Finding Community Childcare

Early Learning Marketplace

The Early Learning Marketplace modernizes how families find child care. Families can search for programs near them, filter based on their needs and claim available seats in real time.

Indiana Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning      

The Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning (OECOSL) provides oversight of all childcare licensing, Indiana’s tiered quality rating and improvement system, Paths to Quality™, and the State’s pre-k initiatives, On My Way Pre-K and the Early Education Matching Grant.

Paths to QUALITY™

Paths to QUALITY™ is Indiana’s voluntary quality rating and improvement system for early care and education. The system provides a simple system to help you identify the level of care a program offers, from basic health and safety standards at Level 1 to the highest standards for early care and education with National Accreditation at Level 4. All programs participating in Paths to QUALITY™ have made a voluntary commitment to improve the quality of childcare and early education they provided, meet standards designed to support children’s healthy growth and development, are visited annually and receive coaching and incentives as they advance and maintain their level.

The au pair program is a cultural exchange program offered through the state department and coordinated by State Department Approved agencies. Au Pairs live with a host family and provide up to 45 hours of childcare a week to their host family. For more information visit EurAupair - Find the Best Au Pairs in America or Au Pair International - cultural exchange childcare program.

Au Pair Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Au Pair just a fancy way of saying nanny?
   • No. Au pairs and nannies are distinct. The au pair program is a cultural exchange that brings young individuals from other countries to experience life with an American family. In exchange for room, board, and a weekly stipend, they assist with childcare for
     up to 45 hours per week. Nannies, on the other hand, are childcare professionals who may live in or outside the home.
2. How long does an au pair stay with a family?
   • One year with an option for a one-time extension of an additional six, nine, or twelve months. An au pair can remain in the program for a maximum of two years.

     • Activity	Au Pair	Nanny
       Qualifications	18-26 years old, Citizen of a participating country	Often, Bachelors or Associates degree, Several years of professional childcare experience, No age restrictions
       Employment Status	Not an employee, a member of the household	Domestic employee
       On/Working time	Up to 45 hours per week	No limit, but overtime expected over 40 hours/week
       Live in Status	Must live with the family	Can live with the family or separately
       Off time	Often spent with the host family (similar to a teenager living at home)	Typically not spent with the family
       Visa	Au Pairs receive J-1 visas as participants in a cultural exchange program	Nannies typically work in their home countries
       Costs	$195.75/week regardless of time worked	Negotiated yearly or hourly wage based on local wages, at least minimum wage

3. Where do au pairs come from?
   • Au pairs come from various countries, including France, Germany, South Africa, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, China, Thailand, and many others.
4. Can an au pair teach my kids to speak in a different language?
   • Yes, but it depends on the agency. Some agencies have rules regarding the use of the au pair’s native language during childcare time.
5. How many kids can an au pair care for? Are there age restrictions?
   • State department regulations do not limit the number of children an au pair can care for. Au pairs can care for children between 3 months and 15 years old.
6. Can an au pair care for children with special needs?
   • Yes, but parents in this situation would want to be particularly careful in selecting an au pair who is compatible with the family’s home life.
7. How long does it take to find an au pair?
   • It depends. Typically, it takes 6-8 weeks from au pair selection to arrival in your home, but it can take as little as two weeks or as long as several months depending on your family’s needs and selection criteria.
8. How do I choose an au pair?
   • Au pairs go through State Department-approved agencies. Each agency maintains a unique database. Families review profiles, interview, and select an au pair. The matching process is mutual, requiring agreement from both the au pair and the host family.
9. What happens if the au pair doesn’t fit into our family?
   • Agencies have processes in place to support rematch and replacement for the au pair and the family.
10. How much does it cost?
    • In addition to an annual agency fee, au pairs are paid a weekly stipend of $195.75. Agency fees vary, typically ranging from
      $8000-$12000. Discounts are available for repeat families, veterans, and other groups.
11. Are there other costs?
    • Families pay for up to $500 towards an au pair’s 6 required educational credits and must cover the au pair’s car insurance and
      domestic phone number, if needed. Families also provide room and board to the au pair.
12. Am I eligible to host an au pair?
    • To be eligible, you need at least one child between 3 months and 15 years old and a private bedroom for the au pair.
13. Does an au pair have to have a private bathroom?
    • No, an au pair is allowed to share a bathroom.
14. What kind of tasks can an au pair perform?
    • Child-related tasks include helping with homework, transportation, meal preparation, cleaning up after the kids, outings, and
      assisting with bathing and dressing.
15. What kinds of tasks are not appropriate for an au pair to perform?
    • Au pairs should not be asked to do heavy cleaning or household tasks beyond what is expected of other family members unless
      directly related to the children.
16. Can au pairs drive?
    • Yes, but like anywhere, driving ability is an individual skill and can be dependent on an au pair’s specific lifestyle. Make sure to
      ask perspective au pairs questions about their driving history and experience.
17. My kids are in school, are they too old for an au pair?
    • Au pairs can assist with tasks like driving, homework, and meal preparation. They can care for children during working hours, mornings, evenings, and most weekends so long as they do not provide care for more than 10 hours per day or 45 hours per
      week.
18. What happens if a child gets sick?
    • Au pairs can care for sick children.
19. Do au pairs get sick leave, vacation time, or other types of PTO?
    • Au pairs receive two weeks of paid vacation, one full weekend off per month, and one day and a half off each week. No other
      forms of PTO are included.
20. Can an au pair come with us on vacation?
    • Au pairs can travel with host families, and arrangements depend on whether the au pair has childcare responsibilities during
      the trip. Families can also request the au pair take vacation when the family is traveling.
21. I’ve looked into this before, but I didn’t find an agency to work with. What am I missing?
    • State department rules require a local counselor within 60 minutes of an au pair’s placement. Not all agencies have a representative for every area. There are at least two agencies (Eur Au Pair and Au Pair International) currently serving Purdue families.
22. How do I choose an au pair?
    • Au pairs go through State Department-approved agencies. Families review profiles, interview, and select an au pair. The matching process is mutual, requiring agreement from both the au pair and the host family.