How much to pay an au-pair?

[Dragonball]

Hello there - I have a 4yr old DS and 5 month old DD. I will be starting some voluntary work every wednesday morning during term time from 9-1 and am looking for childcare for them both. So far, I have the option of an au-pair who works for a family down the road who will come to my house, a childminder also locally who will have them both at hers (but probably during holidays too, hence more expensive for us) and also a few replies on an ad I've posted - local women who call themselves 'grannies, babysitters etc'...firstly, I was wondering what the going rate would be for all these kind of helpers (I live in north lOndon). Also should I be suggesting a rate to them (I realise, not to the childminder), or should I be asking them what they charge? I'll be getting a few of them over in the next week or so to meet them, but just wanted to get an idea beforehand.
Thanks

Hi dragonball - we've had four au pairs in a row now, and all of them ended up doing extra-curricular work for families of friends in the neighbourhood. The going rate here (also N Ldn) is 10pounds.

On a separate note, I'm not sure I would entrust an infant to an au pair, even the lovely ones we were lucky enough to have had. They simply did not have the experience.

Hope this helps...

thanks for the reply. We did a part-time nanny share for a couple of years and we paid her £8 an hour - £10 is very generous for someone that might not have that much experience compared to our very experienced nanny...and should I really not entrust an au pair to a baby? it's for 3.5 hours - am I just better off going for a childminder?