Family information

What is an au pair?
An au-pair is a girl (or boy) usually aged between 17 and 27 who travels to another country primarily to improve their knowledge of the language, to live for a while as a member of a family and to experience a different culture. Taking on an au pair is an inexpensive childcare option, and because the au pair lives in, this gives parents greater freedom as well as the benefit of help with household tasks. Your children will learn about other countries - their languages, cultures and food, giving them a broader outlook on life. While au pairs do not generally have formal childcare training most have been involved with various types of children's groups, such as Scouts, church youth groups, coaching sport etc, and have babysitting experience.

Living Conditions
The au pair should have his/her own room with meals generally taken with the family. Free time should be given daily to pursue personal interests or for study, and a desk should be available in their bedroom for this purpose. They should have two days a week completely free."Pocket-money" is paid and the amount may vary, but in the United Kingdom the recommended minimum amount for the weekly allowance is £70 for 25 hours, £90 for 30 hours +. Some families will pay extra for babysitting, provide bus passes and pay for language classes. Au pairs are not usually qualified in childcare and their only experience of looking after children may be babysitting. An Au-Pair is not a nanny and should only be left in sole charge of babies and young children at the family's discretion.

Au pairs do not sign a contract with the family but they do generally sign an agreement with the home country agency and most agencies use an agreement recommended by IAPA (the International Au Pair Association). All au pairs should have two full days off per week and are not expected to baby-sit on these evenings unless there is some arrangement between the au pair and family. The family may ask the au pair to do additional duties for which they should give extra pocket money in return. This should be agreed between family and au pair. The notice period is 2 weeks on either side. (This information is based on Home Office Regulations regarding au pairs)

Holidays
One weeks paid leave should be given for each six months worked. If you decide to go on holiday and are not taking the au pair with you, they must be paid during your absence and should also be left money to buy food. They are entitled to have Public holidays as free days without loss of pay.

Travel
Au pairs are expected to pay their fare to the country in which they are to be employed. Arrangements will be made for them to be collected from the airport/station by the host family or by agency staff (for which an additional fee will be negotiated).

Matching au pairs to families
Our au pairs are chosen for their suitability for childcare, management of light household duties and ability to fit into family life. When making the selection, we consider the particular interests of the family and the au pair, how independent they need to be and other aspects of personality. We place both male and female au pairs. We ask families to provide a reference, either written or verbal, ideally from a previous au pair or nanny, and it is helpful if the applicant can speak to a previous au pair.

Driving
If you require your au pair to drive a car it is advisable to arrange one or two driving lessons to familiarise the au pair with the differences in the road system and perhaps supply them with a copy of the Highway Code.

Follow up
The agency will maintain contact with the family and au pair and will be happy to discuss any problems the au pair may have which they are unhappy discussing with the family directly. Information will be circulated to au pairs highlighting local events (ceilidhs, firework displays and so on) which the au pair may want to know about. Details of language schools will also be made available.

What to do next

• Fill in the Application Form and email it to us at Au Pair Ecosse in order for the application process to begin.

• We will then send you au pair particulars which we feel match your profile and requirements.

• Once you have decided on a particular applicant, contact us as soon as possible to indicate your interest.

• We will then contact the au pair, forward your letter of introduction and tell them to expect a telephone call from you shortly to discuss arrangements.

• If you are happy to go ahead, contact us to book the au pair

• The agency fee is due when the au pair is formally booked and should be paid before they depart for the U.K.

• Cheques should be made payable to Au Pair Ecosse or bank details can be supplied.

First time families

There are a few mistakes commonly made by families who haven't had an au pair before.
It may be difficult to find the balance between having a young person in their home, who they wish to treat as family and being like a boss to them at the same time. If it is not made clear from the start which jobs the family wishes the au pair to do, it is harder to explain this later. It is a good idea to have a 'day book' where specific chores are written each day and also to have a regular review of how things are going, where issues can be raised by both parties.

What happens if the family and au pair appear to be incompatible?

Please allow your au pair time to adjust to life in your family. It is advisable to have a clear timetable for the week setting out what you expect him/her to do. You should then sit down at the end of the first week to discuss how he/she is coping. Be as clear as you can - misunderstandings, which can arise over something trivial, if unresolved, can be blown out of proportion.

If you have tried the above and still have concerns or have any questions, we are happy to discuss and try to resolve any problems. If all else fails, we will seek a replacement (see Terms and Conditions of Business).

© 2005 - 2009 Au Pair Ecosse