Frequently Asked Questions

Having an au pair in your family offers flexibility and control:

• Comprehensive care: unlike traditional childcare with fixed hours, an au pair provides care outside regular office hours. You have the flexibility to schedule their help when needed, accommodating your personal work schedule or unforeseen circumstances.
• Personalised care: an au pair offers individual and personalised care for your children in their familiar and comfortable environment, right at home. Au pairs can tailor their approach to meet the unique needs of each child.
• Last-minute changes: if your child is ill or there are unexpected changes in your daily routine, a "live-in au pair" allows for immediate adjustments. You do not need to worry about finding alternative childcare solutions or rushing after work. Simply discuss with your au pair and request additional help with any changes.
• All age groups: if you have both school-aged children and younger ones at home, your au pair can care for both without extra costs. Au pairs can assist with before- and after-school care, homework, and dropping off and picking up children from school or other activities. This flexibility ensures all your children’s needs are met throughout the day.
• Light household tasks: In addition to childcare, au pairs can help with light household tasks related to the children, such as tidying their rooms, doing their laundry, or preparing simple meals. This assistance lightens the load of household chores, giving you more time and flexibility to focus on what matters most.

An au pair assists with childcare and can support various tasks, such as:

• Helping wake the children, dress them, wash them, and prepare them for the day, either before or after nursery, playgroup, or school.
• Teaching the children how to tidy their rooms and make their beds.
• Preparing breakfast, lunch, after-school snacks, or simple dinners for the children, and occasionally cooking for the whole family.
• Clearing the breakfast table and loading the dishes into the dishwasher.
• Ensuring the children’s books, homework, and sports clothes are well organised.
• Taking the children to and from school, sports activities, and playdates by car, on foot, by bicycle, or using public transport.
• Assisting with light household tasks related to the children, such as tidying their rooms, doing their laundry, or cleaning up after playtime.
• Providing support with homework or tutoring.
• Organising games and planning various activities or outings for the children.
• Helping get the children ready for bed, including assisting with baths or reading bedtime stories.

An au pair allows you to experience another culture right from your own home. Along with handling practical childcare tasks, an au pair will bring plenty of love and dedication.

According to the rules of our cultural exchange program, it is not permitted to work more than 30 hours per week. Therefore, we recommend creating a schedule with fewer hours so that you can still utilise the au pair for any last-minute changes.

By not overloading the au pair and maintaining open communication, you promote a positive working relationship and benefit from flexible childcare, with in your own house.

When it comes to transporting the children, it is often convenient if an au pair has a driver's license. In many cases, au pairs have an driver's license however, not all au pairs have one.

We recommend that all host families arrange a few driving lessons with an independent instructor to assess driving skills and familiarise the au pair with the local area, traffic rules, and common routes, such as the school run. The host family is responsible for ensuring proper insurance coverage and covering general car expenses. It may take some time for au pairs to feel confident driving in the Netherlands, so please allow for this adjustment period.

Au pairs can certainly prepare meals, snacks, and packed lunches for the children. Some may even be willing to cook the occasional meal for the family. However, remember that your au pair is not a professional chef. Most have very limited cooking experience and will need assistance in the kitchen. A useful tip might be to purchase meal kits so that the au pair can follow the instructions precisely. It is important to note that dinner is the responsibility of the host parents. Although some au pairs are willing to occasionally take this on, it should not be taken for granted.

Please note that this au pair program is designed for cultural exchange, giving the au pair the opportunity to explore Dutch culture and become part of the family. Cleaning tasks should generally be handled by a professional cleaner.

Au pairs are more than happy to assist with tasks related to the children and daily routines, such as loading the dishwasher, wiping down surfaces, packing school bags, doing laundry for the children, preparing meals for the children, and organising their toys. However, au pairs should not be expected to clean the parents' bedrooms or assist with their personal laundry. Household tasks should generally be limited to one hour per day. Most host families hire a professional cleaner to regularly and thoroughly clean the home.