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What is the difference between a nanny and an au pair?

The International Nanny Association defines a nanny as an individual "employed by a family on either a live-in or live-out basis to undertake all tasks related to the care of children. Duties are generally restricted to childcare and the domestic tasks related to childcare... Nanny's work week ranges from 40 to 60 hours per week. Usually works unsupervised." Nannies vary in age and experience. There has been a marked increase in the last decade in the numbers of professional nannies, nannies who are in the field as a career, not as a temporary stop gap while they decide on college, other work, etc.

An au pair is a young foreign student on a cultural exchange program entering this country on a J-4 visa. An au pair works no more than 45 hours a week and the stay in this country is strictly limited to one year. The stated purpose of the au pair program is one of cultural exchange. The child care experience of the au pair is generally limited and families are often not able to check the au pairs references themselves. Other program restrictions apply.

What does a nanny do?

Ideally, a Nanny is a highly experienced person whose primary charge is the children. Many nannies are willing to do other household duties, i.e. laundry and light housework, but their priorities will always be in the care of the children. Parents should understand that children leave their mark on a home, and that it is more important that their child's nanny engage in an impromptu picnic on that balmy April afternoon than that the laundry be folded and neatly put away.

A nanny should be willing to do anything concerning her charges, including cleaning their rooms, doing their laundry, entertaining them, disciplining them, teaching them manners and caring for them when they are sick or upset. A nanny must be the child's friend, understand them, respect their feelings, love and comfort them, and be someone for the child to look up to.

Caring for children 10 hours a day without a meaningful break is a very demanding, stressful job. Ask any 'at home' mother! The realities of full time nanny employment often overwhelm the new nanny. There are many 'entry level' nannies whose direct childcare experience is limited. Many agencies do not refer nannies under the age of 20. The younger nanny may be a very good candidate, but the employer must consider maturity, experience, and aptitude when evaluating nanny candidates.

Most experienced nannies will not assume general housekeeping responsibilites such as parent's laundry, errand running, vacuuming, dusting, and bathrooms. If they do accept these responsibilites they will be expecting to be compensated accordingly.

Should we have a contract with our nanny?

Experts agree that nannies and families should insist upon a written agreement before hire. This agreement, or contract, should include a statement of general responsibilities, compensation and benefits, guidelines on handling emergencies, household guidelines and security issues. Nannies and families find that agreement on these important job issues before employment helps avoid misunderstanding and conflict later on.

Can a foreign nanny legally find work in the US?

In the United States, a family may legally hire a U.S. citizen, an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an alien with a valid work permit. US employers are required to verify a candidate's employment eligibility using Form I-9. REPUTABLE agencies will not rever individuals to your for consideration who do not have valid work authorization. If you hire on your own or via an online job matching service such as 4nannies.com, you are responsible to confirm that the candidate you wish to hire is legally eligible for work in the U.S.

The follow-up question usually is "How can the family help the foreign applicant obtain work authorization?" The answer, unfortunately, is that it is almost impossible for a foreign nanny applicant to obtain either an immigrant visa or a temporary work authorization in a timely manner. This process can take from many months to generally many years, longer than you or your children can wait.

Occasionally, a family locates a non-documented immigrant or foreign national without US work authorization and is willing to take the chance and hire them any way. Family's are encouraged to thoroughly evaluate this decision in advance. These individuals generally cannot obtain a US driver's license or other US identification. This is even more true in the wake of 9/11. Generally, they can not legally drive your children or be added to your family automobile insurance. Additionally, most schools require proof of identity from adults before they will release a child to the adult, or even admit the adult to the school. These individuals often cannot legally authorize medical treatment for your children. This undocumented status can cause many headaches and some real dangers to the children.

PARENT SERVICES: In-depth personal needs assessments are conducted with each Parent to determine the best fit with job applicants. All referred Nannies have been seen, in person, interviewed in-depth and reference checked. At hire, each referred Nanny undergoes a thorough background investigation using a licensed, professional investigator. Noble Nanny takes the pressure off of the family and puts you at ease

Noble Nanny has the same thorough screening process for our housekeepers. This is a small list of the services they provide.
Floors: Wash and/or vacuum throughout
Kitchen: Clean countertops, dust and wipe appliances, spot-clean cupboard fronts and wash floors.
Bathrooms: Spotlessly clean sinks, tubs, toilets and wipe counters.
All rooms: Clean and dust baseboards, pictures, lampshades, knickknacks, windowsills, furniture, basic light fixtures, and vacuum floors.

We place housekeepers on a daily basis, weekly or a live in basis.