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Our Goal:
"Having your children assisted by someone you trust"
An au pair could make all the difference
to your family life. Wouldn't an extra pair of hands come in handy?
Just think of the peace of mind you will
have knowing that your children are being cared for by a caring adult
in the comfort of your own home. You won't have to rush home or forego
important events because your daycare is closing and you have to pick
up your children.
No more fears of getting behind because of
sudden illness which re quires you to stay home with your children. How
many times have you wanted to go out for dinner but couldn’t find a
sitter? Your au pair is your personal assistant who will decrease your
overload related to housework and childcare so that you can spend more
time with your children. By having more spare time you will be able to focus
on your children more since your au pair will take care of the daily
routine.
Your family will also benefit from getting
to know a different culture and living habits
Au Pair in
England
We place au pairs in the UK through our
affiliate organisation, Au Pair in England. It is a sub-
division of Language Studies Network Ltd (UK), a registered company in
England and Wales.
AU PAIR PROGRAM IN THE UK
In the UK, au-pairs must be prepared to
help their host with general light housework and help with
children for up to 5 hours per day, or a maximum of 25 hours per week.
In addition, 2 evenings baby-sitting per week would be reasonable.
HOW WE SELECT AU-PAIRS
We take special care in selecting our au pairs as we realize that the
most important thing to consider is your family and especially your
children. We have international partners in Europe
to select our au
pairs by interviewing them
in person.
DUTIES OF THE AU PAIR
Helping with light housework and with children is
an aupair's main responsibility. An au pair can work for up to
5 hours per day
and a maximum of 25 hours per week. Two nights of baby-sitting per week may
also be expected from the au pair.
An au pair is not expected to take full charge of
childcare and housework, their duty is to help with
the smooth running of the household and look after
the children while their parents work.
When the children are on school holiday, the au pair may be expected to work
longer hours but they should be paid extra pocket money in return. Remember
an aupair is not a servant or a qualified domestic helper.
LANGUAGE EDUCATION
Most au pairs will take English Language courses at the local college or
language
 school. Au-pairs are responsible for paying their own fees, but help
from the family to find a course and register at the most
suitable institution is appreciated.
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
When you decide on an applicant we will need a letter of invitation from you,
giving a summary of the jobs you expect from your au
pair, proposed
working hours and pocket money. The au pair is responsible for her/his own
travel costs to the UK, however, your family is required to pick her/him up at
the airport.
ONCE YOUR AU PAIR ARRIVES…
Applicants from countries outside the EEC will need to register with the
local police station within 7 days of their arrival. They will need their
passport, 2 passport-sized photographs and a fee
of 34 pounds that they, themselves are responsible for paying.
Most au pairs are covered by the NHS.
Au pairs from countries that do
not have a reciprocal agreement with Great Britain must get private
insurance before their arrival.
You must have adequate car insurance if your
au pair will be driving your car. You should also double-check whether they
have a valid driving license from their home country. Most au
pairs will
need a few driving lessons before starting to drive alone, so that they
can get used to driving on the left.
ESTABLISHING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR AU PAIR
Please keep in mind that your au pair may feel a
little homesick at first and will need time to get used to your family
and to being in a strange country. During this period, you
will need
to be as understanding and patient as possible and make her/him feel at
home.
Your au pair's understanding
of English might be poor
at first, but it will soon improve. She/he is in England to learn the language and
your attempts at making conversation with your au pair will be
appreciated.
You will need to explain your house rules and her/his duties
to the au pair in a
clear manner. Remember to pay her/his pocket money on time and try to make
your arrangements in plenty of time if you need your au
pair to baby-sit for you.
Please keep in mind that accommodating someone from
outside the family in your home is always
a bit difficult at first,
particularly if that someone is
technically your employee, and some tension may
occur. If things don’t go smoothly
at the beginning, we advise our families
to give au pairs some time to
adjust. After
all, they are trying to adapt to a totally new culture and
to using a foreign language.
However, if you are still experiencing problems
after a reasonable time, we
will replace your au pair
free of charge.
PROGRAM FEES
| Registration |
: Free |
| Placement Fee |
: £ 250 |
| Summer Au Pairs
only |
:
£ 120 |
HOW TO APPLY
- By Internet
Just fill in our
online family application form.
- By Phone
Simply call us on 0800 458 2969. One of our staff will take your
family details to process your application.
- By Post
Please inform us of your full address
by
or
by calling us on 0800 458 2969 so
that we can post you an application form.
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