Why I started Kokun.
Because hosting an au pair was the most complicated employment arrangement I ever encountered! Yes, employment. Read on and I'll explain that in the next section.
You're (trust me) usually employing a young person who's living abroad, maybe for the first time. It might be their first job. And their workplace is your home.
Somehow, families are expected to understand the workplace rules and navigate this strange, very personal relationship largely on their own.
I'd spent almost twenty years helping large organisations navigate employment, tax and people issues, and I kept thinking:
“If I'm struggling to navigate this, how is everyone else doing it?”
I didn't need help finding my au pair. I needed objective, non-emotional support to navigate the tricky relationship dynamic that was now living in my home.
I didn't need another agency. I needed a HR department in my pocket. So that's what I started designing Kokun to be: a HR team for au pairing.
Big companies have recruiters, employment experts, payroll systems and people to call when something gets tricky. Why shouldn't a family have access to something better than Google and social media opinions?
And then the idea got bigger.
If we start with the reality that many au pair arrangements are employment, rather than defining au pairing by cultural exchange, we can think differently about the whole model.
Kokun can support families and au pairs however they find each other. We can work with traditional agencies, source candidates from a much broader pool and bring more clarity, fairness and support to both sides.
Because if a family needs reliable childcare, and someone else wants flexible work and perhaps somewhere affordable to live, why do they need to come from another country? They don’t.
The traditional au pair experience isn't going anywhere. We love it. We just don't think it has to be the only way.
The reality of modern au pair arrangements.
I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to getting things right.
I like contracts. I like knowing where the legal lines are. I appreciate that not everyone is wired that way - and plenty of people are far more relaxed than I am.
The reason I care is because, throughout my career, I've seen what happens when well-intentioned people get it wrong.
I've seen businesses spend hundreds of thousands of dollars fixing employment mistakes they never knew they were making. I've seen relationships break down because expectations were never clear. I've seen problems that could have been prevented with the right advice at the beginning.
When I looked at the au pair industry, I saw the same pattern.
Most modern au pair arrangements are employment under Australian law. That brings obligations around pay, tax, superannuation, workers' compensation and other employment requirements.
The problem isn't that families are trying to avoid those obligations. It's that most don't even know they exist.
That's why Kokun exists. Not to scare families. To make doing the right thing simple.
Because host families already have enough on their plates.
What Kokun does.
Kokun helps host families create well-structured, compliant au pair arrangements - and supports au pairs to thrive once they arrive in Australia.
For host families, that means:
employment and accommodation documentation
payroll and compliance guidance
practical resources and templates
ongoing HR support through WhatsApp and Office Hours
For au pairs, that means:
a free Facebook community
practical guidance for life in Australia
curated resources and advice
social events and opportunities to connect with other au pairs
Whether you've already found an au pair or need help finding one, Kokun provides the structure, guidance and support to help both sides get the most out of the experience.
