I'm looking for some advice regarding safety issues and our au pair. She is only just 19 years only (turned 19 last week) and is staying with us from Canada. As far as I can tell, she is from a small town and does not have much experience with drinking or partying (unlike a lot of young adults in the UK). She has now discovered the fun of going out and has started to go out on her own on Friday or Saturday nights, returning to the house usually between 4 or 5 am. As far as I can tell, she goes out by herself and then just finds a group to hang out with. Then she walks back alone (we are only a 30 minute walk from local bars / clubs). We live in a smallish town in the south of England. It is mostly safe but we have all the usual weirdos around at night that you would find in any small city. She walks mostly on a busy road but there are a few quiet / darker areas on the walk. She also has started booking her travel for strange times, for example, catching a train late at night, where multiple train exchanges are required between 11 am - 3am. Additionally, I understand she is going on 'dates' and catching lifts from her dates for various places. She has told me she isn't interested in these dates romantically but it is convenient for transport. All of this is done in her personal time.
I have talked to the au pair and put in place some 'ground rules', such as not going out late at night by herself, and I have explained that it is important for her to look after her safety. However, I think she is paying me lip service. I also feel that I am intruding on her privacy a little, as these are all her personal choices and she is technically an adult. Yet I can't help but worry.
She is otherwise very good as an au pair, and my son really likes her, but I am thinking about letting her go. I've had multiple au pairs in the past, all European, and none of them have taken personal risks like this before.
Wise mumsnetters who have experience with au pairs, I would be grateful for your words of wisdom. Am I being paranoid and nosy? Am I wrong to put in place 'ground rules' about her safety? Or I am right to raise this and take an interest in whether she is putting herself at risk when 'off duty'.
~Thank you