Why au pairs are friends to working women

SIR – Like Heather Stewart (Letters, March 21), I am very disappointed to hear of the end of the au pair system.

During the 10 years when my four children were small, my family welcomed several au pairs into our household, from either the Czech Republic or Slovakia. My children got to know more about another country and culture; the au pairs became proficient at childcare and light household tasks, and learnt to speak and write good English at the local language college. They made friends and earned enough money to travel and enjoy a social life while here.

Our family has been much enriched by their living with us. We have kept in touch with all of them and been invited to a Czech wedding, and my older children have visited them and their families while Interrailing in Europe.

In addition, au pairs allow parents (women in particular) to work outside the home, as it is otherwise almost impossible to find affordable childcare to cover only the hours before and after nursery and school.

The Government talks about helping women back into the workforce, but now intends to withdraw this childcare lifeline. I urge it to reconsider and reinstate the au pair system.

Helen Savage

Chesham, Buckinghamshire

SIR – We were lucky to have a Finnish au pair, who helped to look after our new-born twins and their four-yearold sister.

She spoke perfect English and honed her language skills by writing letters every evening to pen pals in other countries.

Forty years later we still write to each other and exchange photographs. I would have found it hard to cope without her, and she is emphatic that it was one of the best years of her life. Diana Crook Seaford, East Sussex