Au pair plus / nanny / from outside EU aged over 35?

Milky_Mocha

Hi there

I'm looking on the great aupair site (and any other good au pair site recomendations welcome) for someone to assist with childcare duties. However I'm not interested in the usual under 25's as I don't feel they'd be mature enough for my requirements. I'm looking for someone who drives and will also do the afternoon school run which is also a reason for seeking a mature, experienced individual.

Does anyone have experience of using such help in this age range from outside the country? Are immigration requirements fiddly, esp for non-EU applicants?

Also what sort of wage / allowance did you pay them and were you required to pay tax / NI as you would with a UK nanny?

Thanks

xxamypxx

Obviously you know what you would feel comfortable with, but I wouldn't discount anyone under 25. I have babysat/childminded since I was 14 and am only 22 now but feel I have a lot of experience and would feel comfortable with any age child. I have looked after blind children. I have even been taken to Canada to nanny and so I think under 25s can be more than capable. - It will widen your options!

Oldernotwiser

There are regulations that apply to non EU citizens coming to the UK and you can see from this http://www.newaupair.com/visas_london.aspx that there are age restrictions and visa requirements. I suggest that you look into the situation more carefully.

Milky_Mocha

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

There are regulations that apply to non EU citizens coming to the UK and you can see from this http://www.newaupair.com/visas_london.aspx that there are age restrictions and visa requirements. I suggest that you look into the situation more carefully.

This is really useful. Thank you. I guess its either one of the Eu countries or like amyp said I could widen my options by going for an under 30.
The 2 year working holiday visa looks promising if a visa is required.

Milky_Mocha

xxamypxx wrote: »

Obviously you know what you would feel comfortable with, but I wouldn't discount anyone under 25. I have babysat/childminded since I was 14 and am only 22 now but feel I have a lot of experience and would feel comfortable with any age child. I have looked after blind children. I have even been taken to Canada to nanny and so I think under 25s can be more than capable. - It will widen your options!

I admire that. At 22 I didn't have a clue! I'll consider perhaps a 28 year old as also car insurance is cheaper, the older the individual. I'd have to give her a car for the school runs.

Another thing is, checking referencing and police records is probably easier in an EU country than non-EU. I want to check this person out thoroughly before entrusting her to my kids. She'd work for min 3 months supervised by my Mum beforehand.

Thanks for replying.

Sarahlou_2

Hi MM!

As part of my job I have to request approximately 250 criminal record checks a week on candidates - and the overseas one can take a very long time to come back, dependent on the country. I would advise that you start the ball rolling asap.

Also don't forget that from November 2010 it will be illegal to employ anyone working with children/vulnerable adults who are not ISA registered.

However if you employ the au pair pre November 2010, you will be ok for the time being as there is a 5 year phasing in for existing employees.

HTH - let me know if you need any more help regarding criminal record checks :-)

Milky_Mocha

Sarahlou wrote: »

Hi MM!

As part of my job I have to request approximately 250 criminal record checks a week on candidates - and the overseas one can take a very long time to come back, dependent on the country. I would advise that you start the ball rolling asap.

Also don't forget that from November 2010 it will be illegal to employ anyone working with children/vulnerable adults who are not ISA registered.

However if you employ the au pair pre November 2010, you will be ok for the time being as there is a 5 year phasing in for existing employees.

HTH - let me know if you need any more help regarding criminal record checks :-)

Thanks for this. I've only just seen this post as I was doing a search for tax/NI info for aupairs.

I plan on paying the aupair £100 per week and wanted to determine how much tax and NI I'd be liable for. However I'm confused because all the nanny tax calculators seem to indicate zero tax/NI whereas regulations state that NI would be payable from £95 per week.

Sarah Lou, do you undertake criminal record checks for non-EU citizens? For example I've had two Japanese respond to my ad as they qualify for the Youth Mobility scheme.

chika

£100 a week!? Wow, I don't think you will find many people (except illegals) who would be willing to work for that.

Why not just advertise at a nanny agency and get someone in just for the school runs who lives out and pay them per hour.

gettingready

£100 per week?

I was paying £90 per week for an au pair and that was..... about 11 years ago.

She had her own room obviously and all free food/toiletires etc etc at home and looked after my daughter who was 10 (one child) from 07.30 am to 9 am (breakfast and taking to school) and between 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm (pick up from school and untill I got home from work) , 5 days per week (all weekends and evenings free) so 10 hours in the mornings and 15 hours in the evenings = 25 hours per week, with one child.

Also, I am not sure what the regulations are now but at the time there were age restrictions for anyone wanting an au pair visa, people over 25 (was it 25?) could not be LEGALLY employed as au pairs.Nannies - yes but not au pairs.

shirlgirl2004

gettingready wrote: »

£100 per week?

I was paying £90 per week for an au pair and that was..... about 11 years ago.

She had her own room obviously and all free food/toiletires etc etc at home and looked after my daughter who was 10 (one child) from 07.30 am to 9 am (breakfast and taking to school) and between 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm (pick up from school and untill I got home from work) , 5 days per week (all weekends and evenings free) so 10 hours in the mornings and 15 hours in the evenings = 25 hours per week, with one child.

Also, I am not sure what the regulations are now but at the time there were age restrictions for anyone wanting an au pair visa, people over 25 (was it 25?) could not be LEGALLY employed as au pairs.Nannies - yes but not au pairs.

The site given by a PP says the average aupair wage in the UK is £55. Is a bit mean but they don't have any overheads apart from clothes.

gettingready

shirlgirl2004 wrote: »

The site given by a PP says the average aupair wage in the UK is £55. Is a bit mean but they don't have any overheads apart from clothes.

Surely fine for young students coming here to learn English and working as pairs for the duration of their studies - but not for a woman over 35....