Au pair to the rescue

At-home childcare could be a good option for some parents

- Susan Hely

A friend of mine, Emily, is weighing up whether to replace her kids’ childcare with an in-home carer such as a nanny or an au pair.

No, Emily isn’t a high income earner with a flash house and separate accommodation. She is a hardworking, exhausted mother who needs help bringing up her two young boys. Emily and her husband David have no family in Sydney to help them and they work long hours, often travelling.

They currently hire a student to pick up the kids from daycare and feed them an early dinner, but this arrangement can be unreliable. Emily hopes an au pair or nanny will ease the family’s stress levels and everyone, especially the kids, will be happier.

Emily and David spend about $1200 a week on childcare and pick-ups. Can they afford a nanny or au pair? And will their kids get quality care?

Typically nannies tend to have some childcare training and experience in looking after kids. They can either live with the family or outside. Their hourly rate ranges from $25 to $40.