Finding families as an au pair or finding an au pair as a family can be challenging. These days, very few people do it directly. Instead, they go through agencies.
The agency we’re going to review today is called Go Au Pair. It’s well known in the industry for matching thousands of au pairs with families across the U.S.
But is it any good? That’s what we discuss in this review.
Who is Go Au Pair for?
But first, who is Go Au Pair for?
Go Au Pair serves both au pairs and host families. From the au pair’s perspective, Go Au Pair provides plenty of support and assists with things like obtaining visas and finding families in the first place.
For families, the main benefits are things like screening of au pairs and finding personalized matches. Outsourcing this process saves time and boosts efficiency, enabling busy families to focus on their main tasks.
What we liked about Go Au Pair
There were quite a few things that we liked about Go Au Pair, which we are going to list here. Go Au Pair talks about many of the benefits it offers on its website, however we were able to find even more while reviewing the service.
Affordable and predictable costs
One of the best things for families is that Go Au Pair’s programme offers live-in childcare with a weekly stipend of a minimum of $195.75, which is independent of the number of children. This makes it a more cost-effective option than many traditional daycare or nanny options. There are no hidden fees, so au pairs get an hourly equivalent of around $9 an hour for between 30 and 45 hours a week, plus paid for bed and board and some educational opportunities.
Flexible scheduling and a live-in focus
Another benefit of Go Au Pair is that it offers flexible scheduling and a live-in focus. This means that families are able to get flexible childcare, including help with things like meals, laundry, school runs, and activities. Ultimately, the goal of Go Au Pair from the family’s perspective is to enable them to spend more quality time together.
Most external daycare options have rigid hours, but with an au pair, the timing is more flexible. For example, if you finish work at lunchtime, you can then spend the time with your children instead of having to remove them from daycare and waste those extra hours. Au pairs can then take over responsibilities again in the evening around supper time if necessary.
Cultural immersion
A benefit for families and au pairs is the cultural immersion that comes with Go Au Pair’s cultural exchange program. Both sides get to experience new traditions, languages, and perspectives, and the au pair can see what it’s like to live an authentic American life. The goal according to Go Au Pair is that this creates a connection that fosters long-term bonds and mutual growth. Everyone is able to benefit from the diversity of experiences of the people involved.
Thorough training and vetting
For families, a further advantage of using Go Au Pair is the training and vetting that the agency does. It performs full screening of au pairs with background checks, psychometric checks, references, and minimum childcare hours requirements. It also provides childcare training so that au pairs are ready to move into the new host environment once they arrive on American soil. This means that candidates are more reliable and qualified than otherwise and are better able to perform what they should be doing inside the household.
Strong agency support
The general level of support offered by Go Au Pair is also extensive. That’s not surprising because the agency has more than 30 years of experience in the industry.
For example, one of the biggest benefits of using Go Au Pair is the personalized matching. You can find an au pair with the specific skill set and training that you need. There’s also things like visa monitoring and paperwork support for families and au pairs, leading to high satisfaction ratings all round.
Educational opportunities
Finally, as mentioned, au pairs can get support for educational opportunities with families contributing a small sum of money every year. This can go towards improving their career skills, their English language, and so on. Furthermore, families’ children also benefit because of the au pair’s ability to foster child development.
Minor downsides of Go Au Pair
Of course, not everything about Go Au Pair was perfect. There were some minor downsides that we feel it’s worth mentioning and reviewing. These weren’t deal-breakers for us, but there’s something you might want to bear in mind if you’re considering using this service.
One problem, for example, is the initial emotional adjustment. For some au pairs, it can be hard to transition to American culture, and there may be some homesickness or cultural adaptation in the first few weeks. This is mitigated through Go Au Pair’s training, but the real world can feel quite different from a classroom.
The requirement for prior experience is another stumbling block for some prospective au pairs. If you are an au pair and you want to experience cultural exchange through this agency, you must have verified childcare experience and references. If you don’t have that, then you’ll need to get them first.
For hosts and families, the emphasis is on screening au pairs for things like driving experience and insurance. Sometimes this additional coordination step can feel complicated and is something that many families would prefer the agency to take care of themselves.
Final verdict: Is Go Au Pair Worth It?
Despite a few minor points, we think Go Au Pair is worth it. It has a lot to offer families and au pairs, including generous terms and conditions, flexible scheduling, and cultural immersion. Families can often get a better service than would be possible through conventional daycare options. Overall, therefore, we give this agency 5 out of 5 stars because of its thorough vetting and strong support.