Stranded. Aupairs unreliable.

If you do advertise for an au pair, I'd give them more details about potentially traveling to London. In most other countries, trains are a lot cheaper and cities are a lot smaller than London. If they imagine London to be accessible and it turns out to be 1.5h each way + £50 for a return ticket, they won't feel like it's what they had expected. And I would have an honest look at the level of cleanliness - I could easily imagine that being a deal breaker.

Thank you for this advise. I have thought about holodaybtime too as student would need to go home. Honey if i had a husband or similar t he problem will be half solved. The equation is single mom. No family connection in the country = childcare mayhem. But inuave been on this for 5 years and I am desperately barring flexible hone based jobs as that will zero the problem out. I did get one student apply this afternoon from word of mouth recommendation so I will use yoir advice during interview.

Thanks.

There are flexible childminders ... I'd keep looking/checking. When I used to childmind I regularly opened the door in my pyjamas at 5am for a baby and I worked at late as 8pm on occasions.

Yes it is more expensive for me. But I am a lone parent and my work pattern is not fixed. I think moving forward is to find a home based job so i can be home or at least get home before childminders close. Thanks for the breakdown it is very useful

Honey we paid 400 to 550.
House is not the Hilton but ivwouldnt call it dirty. That was a shock to my neighbours when they heard reason for not bringing child from school.

They have their own room and bath.

Even a former aupair was shocked to hear what's been going on. But I am helping with he lp and right advice i csn find a manageable solution.

Some people say I should stop being nice to them and treat them as employees but I struggle with that as i want someone that can see us as family.

College student at NMW would be £5.55/h if aged 18-20 or £6.95/h if aged 21-24. If you can't afford that you won't be able to afford Granny nanny as this will be at least £7.20/h. I would sit down again and do some calculations on au pair cost ... as with the pocket money, course fees, food and additional bills to do with extra person living with you I would be very surprised if it worked out a lot more expensive to employ a student. How many hours of childcare a week do you actually need?

I think that Hastalapasta means that the situation sounds awful, OP.

You say that they get £500 per month. How many hours do you expect them to do for that? You say that you leave for work before childminders or nurseries are open? So the aupair has to look after the child from around 7.00 until 9 and then 3 until 6 or so? That's 5 hours per day and presumably you expect housework on top?

You need to be very clear about what hours they are expected to work.

Presumably they get weekends off?

I don't think students will work. It would have to be someone who can guarantee that they don't have a 9am class or any classes after around 2 or 3. What happens when a student has exams? And then what happens in school holidays?

Can you arrange it so that you or your husband drops the child off every day? Then the child can go to a childminder after school. It would be less hassle all round.

True. We don't want them lonely hence we encourage all sorts of activities. In fact the last one turned down offer to enrol her at college so she can meet her age mates as I work. But the WiFi thing is not about stopping them using WiFi. Oh no. Its metaphorical. As in once they go online and hook up with friends in the big cities., they breach contract and have to mkenup story. And sadly I am not the only facing this problem

My dear I will consider Nanny. Couple of people have suggested the younger ones prefer London. But phew. We do all that interview and matching and I take videos and send links etc. And reiterate we dont live in london but there re direct trains for you to visit weekends. My friend thinks not having aan in the house hasn't helped either. Rough times. What worries me is this was not the case about year ago

Thanks. Is it the post, or the name that is awful sweetie?

It's quite difficult to read your posts op.
" As soon as they get here. It's London."
What?
They want to work in London or it's described as rural and then they think it's London?
Wouldn't the agency make sure they know where the job is?
Would you consider a nanny perhaps ?

500 a month to take a child to school and back and do light house work don't seem cheap. Especially as we provide full boarding and meals with a petty cash card to buy what they need. May be you can tell me how much all that converts to if you don't pay bills buy food nor pay for accommodation. I pay above aupair rates. But I think it may only suite student who has flexible hours otherwise itay affect their studies. Most of the time I have received non students. A colleague uses a mature student band advised me to. Itvwill help if people comment on how I can solve my problem rather than attacking my post. What worked for one may not work for others.

No restrictions hence I approach them. Sadly this is the trend we have observed.

They are the best. Sadly I leave earlier than they start and they can't do my child s school. When child was belowbschool age it was easier. And cheaper too. I have paid significantly more. Provide ensuit room, sometimes pay for college courses, etc but I need a miracle right now as love in is what suitsy family situation. 2 agencies I have used stated other families have expert mced similar. Do you know where I can find granny nannies?

Name change or not dotthereddot? Sounds awful though.

I really can't understand what the EU referendum has got to do with it. No restrictions have been imposed on EU citizens in terms of travelling/working in other countries.

WiFi is free here. Itbosba problem when someone arrives uses it and refusesbto pick a child from school. Making contact with people is not the issue. Obdiscuss they we live in rural England before they arrive. They agree. As soon as they get here. Its London. There seem to be a misinterpretation of what this is about. I have had good aupairs in the past. Former coming to spend Christmas and even former aupairs are scratching their head Wondering why people can't keep to their promise. Sadly I am not the only one with this same problem. Some may have been lucky but this is where we are.

No this was not the case until after the EU vote. The girls arrive and decide to leave. People who visit the home have also observed that its just sheer bad luck.

Thanks will try them. It is the vetting that is the problem.

^^that what I was thinking if this is a regular occurrence I'm going to go on a long shot and assume it's something you/your family are doing wrong.

If more than one Aupair left me at short notice, I'd assume there was something wrong with the way I was managing things. Not the other way round.

Yes, why are you funny about them using your wifi?

The OP mentions that the last au pair came from the AuPair World agency.

FYI, I use a ofsted registered childminder for after school and holiday care.

Are you using an agency? If so I'd change to someone who actually checks their Au Pairs .

If not, try Celtic Childcare in Turin Italy as they check both families and Au Pairs and I have found them to be fantastic