Male Au Pairs on the increase

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) Childcare Division recently investigated the male to female ratio of recruited au pairs across its members and concluded that 87% of the childcare workforce is female with the remaining 13% being male.

Marcia Delaney, managing director of a specialist nanny and childcare agency, Delaney International Ltd and a member of the REC's Childcare Division, is one of the few successful agencies which has been able to place male au pairs. She is well aware of the problems faced by aspiring male childcarers. Currently, she has 12 male au pairs on her waiting list with only 4 placed. Although attitudes are beginning to change in America, the actual number of male placements in Europe and the UK is proportionally very low.

Marcia says. "While women seem to be more open to the idea of a male au pair, it is often the husband who objects to the idea. I have found that in a few instances where a male au pair has been placed, it is in homes where the mother is working".

Au pairs differ from nannies in that they have no professional training in childcare and it is not a career choice. Marcia explains, "As a general rule, au pairs are primarily interested in developing their language and life skills and broadening their cultural experience. Their age range varies from 18-23 and most will be taking a gap year before university.

"At one stage, it was illegal for a male au pair to enter the UK from a non EEC country. Today, au pairs from Western and certain Eastern countries in Europe are permitted legal entry to the UK and hence can work for a family in return for free accommodation, meals and some pocket money, generally in the region of £50 per week".

Radislav who is from the Slovak Republic was placed by Delaney International Ltd with a family in Dorking. For the last 6 months, he has been looking after a boy of 8 and a girl of 6 years of age.

Though it is often assumed that a woman will have better cooking skills than a man, it is worth remembering that upward of 75% of leading restaurant chefs are male! It may also be assumed that male au pairs will be involved in more sports interaction. That is certainly true of Radislav who regularly takes the children to play football in the park.

"Unfortunately, deep-rooted concerns about having a male au pair are prevalent, based on generalizations, worst-case scenarios, ignorance and tradition. It will probably be some years yet before these are addressed or challenged. Today, most people would agree that men are now seen to be just as capable of doing housework, cooking and entertaining the children". Marcia concludes, "Ten years ago, it was uncommon to see male nurses on hospital wards. Today, there are a higher percentage of male employees in the profession. Five to ten years from now, it may well be that male au pairs will be a more acceptable and common occurrence".