Reliable au pair?

[unicorn5629]

Good afternoon all,

We're looking for an au pair, not so much for childcare, more to instil some bilingualism in our DD. We found one on a respectable site last year and have been in regular contact since.

She visited the U.K. On holiday with her family a couple of weeks ago and we met up for a morning and all seems well, friendly and sociable etc. She was a little immature but she's young and as stated we only want her to be speaking to our daughter in her native language not for childcare.

We'd agreed for her to come in November after all her assignments have been submitted (actress and drama student )however she emailed me upon her return to say she's been thrown out of school, her teacher is angry and started shouting at her and now she's out.

AIBU to think that there's probably loads more to it that she's not telling me and if so should we be having her to come live with us?
She loves the uk and loved London, part of me is hoping she hasn't thrown away her studies for the sake of coming to live here quicker. Something doesn't add up, WWYD ?

Anyone ? :)

I agree that there sounds like there is more to this. How young is she? Being thrown out of school seems like there would be a good reason for that and I would speak to her over the phone and find out exactly why. This may give you a better insight to her character as it's really difficult to tell from one meeting and once she lives with you it's difficult to reverse that. Also, even if you are not using her for childcare she will still be living with you and your daughter and so be influencing her.

Have you also checked what her employment status would be? We employed a nanny for childcare and she was very young but also quite mature in a lot of ways. She was great with the children and all my friends would often comment on how well she managed the children when out and about and we agreed. However, her immaturity showed in reliability when she started taking a few days off here and there at very short notice and always by text. We found this really difficult to cover as no family near by. Eventually we had to let her go as 2.5 days a month off sick was too much. It was shame as she was a really good nanny but we just couldn't manage level of time off. Nanny's have to have an employment contract and so we had to get legal advice on her employment rights etc when letting her go. I don't know what the employment situation is with an au pair.

I think you need to satisfy yourself about the doubts you have by talking to her.