For families in South Africa
Stop scrolling through au pair ads. Get matched.
Tell us your hours, your children's ages, your must-haves and what you can pay. We show you the au pairs who fit, ranked, with the reasons in plain words. You choose who to talk to.
- Matched on your weekly schedule
- References confirmed by previous families
- Free, no placement fee
Tell us you're in United Kingdom
Ten minutes to set up. Your matches are waiting on the other side.
Searching vs matching
Listing sites give you a list. We give you a shortlist.
Most au pair websites in South Africa work like classifieds: you post an ad, you read every profile, you do the chasing. Here is what changes when the site does the matching.
| Typical listing site | Au Pair Nation | |
|---|---|---|
| How you find someone | Search a list and read every profile yourself | Ranked matches with the reasons spelled out |
| Your hours | A text box, if that | A weekly grid; au pairs who can't cover it are filtered out |
| Pay | Guesswork from an advert | Hourly ranges on both sides, matched before you talk |
| Your children's ages | Mentioned in your ad | Au pairs set which ages they'll take; mismatches never show |
| First contact | You call or WhatsApp a stranger | A request, then a private chat only if they accept |
| References | A name and a number to chase | Confirmed by the previous employer, with their comment |
| Your children's privacy | Whatever you type into the ad | Age bands only. Never names, faces, schools or your address |
| Cost to families | Usually free to register | Free |
What you see
Every profile answers the questions you'd ask on a first call.
Weekly availability
Monday to Sunday, from and to. You see at a glance whether the afternoons you need are covered.
Hourly rate
The range they'd accept, so there's no awkward conversation three messages in.
Ages they'll look after
Not just ages they've cared for, but ages they're willing to take now.
Driving
Licence, own car, years of experience, and whether they'd drive your children in it.
Confirmed references
Previous families confirm by email that the au pair worked for them, and can leave a comment.
Languages and skills
Languages with fluency, first aid, swimming, special needs, tutoring, early childhood training.
Education
Matric, current studies and completed qualifications.
A hello in their own words
A short intro written to families, plus a longer bio and their interests.
How it works
Three steps, one evening.
- 1
Describe your household
Your suburb, your children's age bands, the days and hours you need, live-in or live-out, your hourly rate, and the things you won't compromise on.
- 2
See who fits, and why
Every au pair who passes your must-haves gets a score out of 100. The top reasons sit right under their name: covers all your hours, lives in your suburb, reference confirmed.
- 3
Send a request, then chat
A short note to the two or three you like. When one accepts, a private chat opens. Interview on video, meet for coffee, agree the details, and use our contract template.
Trust
Someone is coming into your home. We built for that.
References you can rely on
Previous families confirm by email that the au pair worked for them, and can add a comment. Unconfirmed references say so.
You make the first move
Au pairs can't message you. You choose who to contact, and chat only opens if they accept.
Report and block
On every profile and in every chat, reviewed by a real person. Blocking is immediate.
Children stay private
Age bands and your suburb only. No names, faces, schools or street addresses, ever.
Identity verification with an ID document and a selfie is built into the site and switches on as soon as our verification partner is live. Until then, our reference checks and interview guide are the safeguards, and we recommend a first meeting in a public place.
Do it properly
We introduce. You employ. Our guides cover the rest.
Au Pair Nation is not an agency. The arrangement, pay and agreement are between you and your au pair, and these guides make sure you get them right.
Questions families ask us
What does it cost a family?
Nothing. There is no registration fee, no fee to see profiles or contact details, no placement fee and no commission. Au Pair Nation is free for families and au pairs while we launch in South Africa.
How is this different from an au pair listing site?
On a listing site you post an advert, scroll through profiles and chase people yourself. Here you describe your household once, including the hours you need and what you can pay, and we rank every au pair against it with the reasons shown. Anyone who can't cover your hours, won't take your children's ages or doesn't meet your must-haves never appears.
How do I contact an au pair?
Send a connection request with a short note. The au pair sees your household profile and your note, and decides. If they accept, a private chat opens on the site. Phone numbers are shared only when you both choose to.
Are au pairs screened?
Au pairs must be 18 or older and build a full profile before families can see them. References are confirmed with the previous employer by email and shown with a badge. We also give you a guide to reference calls and interviews, and recommend you meet in a public place first. Identity verification with an ID document and selfie is built and will switch on once our verification partner is live.
What if I need someone quickly?
Set your start date and the matches you see are au pairs available by then. Most families send two or three requests on day one and are chatting the same evening.
Do you handle contracts, UIF or pay?
No. You employ the au pair directly. We give you a written agreement template, a guide to what the law requires, and typical pay for your area, so you get it right without an agency fee.
What about my children's privacy?
We store an age band per child and your suburb, nothing more. Children's names, photos of their faces, school names and your street address are never asked for and never stored.
Your matches are a profile away.
Free for families. Ten minutes to set up. Chat tonight.