

When communicating with the specialists, it is important to be honest and open, as it is the only way to find a suitable candidate and to make sure they will stay with you for the whole agreed period.

Another important thing to consider is your expectations. Au-pairs should only provide the services that are connected to childcare, no cleaning, washing, vacuuming, etc unless they demonstrate their desire to help.

Hosting an au pair is a wise solution in many ways for families who struggle to find the right person to look after their kids. It is a financially smart and culturally benefiting approach, which will turn your daily routine into a short-term adventure. The choice of suitable candidates will certainly take time; however, the result will be totally worth the effort. If you are still in two minds, just contact the Nina Care agency for any follow-up questions.

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