au pair agency

The Au Pair Arrangement

Au Pairs are young students, ladies or men,  mostly 18-27 years old who come to live and work with a family for up to two years while studying English. 

An Au Pair will help with childcare and light housework such as getting your children up in the morning, dressed, give them their breakfast and get them ready, taking and collecting them from school, helping with homework, activities, bathing, preparing meals and keeping their rooms tidy. Your au pair may also help with dusting, vacuuming, ironing, washing, cooking, dog walking and any general light housework and the more informed they are in advance about the help you require the better. 

Au Pairs often work 25 hours per week and if you need extra hours this can be agreed with your Au Pair.  One family may need more child care while another mostly help in the home.  The balance of childcare to housework in every home is different and the more detail I have the better to match the best Au Pair for your family.  

While Au Pairs have experience babysitting and helping with housework, they are not qualified or trained in childcare or housekeeping and the standard of help you can expect will not be as that of a qualified person.  

Driving       

If you need a driver, I recommend you either take them out for driving practice or pay for some driving lessons to help the Au Pair adapt to driving on the left. 

Holiday and Free Time     

Au Pairs have two consecutive days off every week and this should be over a Saturday and Sunday at least once a month.  I recommend Au Pairs are offered paid annual leave of 20 days per twelve month stay, worked out pro rata.  

Pocket Money

An Au Pair working 25 hours per week and including two nights babysitting should receive

£75 per week pocket money.  If you require additional hours, I recommend £3.50 per extra hour, for example if you need help for 30 hours per week, your au pair should be paid £90.  Please note that £75 per week is the mimimum and often families offer a little more. 

Travel Costs

Au Pairs are responsible for their own travel costs.

Terminating the Au Pair Arrangement

If for any reason either the family or the au pair wishes to terminate the placement, I shall do my utmost to find replacements as soon as possible.  I recommend a minimum of two weeks notice (or longer) be given so that we can find a suitable replacement for the family and also find another family for the Au Pair.  

The success of the Au Pair placement depends largely on understanding and good communication between the Au Pair and your family and it is my purpose to ensure the placement is as successful as possible and of course, fun.