Go Au Pair in Washington DC

/Go Au Pair in Washington DC
Go Au Pair in Washington DC2023-10-23T10:56:51+00:00

Go Au Pair in Washington DC offers a child care experience through cultural exchange

washington dc au pairs
We are using an Au Pair through Go Au Pair and we’ve been very happy. The process to get the nanny here was smooth and so far we haven’t run into any issues. This is a great program and we have referred it to many of our friends with babies.
Radostin Kanev
Radostin Kanev
2023-07-17
We have had the pleasure of working with GoAuPair as our au pair agency, and we are satisfied with the placement and the services they have provided. Throughout the process, Gina has been incredibly supportive, taking the time to explain contracts and terms to us. Judith has also been wonderful in following up with us and has been friendly and helpful. We have been hosting au pairs since our twins were born, and we have had the opportunity to welcome four au pairs from Mexico and China, with another one soon to arrive from Peru. In our experience, the price we pay when working with an au pair through GoAuPair (including agency fees and au pair fees) is quite reasonable compared to the hourly rates of local nannies. It's important to note that with this cost-saving, there is a trade-off. We have dedicated time to train our au pairs, help them with driving and familiarize them with the area. In some cases, we have also supported them in improving their English language skills if needed. Additionally, we provide our au pairs with full access to a car and a membership to Lifetime Athletic, an excellent country club. We encourage them to explore the area and make friends. In return, our au pairs have been exceptional with our children and have taught them valuable second languages, such as Chinese and Spanish. Thanks to our au pairs, our kids are now trilingual and have become globally-oriented, embracing new cultures and languages. This experience has also instilled in them a broader understanding of the concept of a global economy and vision. Hosting au pairs has brought many positive aspects to our family life, and we have received excellent services from GoAuPair throughout the process. We highly recommend their services to anyone considering hosting an au pair.
Wenting Gao
Wenting Gao
2023-06-30
Great experience with Go Au Pair! Responsive and easy to work with. Helpful in answering questions. Found a great au pair to join our family and would highly recommend!
Kathryn Schaeffer
Kathryn Schaeffer
2023-05-26
We had a wonderful experience with this Au pair agency. We enjoyed being involved with the search and selection of the au pair (a unique feature that sets them apart). We are also impressed with the exceptional customer service. Our coordinator has been prompt in answering all of our questions and any concerns. We are grateful for this agency and all the staff working hard behind the scenes to make this program possible, thank you!
Aaron Thomas
Aaron Thomas
2023-05-24
We have had two au pairs placed by Go Au Pair. I would recommend them as they have an excellent variety of au pairs to connect with.
Zane Aukee
Zane Aukee
2023-05-02
I have worked with several folks at Go Au Pair during my search process. They have all been well informed, respectful, responsive and a pleasure to work with. I would gladly recommend this agency to anyone in search of an Au Pair
Tom Dudzic
Tom Dudzic
2023-04-19
I started this process about 2 weeks ago and was able to find a match, but not without endless amount of time invested. For the most part the pricing is stated upfront so you know what you're getting into, however, the fees for the flight/travel are unable to be determined until that is booked. PROS: - The representatives that you work with are very nice and helpful - They create the contract with the cost out after you've extended an offer to an AuPair pretty quickly - There are lots of AuPairs to choose from and a couple new ones might be added each week - There isn't a local representative in my area so my local rep was almost across the country from me so they assigned 2 people to help me out. Having the support was fine. Totally fine but I got confused on who I address for certain things in the beginning. - Final costs are about an extra $500-$1000 than whats stated upfront due to travel costs, etc. - Overall we are very happy so far with the process and the representatives we've been working with are super sweet and kind. They can really help you out and try to be super available for you. We were happy with our reps. CONS: - There are a lot of emails with bits and pieces of information, the next steps are not detailed in the beginning so there is a lot of things not exactly clear, mainly detailed info on the entire process. This was frustrating but if you talk to your rep to clear it up you should be fine - Payment plan details should be shown upfront because a family needs to see if it's realistically affordable or compare their local childcare pricing prior to starting the search and investing so much time into it. However, I guess a family going this route for childcare might not be stressing over little costs here and there? Not sure - Travel fees/cost need to be elaborated/clear a bit more in the beginning of the process
Krystal Ahmad
Krystal Ahmad
2023-03-28
There is a good selection of au pairs, and the search function makes it easy to find one that meets your needs. -Zane
JH DENALI
JH DENALI
2022-10-04
We HIGHLY recommend Go Au Pair (GAP). In the world of working parent guilt and a global pandemic, it really does take a village to raise children--but what does one do when one's village alternates quarantining and childcare is chaos. When we heard about the au pair program and began to research it, we knew it was our only hope, though we had many concerns. The first was what agency to choose--a huge agency? A small agency? We wondered what role our agency would play, and agonized over the choice. Ultimately, GAP provided terrific, high-quality, personalized service that clearly comes from their experience in the AP world and not being so enormous that they lose sight of their families and APs. We are a family, not just a number, to GAP. Our AP is such a very special young lady who is authentic, bright, and thoughtful. She is fantastic with children, and an extremely strong driver. With 3 very young boys, having a third adult is such an unbelievable help in our family. Our AP is leaving an unforgettable impression on our children and has made it so easy to be a working parent. We cannot thank GAP enough!
Jamie K
Jamie K
2022-07-07
We first found Go Au Pair in January 2022 when we were looking for a childcare provider for our toddler. Their website is setup well and searching for candidates is simple. While filling out the host profile takes a bit of time it's worth it as both you and the au pairs are able to share a lot of information. We found an Au Pair in rematch and our local coordinator in town and placement manager were supportive. They were easy to get a hold of and always got back to us in a timely manner. While our match with our Au Pair did not last the staff at Go Au Pair has made moving on painless and helped provide our Au Pair with a new opportunity in a different state. They were impartial and patient while addressing our concerns.
Kevin Dahm
Kevin Dahm
2022-05-09

What is an Au Pair?

Au Pairs are pre-screened international young adults with child care experience who provide full time, live-in child care and introduces a memorable cultural experience at an affordable cost. With Au Pair child care, families in Washington DC can enjoy all the benefits of in home child care.

Au Pairs can be responsible for general supervision of the children, driving, laundry, homework help, preparing meals, and providing morning and bedtime help. As an Au Pair agency, Go Au Pair is dedicated to helping families in the DC area choose an Au Pair that fits their specific family needs.

Local Area Representatives in Washington DC

Go Au Pair has a Local Area Representative in DC and surrounding areas to help our families during their experience. Our agency’s local representative will assist your family and Au Pair with any questions related to your live in child care needs.

Amanda Walter

Our family enjoys cultural exchange. Also, au pair childcare is very flexible, a good value, and gives us secure childcare for at least 1 year at a time.

Shane, Host Dad, Washington, DC

“Everyone at Go Au Pair has been fantastic to work with. Professional, knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely wanted to help us find the right Au Pair for our family.”

Matthew - Host Dad, Leesburg

The areas I serve near DC

My territory spans across three counties in Northern Virginia and Maryland (Loudoun, Fairfax, and Montgomery Counties). It encompasses urban centers like Gaithersburg and Fairfax, suburban neighborhoods in Ashburn, Chantilly, and Vienna, and smaller towns such as Purcellville, Aldie, and Great Falls.

With a solid foundation in Education and Child Development through a bachelor’s degree, complemented by year-round sports coaching and enriched by a multicultural family background, I bring over a decade of comprehensive experience as a local area representative for Go Au Pair. Guiding au pairs in seamlessly adapting to new lifestyles and providing families with assistance in navigating intricate interpersonal dynamics forms the core of my deeply rewarding role, fostering global understanding and facilitating personal growth.

I am passionate about the au pair program because it allows me to immerse myself in diverse cultures, which I find incredibly enriching. I take pleasure in facilitating conflict resolution, building bridges, and fostering understanding while addressing challenges that arise, making each experience uniquely rewarding.

Within my cluster, I oversee a diverse array of families comprising Doctors, IT professionals, stay-at-home moms, restaurant managers, and small business owners. These families are involved in their communities and balance demanding family and work commitments. Similarly, the au pairs in my cluster hail from various Latin, European, African, and Asian countries, and they share common interests such as socializing with friends, engaging in outdoor activities like hiking, and embracing novel experiences.

Au Pair Cultural Activities

Au Pairs are required to attend a number of Cultural Activities with their Local Area Representative and nearby Au Pairs to make sure they experience the local community and culture during their stay. Below are some of the activities Amanda’s cluster has been up to recently!

Colonial Kids Day in Purcellville offered an exciting blend of education and entertainment. Au pairs engaged in hands-on colonial-era activities, fostering learning and bonding in a lively atmosphere. This event provided au pairs with an active role in experiencing a day in the life of a colonial person, making it a unique and enriching outing.

The Burke Lake Hike provides au pairs with a wonderful opportunity to immerse themselves in nature and stay active. Exploring the scenic trails around Burke Lake can be a refreshing break from daily routines, offering peaceful moments and a chance to bond with each other. It’s an ideal way for au pairs to enjoy quality time outdoors and appreciate the natural beauty of the area.

Cox Farms, especially during its Fall Festival, is a dynamic and festive attraction that au pairs would likely find highly enjoyable. With a vibrant atmosphere, diverse activities, and seasonal delights, au pairs can participate in the fun. From pumpkin picking to corn mazes, the Fall Festival at Cox Farms offers a unique cultural experience that an au pair can cherish.

Migena Nuri

“Everyone at Go Au Pair has been fantastic to work with. Professional, knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely wanted to help us find the right Au Pair for our family.”

Matthew - Host Dad, Leesburg

Our family enjoys cultural exchange. Also, au pair childcare is very flexible, a good value, and gives us secure childcare for at least 1 year at a time.

Shane, Host Dad, Washington, DC

The areas I serve near DC

I mainly serve the Washington DC area, but also work with families in VA and MD, as part pf the greater Washington DC area. Au Pairs that place with Host families in Washington DC, Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring would be in my cluster.

I am a mother of 2 children and have been working for Go Au Pair for 8 years, having served over 200 Host Families and their Au Pairs. I am a former diplomat, a job that has enabled me to work in different countries and come across many cultures. This is probably the main reasons why the Au Pair program is very close to my heart. Having studied abroad myself, I can clearly see the challenges and the satisfaction that these young girls experience through the program.

Washington DC is a vibrant capital, home to many families with children of all ages. While our cluster is usually dominated by young families with an average of 3 children, the number of school age, even early teenage kids are becoming more common, as these Families start their journey early in parenthood and are drawn to the many positive aspects of the Au Pair program. Our Au Pairs are wonderful young people who came to US eager to learn more about the country and the American, and share a lot about theirs. Spanish is the native language mostly spoken by our Au Pairs.

Au Pair Cultural Activities

Bowling in DCThis is our “safe” event to do when the weather is cold and unpredictable (November or February). We rent out 2 lanes and form 2 teams. It is one of the events that attracts many friends from outside our cluster, because it is so much fun under a strong spirit of competitiveness.

holiday bazaar dcEveryone is informed at the orientation that in December we’ll go to the Holiday Bazar in City Center in DC, so have those Christmas lists ready by early December. German goodies, Austrian pastries, Eastern Europe crystals, South American accessories, you can find everything there. Fresh donuts and hot chocolate accompany us through this event.

Caroline Flaherty

About me

My name is Caroline. I was born and raised in Alexandria, VA. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bulgaria for two years and studied abroad in Italy. I taught kindergarten for six years. I have three sons and a dog.

I now serve as the LAR (Local Area Representative) for Go Au Pair and absolutely love working with my host families and au pairs. It’s a wonderful program and I’m proud to be a part of it.

My favorite thing about being a LAR

My favorite thing about the job is seeing the love and joy that results from host families and au pairs having a positive, fulfilling experience together.

I often have host parents tell me how much happiness and peace of mind they and their children feel with their au pair in their family, and au pairs often tell me that this experience is better than they imagined it could be. That is just one of many highlights of my job.

Why I love my job

I have served as an LAR since March 2015 and I love working with my host families and au pairs. I have over a decade of experience working with families and children both as a kindergarten teacher, as well as a childcare provider before that. I truly enjoy working with people from all unique cultures.

As an LAR I stay in close contact with families and au pairs to support them and help make the program a mutually wonderful experience. I also plan exciting cultural activities many times per year.

In my cluster we have 1-15 au pairs at a time from all over the world.

Territory State(s)

Virginia (VA) and Maryland (MD)

Territory Geo Description

I cover the section of Northern Virginia that includes Arlington County, Alexandria City, Eastern Fairfax County, and Stafford as well as Southern Prince George’s County in Maryland.

Territory Major Towns

Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Lorton, Stafford

Territory Counties

Fairfax, Arlington, Stafford, Southern Prince George’s

Additional Resources for Families and Au Pairs in Washington DC

driver's license info for au pairsAs an au pair on a J-1 visa in the DMV area, start by gathering your J-1 visa, Form DS-2019, Social Security Number or a letter of ineligibility, and proof of residency. Study the Virginia Driver’s Manual thoroughly for the written knowledge test. Visit a local Virginia/Maryland DMV office with required documents to apply. Pass the knowledge test and vision screening, and if needed, take a behind-the-wheel test. Upon success, you’ll receive a provisional driver’s license with certain restrictions, and later, you can apply for a full driver’s license after meeting necessary criteria.

public transportation info for au pairs

While many host families offer car access, some au pairs may not have unrestricted use of a vehicle. In such cases, public transit, like buses and trains with route maps and reloadable cards, becomes essential.

Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft offer door-to-door convenience, while biking and walking are eco-friendly options for shorter journeys. Building connections with fellow au pairs can also provide valuable insights and options with navigating the area.

https://www.wmata.com/

https://www.loudoun.gov/bus

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-Transit/

The most common brick and mortar schools utilized are:

  • 1. Montgomery College- A community college offering diverse programs across multiple campuses in Montgomery County, promoting accessible education and career pathways. https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/
  • 2. University of Maryland (Shady Grove)- A collaborative campus that provides access to a range of undergraduate and graduate programs from various University of Maryland institutions. https://shadygrove.umd.edu/
  • 3.Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)- A community college with multiple campuses, offering affordable programs and pathways to higher education and workforce readiness. https://www.nvcc.edu/
  • 4. George Mason University- A comprehensive research university in Fairfax with a diverse range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. https://www.gmu.edu/academics/continuing-and-professional-education
  • 5. Shenandoah University (Northern Virginia Campus)- Offering programs in fields like health sciences, business, and education, providing hands-on learning experiences. https://www.su.edu/
  • 6. Marymount University- providing a blend of academic excellence and urban convenience, offering various programs including health sciences and business. https://marymount.edu/
IRS tax info for au pairsAu Pairs and Host Families can learn about tax withholdings and filing specific for the Au Pair program. Always consult a tax advisor to learn how taxes apply.

social security card info for au pairsAn Au Pair will need to get a Social Security # before getting a bank account and driver’s license. Go Au Pair will provide a welcome packet with social security information, on the Au Pairs arrival. We advise Au Pairs to wait 10 days after arrival to get their social security number. You can make an appointment at a social security office, closest to your home.

Child Friendly Activities for Au Pairs and Host Families

Au Pairs will find that Washington DC offers a wide variety of exciting things to do and places to visit. There are many historical museums, art displays, scenic touring, and physical activities. Families can help Au Pairs find activities they are most interested in.

Explore the iconic National Mall in Washington, D.C., home to historic monuments, memorials, and world-renowned museums.

Enjoy the natural beauty of the Potomac River while hiking along scenic trails that lead to impressive waterfalls.

Wander through the cobblestone streets of this historic city, lined with charming boutiques, restaurants, and historic sites.

Experience the maritime charm of Solomons Island with waterfront dining, art galleries, and maritime museums.

Immerse yourself in history at this park known for its Civil War past, offering beaches, hiking, and serene landscapes.

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