The Difference between an Au Pair, Demi Pair, Nanny and Nanny Share Explained
Mark Hudson • Sep 23, 2021
Understanding the difference between different types of nannies
Picture it: four parents with different families getting together for a good old catch-up over a crisp bottle of Chardonnay. One of the reasons they can do this is because they’re paying someone to look after their kids.
What’s interesting is that they’ve all made different choices about how to hire the extra help they need. They each have their own reasons.
If you’re starting a family or are finding it hard to juggle work and a family, read on to find out about potential childcare solutions.
1. The Au Pair
Karen puts down her wine glass and says, “Christophe is actually from Belgium. He’s fitted in so well, especially as he’s half British so his English is perfect. The kids love him. He’s particularly good with Charlie.”
Karen is a full-time doctor. Her husband, Richard, is a busy corporate lawyer. They have 2 children, aged 5 and 7, one of whom has a mild form of autism. Christophe is the third in a string of au pairs the couple has hired.
The first two were not so successful mainly because they couldn’t speak English very well. It made communicating difficult and stressful.
Visa Requirements
Most au pairs come to work from overseas. Australia has no official au pair programme. Au pairs generally use the Working Holiday and Work and Holiday Visa that both offer working rights. They must undergo a Working With Children Check (WWCC).
In New Zealand, au pairs need to obtain a NZ Working Holiday Visa. It’s preferable to have at least 200 hours of childcare experience. Au pairs should also undergo a police and medical background check.
The majority of New Zealand’s au pair agencies are members of the International Au Pair Association (IAPA). They typically require au pairs to implement the early childhood education curriculum, Te Whariki.
Being Part of the Family
Most au pairs tend to live in. In fact, au pair comes from the French term meaning “equal to.” The intention is that the au pair becomes a member of the family, at least temporarily.
Like many au pairs, Christophe has no official child care qualifications. He does have a brother who has similar challenges to Charlie. Karen and Richard found this out when they interviewed him by video. It became the main driver for them hiring him.
“One of the great things about Christophe is that he’s confident and grown-up for his age.” Karen says. “He’s adapted to driving over here really well. We’ve also learned so much more about Europe.”
The family pays Christophe for 30 hours a week, offset against board and lodging. His duties include a bit of cleaning and running a few errands. He’s also participating in a cultural exchange programme that the family has needed to work around.
Christophe had never had any First Aid or CPR training. Karen and Richard paid for him to go on a course shortly after he arrived.
2. The Demi Pair
Jack is a single parent on a tight budget with a 6-year-old daughter, Amy. He works part-time 3 afternoons a week. He has hired Maria as a demi pair (or demi au pair) to help him out.
Maria has come over from Spain. She’s a student and her main priority is to learn English at a local language school. As a demi pair, she looks after Amy for 10 hours a week and also does a little bit of housework.
“Maria is working out so well for Amy,” Jack says. “She has her classes in the mornings so she’s free in the afternoons. That means she can pick Amy up from school on the days I’m working and prepare her a meal.”
Student Visas and Pay
Demi pairs often hold a student visa to come to either Australia and New Zealand. A variety of agencies have set up specific demi pair programmes. They will organise English classes through a language school and match students up with families.
Rates of pay can vary greatly for demi pairs but almost always include board and lodging in return for childcare and household duties.
Demi means half in French and so the implication is that Maria is half student/half au pair.
3. The Nanny
Meet Jess. She lives with her partner Emily. They have two daughters, Olivia, 3, and Charlotte, 4. They also have a son called Oliver who’s 8.
Jess and Emily both work full-time and have employed a nanny called Mia. “Because we both work away a fair bit, we needed someone who we had total confidence in and who will stay the course,” Jess explains.
“Oliver’s also been struggling at school and Mia has the right qualifications to help him get back on track.”
Experienced and Qualified
Jess and Emily’s family is the third Mia has worked for. She spent three years with her last two families respectively. Brought up in both New Zealand and Australia, she doesn’t need a visa.
Mia is highly experienced, independent and used to having to put her initiative to the test. She’s undergone regular, accredited First Aid and CPR training.
Although she doesn’t live in Jess and Emily’s home, she has a house close by and her own car. She’s in the nanny profession for the long haul and sees it as a career.
“One of the great things about Mia is that she doesn’t mind us calling her in at the last minute. She’s really flexible,” Jess says.
“It really gives Emily and me peace of mind that in an emergency, there’s a safe pair of hands just around the corner that we can rely on. We hope she’ll be with us till the kids are a lot older.”
4. The Nanny Share
The final piece of the puzzle is Lauren. Lauren works three days a week and her husband Bill is in the armed forces and often away from home. When she was pregnant with her son, Tom, she bumped into her old friend Sam at one of her neonatal classes.
Lauren and Sam got talking and realised that they both needed a part-time nanny. They live close to each other and so decided to see if they could make a nanny share work.
Completely by chance, they found their ideal nanny or manny. His name’s Ethan. He spent his childhood in Auckland but went to uni in Brisbane so he doesn’t need a visa.
On nanny days, Sam drops her young daughter, Amelia, off at Lauren’s house. Lauren has more indoor space and a bigger garden. Her place is also more convenient for Ethan to get to.
“The best bit is that Tom has someone to play and learn with, He and Amelia have become like brother and sister,” says Lauren. “There has been a lot to think about though. We’ve had to consider holidays and child sickness arrangements for starters.”
One of the key benefits for both Lauren and Sam has been financial. They’ve been able to split their child care costs. They make time every week to compare notes and make sure that they’re both always happy with the arrangement.
Sorting Out the Nanny Payroll
Something that parents can overlook is how to pay the salaries and taxes related to their childcare commitments. Karen, Jack, Jess and Lauren already have a lot on.
The last thing they need at the end of the day is to ensure they don’t get a hefty fine from the tax office for not following the correct procedures. They’ve all come to Pay the Nanny for help.
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