The Cultural Au Pair Association of Australia (CAPAA) is encouraged to share that Consumer Protection in Western Australia is warning families looking for Au Pairs, not to trust rogue ‘agent’ Reannon Jade Gibson, trading as Blossom Au Pair Australia (Blossom).
Consumer Protection issued a statement yesterday outlining their concerns:
“Nineteen complaints have been received by Consumer Protection about Ms Gibson in the past five years. An additional 18 disgruntled customers were identified during the course of conducting enquiries. Most complaints relate to little to no service being provided once payment is made.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake urges families seeking au pair services to avoid dealing with Ms Gibson or Blossom.”
More details can be found via this link.
CAPAA’ Members have received numerous complaints over the past few years from families all over Australia that have been swindled out of thousands of dollars by Jade Blossom’s unsavoury business practices.
Blossom Au Pairs mainly advertise their services on Facebook and related Facebook Groups are currently still running. We urge families finding Au Pairs on Facebook to be especially vigilant.
CAPAA is Australia’s Au Pair Association, and all our member agencies adhere to a strict code of conduct to ensure families and Au Pairs receive a service that is fair, safe and rewarding.
It is important to note that there is no official Au Pair program in Australia and as such there is much mis-information circulating online.
For example, many websites and social media platforms are promising Au Pair services that do not exist and/or requesting fees under false pretences.
CAPAA urges families to carefully research any internet-based agency – especially online matching services that provide inexpensive alternatives for securing an Au Pair placement as there are potential risks in arranging a placement in this manner.
Here are just some of the potential risks you face when not using a reputable Au Pair agency:
- Limited or no understanding of Australian regulations and visa requirements
- No support during the placement
- Not registered as an Australian business entity so no opportunity for legal recourse
- High probability of unsuitable Au Pair or host family candidates
- Absence of a written contract
- Little or no experience in the Au Pair industry
- Non-existent standards or guidelines
- Lack of criminal checks, reference checks, health checks
- No help if initial placement is unsuccessful.
CAPAA urges any family (or Au Pair) to who have had unsatisfactory dealings with Ms Gibson or Blossom to lodge a complaint on the Consumer Protection website
Enquiries can be made by calling 1300 30 40 54 or emailing consumer@dmirs.wa.gov.au
Or to contact the CAPAA chair, Anna Prasad on aprasad@aifs.com.au