Au Pairs for Absolute Beginners

[Quattrocento]

Although our children are school-age and we both work, we've never had anyone living in. We've just muddled through. Unfortunately I don't home until somewhere between 7 and 8 at the earliest, so night-time routines can be stressful, and homework is not getting properly done.

So we've tentatively come around to the idea of a live-in aupair. I'd really like to know EVERYTHING. Your experiences on how to recruit, keep them interested (what do they do during the day?) do they wash their own clothes? What about driving? Am scared about letting DCs go in car with inexperienced driver.

We thought we would like her(or him, I want a him!) to pick up from school at 4pm, bring home, feed, settle them at a table until ALL the homework is completed (including piano practice) then they can play until they start getting ready for bed. This should be around 3 hours per day for 4 days. We wondered about two school runs in the morning per week as well. This would make 15 hours in total. Is this okay?

Hi Quattro, my first ap starts in Aug, so I am looking at your thread with interest.

I found the aupair emplyers thread very helpful as well.

BTW, I think standard ap hours are 25 hours per week plus 2 nights' babysitting - usually a mixture of school run, childcare (as you described) and light housework. So 15 hours is quite light- don't think an ap will complain.

Where do you live? It could have a bearing on how attractive your family will be to potential aps.

Check out the Au pair's employer thread- I'll go and resurrect it again for you now. Hopefully it'll give you some answers and ideas, and maybe put you off completely!!

Ok won't do resurrection now. How'd you do that link thing blueshoes?

We had an au pair. 25 hours a week with a mixture of childcare and housework is normal. Allowances vary between £50 and £65 depending on where you are and, I guess, duties. You can look for someone with a driving licence so they can do the school runs. They are meant to do English lessons and study during the day, have two clear days off and babysit two evenings a week.

There are lots of websites and agencies who supply au pairs. There might even be a few advertising on here - there is a long-running saga with an au pair who has been fairly hard done by in the Reading area and a childminder who posts under the name of Looneytunes is currently helping her get a job - might be worth a look if you're in that direction...

cloudberry mn recently changed the way we do links. look next to the message box under "Links".

Thanks Blueshoes Mumpbump and Cloudberry

That was very useful. I'm advertising now for September start. Fingers crossed it all works out. Rather surprisingly DH insists we need a new bathroom fitting before aupair can come. So a busy summer sorting it all out. If you've got any searching questions I should ask, please let me know.

THanks again

This is my email questionnaire for prospective aupairs. I cannot take credit for it. I believe it originated from uwila's nanny list, which I and other mnetters have adapted.

Bear in mind this will frighten away some aupairs. But I took it that those who responded quickly were keen and had a reasonable level of (written) English

1. Why do you want to become an Au Pair?
2. Why do you want to come to London?
3. Do you have any friends/relatives in London or the UK?
4. If so, where do they live?
5. Have you looked after children before? If so what were their ages and were they boys or girls?
6. What was your favourite part of looking after them?
7. What aspect of children?s behaviour do you not like?
8. If my daughter refuses to get dressed for school, how would you encourage her to speed up?
9. When you look after your [niece], can you describe the types of activities you did with them?
10. What references you able to provide? Are they in English? Also, contact telephone numbers for these references. Do they speak English?
11. What activities/pastimes have you done in the last month?
12. Describe a project you have recently completed or are doing in the past month that you are proud of?
13. What do you plan to do in your spare time when you are with us?
14. Are your parents happy with your decision to become an Au Pair?
15. What pocket money are you expecting? (This will be for 25 hours a week plus 2 evenings a week babysitting.)
16. Do you have a UK bank account?
17. Do you have the funds for your flight to the UK?
18. Have you had any first aid training?
19. What food do you like?
20. What food do you not like?
21. What is your favourite meal?
22. Do you have any allergies or health concerns?
23. Do you have any phobias?
24. Describe your health in the past year.
25. What is your current level of English - conversational and written? Can you, for example, chat on the phone, understand simple instructions?
26. Do you intend to take English language lessons when in UK?
27. Do you have a boyfriend? Don't need to answer if you feel this is private.
28. What interested you to the role we are offering?
29. Are there any aspects of the role that you need further explanation on?