Flemish unions and employers join minister’s call for better protection au pairs
Trade unions and employers, united within the Social and Economic Council of Flanders (SERV), are calling for greater protection and better supervision for au pairs. In doing so, they are joining forces with Flemish minister for Employment Zuhal Demir. Last week, in the Flemish Parliament, she criticised the au pair agency set up by several participants in the reality TV programme “The Real Housewives of Antwerp”.
The fact that some participants in the reality programme “The Real Housewives of Antwerp” had recently praised the au pair system as a cheap form of childcare is, according to minister Demir, “scandalous”. For the minister, this is yet further proof that the status of au pairs urgently needs to be revised.
The Social and Economic Council of Flanders (SERV) is now also advocating for au pairs to be granted employee status. “Today, the lack of a clear status still too often leads to abuse and a lack of oversight,” noted the Flemish trade unions and employers.
According to the SERV, there is also a need for clear agreements and planning between the host family and the au pair regarding language training and cultural exchange. The social partners also advocate working exclusively with accredited agencies that are specifically authorised to place au pairs.
Outdated legal framework
An au pair is a young person who lives with a foreign family for a short period as part of a cultural exchange. In exchange for board, lodging and pocket money, the young person can assist the family with childcare.
It has long been known that the au pair system is, in itself, susceptible to abuse. The legal framework is outdated – for instance, the legally stipulated “pocket money” of at least 450 euros per month has not been indexed since 1997 – and, according to minister Demir, since the last state reform, the system is “in an institutional grey area”.
Figures have shown that breaches of social legislation were found in 40 per cent of the cases inspected. According to minister Demir, there is a deeper problem behind these figures, namely that au pairs are seen as “a cheap form of childcare or domestic help”. “Whereas cultural exchange is the starting point. A young person comes to our country temporarily to learn our language and culture or, possibly, to undertake training.”
#FlandersNewsService | Illustration © PHOTO IMAGEBROKER
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