5 Au pairs in the last 6 months about to give up

[keepingcalm]

Having had three and half years of huge success with our first two Au pairs, we have had turn over of 5 Au pairs in the last 6 months. Three of which were to asked to leave for serious incidents including stealing. One Au pair had a serious accident thankfully O.K. For the last AP, I decided to ditch Gumtree and Great Au pair sites and use an agency for careful vetting. The current one is missing her BF so leaving us after only 5 weeks, she booked her flights two weeks and never even bothered to tell us- I found her flight tickets by the computer. Having paid a huge agency fee, I am extremely miffed as contractually they have no obligation to me after 28 days.
I have 4 DC between ages 4-8 they have very nice accommodation, we pay well and are extremely fair minded and there is very little sole charge as I am around most of the time and work from home.
Having been extremely optimistic, I think I am finally defeated.
Why is it so difficult to find a traditional AP looking to improve their English? Do other families have this problem? Has the quality of Au pairs dwindled over the years? Or is this to be expected? Any advice please?..

Keepingcalm I don't know the hourly rates for your area but perhaps a mother's help is the way forward for you as others have said. I had one until last year; I have 4 children too, though the age gaps are more widely spaced.

Basically I paid less than top nanny wages but more than au pair rates. Closer to nanny rates though...She did about 25hours pw. Some sole charge of ds3 (who's now 3) but usually it was help with pickups, or preparing a meal/playing with ds3 while I did pickups for the others, plus help with their ironing.

She now has her own baby and doesn't want to work atm - though I'd have been happy to have her back !

Hello
As you can see from the time of writing this message, I can't sleep due to worrying over my AP. I too have had au pairs for over five years, but have had two AP's within the last 9 months. I have one daughter and feel that the AP at the moment although pleasent, is not always truthful. My gut instinct tells me that she is planning to go home without telling me. She is Romanian. I have always had AP's off the aupair world site...............I let the other ap go after rings and makeup etc. started to go missing. She used to pour the water from her water bottle back into the kettle to re boil. She burnt clothes and hid them at the back of the wardrobe, she would then try to make out she has never seen items. That AP was from Hungary, she never used to mix with the family and it was like having a stranger in the family. The Romanian AP is really nice to my daughter, but I find her to be sneaky............I am not sure what I am trying to say.

Sympathy with the AP situation?I found that having one bad experience had made me a little ?on guard? for the next. IME I needed to take a step back and reflect on things. If an AP is planning on leaving there is not a lot you can do. You could ask her if she is planning to leave and give her the opportunity to be open and honest, so you can at least make plans for your childcare.
In what ways is she being sneaky? I have encountered this with most of my AP. For the little things I have generally turned a blind eye and put it down to immaturity. I would go with your instinct.
Hourly rate for live out help I have pitched it somewhere in-between Nanny and mothers help £7.50hr in this area.