Nanny, Educator or Au Pair?

Here's a summary of the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions put to us by families exploring their childcare options....

 

 

What is the main difference between a Nanny, an Educator and an Au Pair?

(NB: A caregiver is a collective term for someone that looks after your child. It could be a Nanny, Educator, Au Pair, or even your Grandmother!)

Nanny

• Is employed by the family to care for their children
• Works for the family in the family home
• May do housework, shopping, errands, drop offs, and more...depending on their employment agreement
• May require families to become an employer, pay tax, ACC etc (But remember, we can take care of all this for you with our Payroll Service)
• You can see an example of a typical job description for a Nanny here. Please be aware that this is an example only.

Educator

• Is a self-employed contractor providing childcare for up to 4 children
• Works from their own home
• Can choose the days and times they work, which can be very flexible

Au Pair

• Is employed by the family to care for their children
• Is always a guest in our country on a work permit
• Is usually 'live-in', which means the family provides board and lodgings as part of the pay package
• English is their second language in many cases, but this can be a fantastic opportunity for children to experience someone from another culture (and families too). Children sometimes ask why they talk funny!
• May not stay for a longer term, depending on their work permit

Remember that all choices are viable and it really comes down to the choice that is right for your family and your children.  All can enrol with Home Grown Kids so that our Coordinators can visit monthly to suggest educational play ideas - and the educational service is entirely free.  All we ask is that certain criteria are met (hours of care and a safe environment are the main two.  Click here to read more on this). 
When looking into the best option, consider the following.

Things to consider when making your choice.  Do you:

• Have time in the mornings for drop offs?
• Need a hand with organising the household?
• Have a budget?
• Want to learn from a different culture?
• Have space for someone to 'live-in' ?

All these questions and more will lead you to a preference. If you would like an estimate or more information, please fill in our enquiry form by clicking here.