How to find an au pair ??

[Pigsinablanket]

Hi folks, I have decided an au pair is the answer to all my problems in life, and would like to pick your collective brains on how to select the perfect fit .
I have signed up to au pair world but am a bit overwhelmed by wading through hundreds of replies and wonder if any of you had any experience /recommendations /joy using an agency ?
Many thanks for reading .

We used an agency. Not cheap, but equally I am stupidly busy and don't have time to wade through hundreds of applications! The agency sent me around four or five applications at a time, and if they weren't quite right, would send on another four or five almost immediately. All DBS checked (equivalent), medical check, references checked, all with childcare experience.
We've had two really great au pairs through the same agency so far. I haven't tried other agencies, so have nothing to compare them with, but equally am so happy I imagine we'll go straight back there once our current au pair leaves. (Noooo! I want her to stay forever!)

Thanks guys for your reply .i wonder if I could ask which agency you used?

We tried a couple of agencies and they were both useless, they just seemed to send me very young candidates who didn't fit our basic criteria.

If you want to use au pair world you need to decide first

What your age range is, what level of English you need, if you need a driver, how long you want someone to stay, if you want someone with a degree etc.

Then you need to be quite brutal if you have lots of responses.

1. Delete anyone who doesn't send you a person message (it usually means they haven't paid to use au pair world, so are less committed to the process)
2. Delete anyone who isn't either an EU citizen, or from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan or Hong Kong as they can't get a VISA. South Africans can sometime get an ancestry VISA.
3. Delete anyone who doesn't mention children in their profile.
4. Anyone who doesn't have a picture on their profile I leave in my in tray for a couple of days, as sometimes it takes people a couple of days to download it.
5. Also delete anyone who doesn't fit your criteria.

I also (ahem) delete anyone who is very very overweight, or is stunningly attractive

Also check the "willing to do housework" box as you do get some au pairs who want to do child care only.

Hopefully, that will narrow it down a lot. I then converse on email and if everything seems okay, then I send them a fact sheet with more info on my family, our area, what package we offer, non-negotiables (e.g.. they must attend language classes, they cannot smoke at all).

If they are happy with everything, we then SKYPE and I ask about boyfriends etc, if they are fussy eaters on that.

I usually have around 200 applicants, any only SKYPE around 3, so its possible to really narrow them down.

Good luck.

Au pair world is completely free for au pairs which means if they haven't sent a personal message it's because they didn't want to/were too lazy. I really don't know if I ever had an application from a paying au pair on ap world or any other site because 95% of the time all services are free for au pairs.

janet - that's not correct. If you go onto the au pair world website it explains it in more details on the FAQ section.
All mine have paid.

Thanks karolanne, that's a really helpful post, I've got great info from lots of your other posts too, so thanks a million! I think you're right, the couple of agencies I've tried seem to have either not read my criteria or read the girls profile at all eg sending me admittedly lovely girls who want to be placed in central London ...we live in a field in the middle of nowhere so not that helpful !! Had a giggle to see you also eliminate the stunners ! no point looking for trouble! ok back to au pair world with a plan of action, thanks again.

Sorry can I jump on?

How can you be sure you're not being scammed?

I've found a pretty perfect person juding by their profile. Everything I/we want....but I'm worried its too good to be true.

BeeRayKay, go with your gut instincr, check refrrences, ask for police checks, and ensure they are posted to you. Befriend them on social media and google them. You should soon find out if they are for real. Good luck!

Remember you are dealing with young adults.. 18,19.. They don't often have an agenda.
As for scams. Not sure how they can. You don't pay flights etc. So they have nothing to gain?

I should add .. We used a uk agency for our first au pair. They did no checks on either candidate! It's just hot air and waffle to get you to pay!

Just coming back to this late. We used Busy Bees agency. They have been v helpful and quick in sending over CVs of people who met our requirements. All had medical, criminal checks and references attached to their forms which was v helpful.
If I had more time I might try au pair world but with an agency I reckon I am basically outsourcing the effort and whittling down of candidates.