Au Pair in America

As the nation’s first au pair program, Au Pair in America® has been helping families find flexible, dependable childcare for 40 years and counting. We’ve welcomed more than 110,000 au pairs from around the world since 1986, connecting them with families across the U.S.—including in the Washington, D.C. area.

We know childcare isn’t one-size-fits-all. Between demanding work schedules, commutes, school drop-offs and pick-ups, activities, appointments, and everything else that comes with raising a family, parents need childcare that can work with their lives.

That’s what makes hosting an au pair different. Au Pair in America connects families with carefully screened au pairs who live in the family’s home and can provide up to 45 hours of childcare per week on a schedule that works for the household. Families can review profiles, interview candidates, and choose the au pair they feel is the best fit for their children, lifestyle, and needs.

We’re here for much more than the match. Our decades of experience have shaped a program built around quality, preparation, and ongoing support. From helping families understand the program and navigate the matching process to preparing for their au pair’s arrival and supporting them throughout their time together, our team is there at every step. Families and au pairs also have access to local Community Counselor support in their own communities, providing a nearby resource throughout the experience.

For Washington, D.C.-area families, an au pair can provide an extra set of helping hands during some of the busiest parts of the day—whether that’s getting kids ready in the morning, managing school pick-ups, getting to activities, helping with homework, or keeping little ones engaged at home.

But what has kept families choosing Au Pair in America for four decades goes beyond childcare. Hosting creates an opportunity to welcome someone new into your family and experience another culture as part of everyday life. Au pairs share their languages, foods, traditions, and perspectives while becoming part of the routines, celebrations, and little moments that make up family life.

After 40 years, we still believe some of the most meaningful cultural connections can begin right at home.

Discover Au Pair in America and find out if hosting an au pair could be the right fit for your family.