au pairs

[ymf]

Au Pairs in America

It sounds kinda like fun (especially when you've got super nice families haha), but I wonder how extensive the background checks go, or if there are any at all. That would be worrying, and would this system ever work out in Singapore? The students may be taken advantage of as maids. o_O

Comments

[velvetpage]

They're quite common in France and other parts of Europe, and they definitely get taken advantage of. It was not uncommon for a young woman to find herself working twelve hour days with no one to go to for help and no way to get home.

[ymf]

sheesh! no help from the agencies either?

[velvetpage]

They do get help, just generally not enough. You need to be a fairly forceful personality to take advantage of it, i think.

[ymf]

that would depend on the policy of the agency as well. some may only care aboutt profiteering, and not the welfare of the au pairs. but for the average household, would the cost of having an au pair by higher than simply having a babysiter or cleaner come in?