To think some people don't know what an au pair actually is?

[OreosAreTasty]

Particularly in London it seems.
I'm looking online at recruitment/wanted advertisements. Some of them are really quite shocking.
30 hours a week,
Plus the possibility (required to be "available") of up to 4 nights a week babysitting, live in for £60 a week! I know au pairs aren't entitled to min wage but really! £60 a week?
I've also seen some rather strange (for an au pair) requirements...
5+ years of experience? :S really? Most au pairs are under 25s doing it through university/foreign students/in Britain on a 1yr working visa...
"Must not consume alcohol at all?" Ehhh?
I don't know any other jobs that restrict alcohol intake. Of course you don't want her downing shots at 9am when she's supposed to be assisting with the school run but surely what she does with her time is her own business?
Aibu?

[Gowgirl]

Ive got room under the stairs! Any takers? Anyone!!!!!! Ps I'm in west London and I don't mind if you drink alcohol you will probally need it.

[MadHattersWineParty]

I saw one once where you had to sleep in the living room on the sofa BUT you did get to live in 'a wonderful area of London to compensate'

[VairyVAIRYhungrycaterpillar]

I completely agree - I looked at a couple of ads when on gumtree just to see as we may need either an au pair or a nanny in future and I was horrified at the expectations people were setting out! Quite frankly a standard they should be getting from a highly paid, highly experienced super nanny via a reputable agency. Shocking and very exploitative. Nearly messaged one couple in particular to tell them so!

[Karoleann]

There are a lot of people taking the piss and you really don't want to do that with someone who is taking care of your children. Gumtree used to be quite good at taking down ads where people were taking the mickey, unless someone now is offering something which goes against the recent anti-slavery legislation (i.e. room and board for no money), they're less keen to remove dodgy ads, but I think au pairs are getting more savvy.

I can get the "no alcohol' bit though, if someone is living in your house and you don't drink alcohol for religious or cultural reasons then you maybe wouldn't want an au pair who drank.

Au pairs are more included in family like than oner domestic workers and its better to get someone who has similar ideals to the family they are loving in. Most veggie families want a veggie au pair and I know a few families who for religious reasons don't want an au pair to bring a boyfriend back. We state absolutely no smoking or smoking visitors in our grounds.

If anyone does see anything untoward, do report it, otherwise people will continue to take the mickey and young people will be exploited.

[M0nstersinthecl0set]

But you put "non drinking house" or "tea totaller preferred" you can't really go further than that if their freetime does not impact on their work/ your homelife. A lot of those adverts might as well start "looking to exploit desperate teen".

[Snowflakes1122]

Runs off to gumtree to look...

One of the adverts I saw mentions they would be giving the Au pair £80 a week "pocket money"

[Karoleann]

M0nster - but you can - au pairs live as part of the family, rather than being an employee and calling salary - "pocket money" is normal. They also have a letter of introduction rather than a contract.

Its a very different relationship from an employer/employee one. Most come here to practice their English for a year (and have lots of fun whilst not working too many hours and meeting lots of new people) and then go off to either work as nannies, or back to their home countries to either study or work.

This is a good example of what au pairs do.

bapaa.org.uk/host-families/what-is-an-au-pair/

[BuggertheTabloids]

The usual term is indeed "pocket money" but it should be a reasonable rate.
Aupairworld.com has clear guidelines of what an au pair should expect, and what the family can expect. I wouldn't even go to gumtree!
We have just said goodbye to our absolutely lovely au pair after nearly a year! (She is going back to college) the kids miss her already, we all do...
I can't understand why anyone would treat someone badly.