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Au pairs
An au pair in South Africa, is a professional, responsible, experienced and even trained person who cares for the child’s entire welfare whilst in his or her care and is not responsible for general household duties. An au pair in South Africa is the equivalent of a Professional Nanny in the UK.
Au pairs are expected to do more than simply supervise the children in their care. While parents are always a child's primary care providers and role models, it is an au pairs job to support the parents by contributing to theirs and their children’s vital support network, assisting the parents to ensure that their children become well adjusted, happy, positive members of society.
An au pair helps with the daily activities related to the child’s needs, from lifting to helping with homework, preparing healthy snacks and filling the children´s days with fun, age appropriate activities. This leaves time for mom and dad to relax with their children and enjoy healthy positive relationships.
Minimum Requirements for Au pairs
Our Au pairs have:
- Experience and References: A minimum of 1 year’s professional child care experience with contactable references other than friends or family, most have 3 to 10 years of experience or more.
- Vehicles: Their own vehicles and driver’s licenses.
- Education: A minimum of matric, most have a University or childcare related tertiary education.
- Personality: We prefer working with au pairs who are dedicated, organised, friendly, energetic, creative, patient, active and caring.
- First Aid: Completed a SETA approved first aid course or that they sign up for a course when joining our team.
How do we screen our Au pairs?
- Au pairs are personally interviewed by a trained Sitters4U Recruiter.
- Applying applicants submit copies of ID, drivers license, proof of address, first aid, matric or higher certification and criminal clearance which are checked.
- References are checked by a Sitters4U recruiter or representative.
What does an Au pair earn?
Salaries are dependent on the experience and education level of the au pair and your families requirements; if traveling is required, the number and age of children requiring care, the duties required, etc.
Long Term Negotiable Rates:
- Half day: From 2 to 6 hours per day: R 5000 to R 18 000 per month.
- Full day: From 6 hours upwards per day: R 12 000 to R 30 000 per month.
- From R 120 - R 250 per hour *
What are the duties of an Au pair?
An au pair usually works in the afternoons and may do extra babysitting or adhoc childcare for her/his employers from time to time. In this section we look mainly at the duties of an au pair caring for school aged children.
Au pairs may be expected to:
- Provide lifting to school, picking up and dropping off the children at school, outings, lifting to extra murals, doctor’s appointments and play dates.
- Preparation of snacks, lunch or dinner.
- Teach personal hygiene and cleanliness.
- Bathing of the child/children (applicable to children aged up to 8 years old), running a bath or supervising showers for older children.
- Communicating with teachers in order to ensure that the child/children's work is up to date, checking that homework is being covered and ensuring the child's schoolwork is up to date. Assisting with homework, projects, research and teaching the child to study, preparing for exams.
- Providing emotional support and guidance.
- Assisting the child/children to clean up their rooms, study areas and cleaning up/washing dishes after meals.
- Keeping records of the days activities, meals served and observe and monitor a child’s development for signs of emotional or developmental problems and bringing them to parent’s or guardian’s attention.
- Creation, management and implementation of a child’s schedule including planning age appropriate, stimulating recreational activities, eating times and sleeping times.
- To work with this age group you should be able to have fun and learn with the child while assisting the child to excel in whatever activities and studies they may partake in.
- You need to be able to set boundaries and provide constant guidance and truly enjoy yourself at the same time. You should be organised and should not become easily stressed.
