Would you hire a British au pair...

[pringlehand]

If you're in the U.K.?

Just curious - I'm a British student but speak several languages fluently. I know that the cultural exchange aspect of hiring an au pair is a large part of it, but would you consider a British au pair?

Thanks in advance

I thought legally an au pair has to be foreign?

I think id find it difficult to know wherher to treat you as a live in babysitter or a nanny

Yes I would, but I would probably interview them slightly more intensively to find out their reasons for wanting to be an au pair/stay in the uk/etc.

So if it was a summer holiday au pair for my dc my criteria would be someone who gas a good level of fluency in English already,someone who is studying in a subject that relates to working with children, someone who has lived alone and can cook, someone with lots of enthusiasm and energy. If I got a great uk candidate id be questioning them on why they want to stay in the uk but id consider it.

Have you thought about looking for au pair jobs in Ireland?

According to this an aupair must be foreign. It is a cultural exchange programme: www.heavenlyaupairs.com/for-families/what-is-an-au-pair/

I think you could just go and work for a family on an hourly basis doing everything an au pair does but live out? More like an after school nanny. What setup were you envisaging?

Thanks for your replies!

It's more out of curiosity really - I've seen quite a lot of families advertising in London, and quite like the idea of living down there. But that's not a compelling enough reason I know! Good to know that is has employment/legal complications as well.

there isnt any law saying an aupair must be foreign. not entirely on top of all latest changes but the latest i knew about was only immigration rules for bulgarian and some other nationalities that joined EU after 2004. other then that, there arent any laws. aupair agencies will use the former Home Office guidelines or BAPPA rules that are based on European aupair treaty.

You could call yourself a live in nanny do you have any childcare or nanny type qualifications?

You might be expected to cook, clean and help their children with homework.

My friend is in London and would consider an English au pair. If you are looking for a family in west London then shout.

it wont be called an aurpair then, you can call it live in nanny or mother's helper, etc. you can agree to help for X hours in exhange for accommodation?
when i was at uni doing masters i had a classmate (British born girl of a Polish descent) who was living with the family and helped for a couple of hours a day (mostly evening hours)in exhange for accommodation/meals.

this family specifically looked for native English speaker to help their children to improve English when they just moved from native Poland.

I was an au pair in the UK. I just used I as a chance to gain childcare experience (I'm English) I'm now a well earning live out nanny :)

I was an au pair in the UK, and I got snapped up as soon as I replied to a couple of adverts. The fact that you've already got your own network here and that you speak the language is a huge bonus.