The past months have been incredibly difficult for you, your au pairs, and our host families. The withdrawal of our IND license brought sudden disruption, stress, and unexpected costs, and for that, we are deeply sorry.
Lyla and I want to say this clearly: we take full responsibility for what happened, and we stand firmly by our core values as we work to make this right. The easy thing would be to move quickly or make promises we can’t keep. But we believe in doing things the right way, thoughtfully, transparently, and in a way that ensures every family receives what they are owed.
If it were possible to refund everyone today, we absolutely would. But with over 700 affected families and no ability to generate revenue for more than four months, paying everything out immediately would push us into bankruptcy, which would mean no refunds for anyone at all.
Instead, we have built a structured, realistic plan that ensures:
Our Refund policy is public – view it here in the link
We have made our full refund policy public because transparency is the least you deserve as per our core values we made this decision. You can read the complete policy and choose your preferred refund option here:
View the Nina.care Refund Policy
Nina.care will continue, but in a different form.
We are now operating as a tech-first global platform, supporting both EU and non-EU au pair matching (similar to AuPairWorld), and as an EU-focused agency. This shift allows us to keep going and, most importantly, to honor our promise to repay families responsibly over time.
The start of repayments depends on securing new financing and the outcome of our legal processes. We will update all registered families as soon as we have news.
Thank you for your patience and your honesty. We know this process is slower than any of us want. But doing it properly — with integrity, transparency, and fairness — is how we ensure that every family gets what they are entitled to.
Warm regards,
Jasmijn & Lyla
Founders, Nina.care
Dear families and au pairs,
The withdrawal of our license by the IND has been a hard blow — above all for you. Families are left with uncertainty and extra costs, and au pairs have in some cases had to return home early. You placed your trust in us, and we were not always able to provide the clarity and security you deserved. For that, we take full responsibility.
In just a few years, Nina.care grew from 5 to 700 au pairs and supported over 3,000 families. Looking back, our growth outpaced our ability to scale our team and systems. We should have expanded capacity earlier to ensure flawless administration, constant accessibility, and the highest level of support.
Last year we received fines from the IND mostly for administrative matters such as delayed registrations, digital signatures, or documentation requirements. None concerned the safety of au pairs. We created a comprehensive improvement plan: hiring additional staff, introducing a 24/7 emergency line, external audits, and stronger administrative processes. Despite this, the IND chose to withdraw our license. We believe this decision is disproportionate and harmful to the very families and au pairs the system is meant to protect.
As we stand for transparancy here we openly share our improvement plan
Our top priority now is refunds. We are finalizing a transparent refund policy that will be shared with all affected families this week, including a clear payment timeline. We know this will not undo the stress caused, but we want to give you certainty about what to expect.
To be able to fulfill these refunds, we will continue our operations with EU candidates in international markets. In 2026, our goal is to re-enter the Dutch non-EU market through franchise or partner agencies stronger, more professional, and with the same mission: bringing families and au pairs together.
This is not the outcome we wanted, but it is the truth. We are committed to doing right by you, and to learning from this experience.
With respect,
Jasmijn & Lyla
Today, we received confirmation from the IND that Nina.care BV is no longer a recognised sponsor in the Netherlands. While this outcome is difficult, we fully understand and support the decision.
In 2021 and 2022, we grew too quickly. Along the way, we made administrative mistakes, and we take full responsibility for them. We also recognise that this decision has consequences for families and au pairs, and we deeply regret the uncertainty it may have caused. Taking responsibility means not only acknowledging mistakes, but also guiding every family and au pair towards a careful and supportive conclusion.
This Thursday, we will put our lessons into practice: we worked very hard over the summer and are now ready to launch our renewed platform for EU au pairs, with stronger safeguards than ever before:
– Passport verification
– Video-recorded interviews
– 24/7 emergency support
With these steps, we can use technology to improve the industry. We aim to make cultural exchange safer, more reliable, and more meaningful.
Our motto remains: “Safely explore the world with us.” 🌍
The Nina.care team
Jasmijn and Lyla
On September 4, NOS and Nieuwsuur reported on au pairs who could not enter the UK or Germany. As founders we deeply regret that these ladies had this experience. At Nina.care, transparency and safety have always been our priorities, and this was never our intention.
We listened to this strong signal, and are now making a radical change. From Thursday, we will launch operate as a platform-first organization across ten markets, with safety first at the core.
We will no longer recommend the Friend of the Family model. We are bold, we test and learn, but this is where we draw the line. Even if it technically fits within the rules, it does not align with our belief that safety of our au pairs must always come first.
What we want to stress: the report suggested that we instructed au pairs to make false statements at the border. This is not the case. What we do is provide families and young people with transparent information about the law.
Every year, more than 90,000 young people traveled to the UK as au pairs. When legal routes are too restricted, many still look for alternatives, often through Facebook or AuPairWorld, without any agency or safety net. That is exactly what we aim to prevent. And not only in the UK, but in all countries where systems are less well organized than in the Netherlands.
From Thursday, our platform in 10 markets will provide:
ID and passport verification for both families and au pairs
24/7 emergency support, so au pairs are never alone
Screening, aftercare, and regular check-ins
A global community where au pairs can connect and support one another
Our vision: to be the global childcare platform connecting families and young adventurers.
Our mission: to be Europe’s leading au pair platform safely supporting young adventurers.
Our promise: Safely adventure the world with us
We listen to criticism, take responsibility, and innovate, so that cultural exchange becomes safer, and so we can continue to connect and support adventurers of all ages.
Youth Mobility Scheme visa for eligible nationalities. This visa allows you to live and work in the UK as an au pair with a proper work contract. Families must follow UK labour law and pay at least £900 per month (after deduction for accommodation and meals).
The Youth Mobility Scheme visa (Tier 5) is available for certain nationalities.
Eligible countries include:
With this visa, au pairs are considered employees under UK law:
No, the traditional au pair visa ended after Brexit. The two options now are the Youth Mobility Scheme or a visa-free stay (Friend of the Family).
We have received confirmation from the IND that au pairs who do not transfer to a new agency may legally remain in the Netherlands until 22 January 2026.
Here is how the timeline works:
Important note: This only applies to au pairs whose visa expiration date falls between 7 December 2025 and 22 January 2026. It does not mean you can transfer to another agency during this period.
Young people (usually aged 18–30) from the list of eligible countries, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and others.
The tasks that typically include looking after the children, school drop-offs and pick-ups, light cooking, and helping maintain a pleasant household routine. Au pairs are not meant to be cleaners or full-time nannies.
You can read more in the Family Info Directory.
No. Candidates always apply for their own visas. We provide guidance, information, and support so families and au pairs know what to expect.
