Moving From Nanny to Au Pair-Advice?

[Whooosh]

Current nanny is going to return to Australia after 3yrs away from home-her month back there at Xmas has made her very homesick.
So dd has the option to go to full-time (9-3) pre-school come September so it seems silly (and impossible financially) to have a nanny.

Now I have never used a nanny agency as see them as bad,if not worse (for both nannies and employers)than estate agents BUT-what about Au Pairs?

Are there any decent AuPair agencies out there?

Have put an ad on Great Aupair but really want to meet the "ideal" candidate prior to employment following a horrendous experience with a Canadian a while back.

Any words of wisdom from those who have made the change?

use gumtree to post an ad.

Hmmm-have looked at that but live in a village about half an hour North by train from London-most Gumtree ads seem to specify London or Cambridge or basiically big cities.
Will have ago though-there might be a village-loving Au Pair out there

Why an au-pair? Do you really need someone to live-in? Could a local mothers-help, someone live-out be a possibility?

Advertise locally in your village, neighbouring villages and nearest major town.

Hi Whoosh
If you decide you need an AP you could always try my agency here She is expensive, I've discovered since coming on here, but lives rurally as do I, and has always managed to find me country loving AP's

Thank you both for the advice.
Good idea Nick-only decided on live-in as sometimes I have to leave in the early hours of the morning or am back late from meetings.A live-in could stay in bed untill dd woke or just carry on her evening as usual.A daily person could have a very early start....