Useful Info for Au Pair
So you’ve decided to become an au pair? Excellent! You should
however think about your rights and obligations. You don’t have any experience?
It doesn’t matter! The ProfiAupair database is here to guide you through the
process step by step.
- Why become an Au Pair?
- Who is an Au Pair?
- What qualities should an au pair have?
- Work and compensation or what is expected of an Au Pair?
- Work period
- Communication
- Accommodations
- Free time
- Studies
- Selecting a family
- Language skills
- Departure
- Questions to ask
- Warning
- Why become an Au Pair?
This is the most important question you should ask yourself. Being an au pair means a great deal of responsibility and often it can seem to be a difficult occupation – leaving the comforts of home to work in an absolutely unknown environment, often thousands of kilometres away, under one roof with people you don't know. But the job also offers something it would be hard to find anywhere else: the possibility to discover the world, a different culture, customs, to make new friends literally from all over the world, to become independent, to see what it’s like to raise children, find a new love, and much much more. We hope that you’ll truly take advantage of this time.
- Who is an Au Pair?
An au pair is a single, childless girl or a single boy 18 to 30 years of age, who, for the purpose of perfecting language skills, discovering new cultures, parts of the world, other customs and friends goes to a foreign country for a period of up to 24 months. The task of an au pair is to help the host family with their children and small amounts of housework, for which they receive allowance money. Today even a couple can work as au pairs (Au Pair Couple).
- What qualities should an au pair have?
It is essential for an au pair to be responsible, reliable, flexible, and communicative. Right from the very first meeting the au pair should try to make a good impression on their host family. She should realize that the family is entrusting her with their most valuable possessions – their children. Therefore she must always pay close attention to the children and never take her eyes off of them. It is also necessary to realize that in foreign countries physical punishment is absolutely impermissible and can even result in criminal prosecution. It isn’t your job to educate the children but to watch them. If problems with the children arise, always talk to the parents.
- Work and compensation or what is expected of an Au Pair?
An au pair's main obligation is to help the family with the children. This includes, for example, waking the children up in the morning, getting breakfast ready, taking the children to school and picking them up afterwards, helping them with their homework, preparing dinner, feeding the children, as well as bathing and changing babies. The family may also ask for help with small household chores such as washing the dishes, dusting, hoovering, cleaning bedrooms, doing the laundry, and ironing. However, the family is not permitted to ask the au pair to do only housework and use her only as a cheap domestic servant. If this happens and you are not happy with the situation, we recommend that you find a new family. The best way to avoid this situation is to clarify your responsibilities ahead of time in a telephone conversation. Upon their arrival we recommend that young girls and boys sit down with their host family and make a written list of their responsibilities. The minimum rate of compensation for work performed is governed by the laws of the given country. Some families pay their Au Pair more than they are required to; this depends on the agreement you make.
- Work period
Your work period also depends on the agreement you reach with your host family. A typical work week involves 25-30 hours of work. There are some small differences between individual countries, and some countries require longer hours. An au pair has the right to a 14-day paid holiday, which can be used for travelling or for making visits to home. This holiday time can be used only after having worked for two months. Each week the girl or boy must have at least a day and a half free, and in the course of the month this time off must include at least two days off in a row.
- Communication
It is extremely important for the au pair to communicate with the host family. Don’t worry that your grammar isn’t perfect, as host families cannot expect that their au pair will have the language skills of a native speaker. Tell the parents what you do with the children during the day, since the family will be pleased to hear about them. This is also an opportunity to strengthen your friendship with the parents and to improve your language skills. If a problem arises, don’t be afraid to talk about it with them immediately. Together you will surely find the best solution. And if you family invites you to go along with them somewhere, be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. Your host family could interpret a rejection as a lack of interest and may never repeat the invitation. Some additional useful tips for au pairs: never speak your native language in front of your host family. Not only is it impolite, but you became an au pair to improve your language skills.
- Accommodations
Food and accommodations are provided to the au pair free of charge. The family must provide the au pair a private room with a suitable bed and desk. The au pair eats meals along with the family. Au pairs must be treated as if they are a member of the family; it is good when the family considers her to be an older sister to the children.
- Free time
Au Pairs can use their free time to study, meet with friends, travel, etc. While it isn’t required, it is polite if the Au Pair shares what she does in her free time with the host family. Each family is responsible for their Au Pair and is worried if she is away for the whole night without any word. Being open with your host family leads to more pleasant coexistence.
- Studies
All au pairs have the right to study. It is typical for an au pair to study the language of the given country. This language course usually meets two or three times a week and is completed with a final international exam. It is also possible to study other fields; this depends, however, on the courses offered by the local schools. Large towns typically have more schools. Families should offer advice in choosing the most appropriate school. In most cases the au pair pays for these studies from the money they make. Families can make a contribution to these studies. Attending school is a good way to make new friends. Schools may offer get-together parties, sightseeing trips and other events that allow foreign students to meet and share adventures.
- Selecting a family
An Au Pair should be very careful in selecting a family and should try to obtain as much information about a potential family before making a choice. They should not be afraid to use the telephone for communication. We recommend writing important questions on a piece of paper. Do not under any circumstances send the family money!
- Language skills
Do not fear if your command of the specific language is not at a high level. No families expect this and they will try to understand what you are saying. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to have a basic knowledge of the language so that in the worst case you can still communicate with the family in writing. It is also necessary for you to be able to call for help in emergency situations.
- Departure
The best time to leave to begin work as an au pair is in the summer, as the majority of "old" Au Pairs leave their families at this time. It is also the best time with regard to studies, as new courses begin with the start of the school year in the autumn. Before your departure it is a good idea to obtain an invitation letter from your host family. This letter will allow you to clear customs without any troubles. Be sure to arrange health insurance before you go, and also don’t forget to bring along an international driver’s license and a dictionary.
- Questions to ask
1. What precisely are your expectations of me?
2. Will I only be working with the children or will you require housework to be performed as well?
3. What is the extent of the housework you will expect of me?
4. How many hours will I work a day? Can the hours be worked in one consecutive shift? Will you need me to work in the morning or in the afternoon?
5. What level of allowance money do you pay?
6. Will it be possible to work another part-time job?
7. How many children do you have and what are their interests and hobbies? What do they do in their free time?
8. Do they have extracurricular activities?
9. Are your children easy to handle?
10. How should I behave in situations when your children will not listen or are rude?
11. Can I spend my free time away from your home?
12. What is your neighbourhood like? What kind of cultural activities are available in your area? Are there parks, playgrounds, bike paths, etc. nearby?
13. What are the occupations of the parents? Where do they work?
14. How far away is the school, bus stop, train station, etc.?
15. What kind of activities is the family involved in? Are you active? How do you spend you weekends? Do you like sports, films, computers?
16. What is the typical daily routine in your family?
17. If you leave for an extended period what will my responsibilities be? Will I be paid for this time?
18. Am I permitted to invite friends and family to visit?
19. Are there other au pairs in the neighbourhood? Will I have an opportunity to meet with them?
20. Will I need to drive? If so, how often? Will I need to drive the children to school or to their extracurricular activities?
21. Will you mind if I eat dinner with you?
22. How is my room furnished?
23. Will I have access to a computer with an Internet connection?
24. What all should I bring with me? What kind of clothes should I pack?
- Warning
Unfortunately there are always people who look for opportunities to run scams. One of these involves a promise of fantastic allowance money. The condition is that the Au Pair must first send money for the flight ticket, which the scam artist claims he will buy for the au pair. They promise that as soon as the au pair arrives the money will be returned to them. Don’t fall for this trick! Never send a potential family any money! This nearly always involves a scam! While they may at first seem to be decent people, their deception is on a professional level. You may exchange a number of letters with them and these people may appear to be trustworthy. However, the truth will come out the moment they ask for money. This scam often involves a man who claims to be a widower.
