INTRODUCTION

We are an Aupair Agency dedicated to providing a professional placement service for Demi-pairs, Aupairs, Aupair couples, and Au pair plus.  We pride ourselves on providing a highly personal service, making all reasonable efforts to ensure a good match between applicants and their prospective host families.  Au pairs are single people, aged 17 and 27 years, without dependants, who come from Europe and any of the countries listed below, to learn English and live as part of an English speaking family.

Andorra, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Monaco, Greenland, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Malta, Romania, San Marino, Slovak    Turkey, Slovenia, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Bulgaria

Au pairs may stay for a maximum period of 2 years unless they are nationals of countries in the European Community.  Au pair translates as on parâ or equal and therefore s/he is to be treated as a family member.  All au pairs must have their own bedroom.  Before deciding to enlist our services please read through the information below and ensure your expectations from an au pair are fair and realistic.  If your would like to proceed with your application please complete the Family Requirements Form.

An Au pair is not a trained nanny, housekeeper or domestic servant.

HOURS AND DUTIES PER WEEK :-

A description of duties and work schedule will be required from the family before the applicant agrees to accept the placement.  This is a safeguard for both parties.  The total number of hours per week should not be exceeded unless agreed by the Au pair.  We do ask that our Au pairs are flexible in their approach to the work schedule while at the same time expect the same consideration from our families.  The hours of work can be split between a morning and afternoon shift.  Split hours should never prohibit the Au pair from attending booked English classes.

EXTRA HOURS/BABY-SITTING
An additional pocket money of £3.00 per hour must be paid for hours worked above the contracted hours agreed.  It is always helpful if the Au pair is given prior notice of the evening s/he is required to baby-sit.  This enables the Au pair to arrange her/his social life.

FREE TIME
According to the Home Office Ruling, all applicants are entitled to 2 full free days each week.  This must be in two 24 hour periods which should not be cancelled or altered, other than in emergency and with the au pairs agreement.

HEALTH
Au pairs should be registered with the family doctor.  Reciprocal health arrangements exist between most EC countries.  Should the Au pair be taken ill, the family must provide full board accommodation until the Au pair recovers or in the unfortunate case of long term illness, until the appropriate arrangements have been made for her/his return home.

INSURANCE
It is recommended that you check the condition of your home insurance policy to cover personal liability insurance.

TRAVEL
The Au Pair will be expected to pay the cost of the journey to and from the country in which s/he will be staying.  It is your responsibility to meet her/him at the airport on arrival and to take her/him to the airport on the return journey.  Please ensure that travel arrangements are understood by both parties.  It is amazing how misunderstandings can arise.  At the airport or coach station  families should  have a notice on which the Au pair's name is clearly printed and a pre-arranged meeting point agreed.  At the airport and the stations it can be the Information Desk but please check how many Information desks there are by telephoning the airport/station and then agree a specific one.  Please remember flights/coaches & trains can be delayed, so please make allowances for this,  Perhaps telephone the point of arrival to check the e.t.a..

Non EC nationals entering the UK for a period exceeding 6 months will have to register with the local police, the fee being approx. £35, which should be paid by the Au Pair. You should contact your local police station for guidance.

INDUCTION
Au pairs may initially find living and working in a foreign country is rather more difficult than expected.  Many are away from home, alone, for the first time.  For many of them, language is the first barrier to overcome.  Further, they are living in an environment with a family whose routine, culture, religious practices, diet and mealtimes are often totally different from that which they are used to.  They may be homesick at first.  Please allow for this.  Many will need patience, understanding and support.

HOUSE RULE
Every family has different rules and priorities.  It helps to explain and write down the things which are important to your family i.e. who gets priority in the bathroom in the morning; use of the telephone; what time the au pair is expected to be home; if the au pair is allowed visitors in her/his room etc.

SOCIAL LIFE
Au pairs tend to settle more easily and overcome homesickness once they have met other au pairs and made friends.  This is another reason why English classes are so important.  You are welcome to phone us to enquire if we have placed other au pairs in your area.  It is essential to give your au pair an A-Z of your town or city, also maps and timetables of the local bus, train and underground.  Please take time to familiarise your au pair with this information.

CLUBS FOR AU PAIRS
Look in the local newspapers, shop notice boards and the supermarket community board and take note of any clubs or societies that may be of interest to a young person.  Take your au pair along to join the library.  While there, ask the librarian for a copy of the list of clubs in the area.  A list of Mother and Toddler Clubs can be obtained from the Social Services at the Town Hall.  If necessary, take the au pair along on the first visit and introduce her to young mums/other au pairs.  Find time to discover what clubs are available for your children/toddlers/babies during the day.  Your family will enjoy these excursions and activities.

ENGLISH LESSONS
English lessons are generally available at local colleges or with private tutors.  Your local newspapers and libraries are good sources for this information.  Au pairs usually need some assistance in finding the school and with the registration process.  Please act as their ‘mother’ by ensuring that their classes are up to a good standard and are of good value.  Au pairs are responsible for their own fees unless you have agreed another arrangement beforehand.

CONTACT NUMBERS/EMERGENCIES
It is essential that your Au pair knows how to contact you at all times.  Give her/him a list of contact numbers e.g. work, grandparents, doctors, school, friends, neighbours etc.  S/he must be shown how to dial all the emergency services.  There may be first aid and child care courses available at your local colleges.  Any course fees would be your responsibility but such courses would be of great benefit to your family.  Ensure that your first aid box is fully stocked and your au pair knows what each item is used for.

DRIVING
You will appreciate that your au pair will requires a little time and help to become acclimatised to driving in a foreign country, on the opposite side of the road, with the road signs in a different language, not forgetting our hectic roads.  If a lesson or two could be provided to give the au pair the initial confidence to drive in this country, you and your family will benefit.  If you are making a car available to the au pair, it is your responsibility to verify the driving competence of the au pair and to ensure s/he has a full current driving license.  It is worth considering taking out fully comprehensive insurance cover for the car that the au pair will be driving.  The au pair cannot be held responsible for any costs if involved in an accident.

With mutual understanding and co-operation both the host family and the au pair should benefit from the relationship