need aupair/mothers help (North London/Hertforshore borders) - no idea how to go about this

[stressed2007]

I have 2 children - 2 and 4 months and have decided we need help with them and home. I have n't the foggiest idea how to go about finding a nice person to help us with this. Unfortunately I don't have time to go through the 37! pages of links on this page and was wondering if someone can point me in the right direction. I don't really think gumtree is the right place to find one ( or am I wrong?) and I am loath to use an agency (I found that when we used these for a maternity nurse they had n't even met one of the ladies that was sent to us). I also only read horror stories of people on the various websites where they communicate with a girl for months and then get let down (maybe it is because posters only post the horror stories?). Please can anyone suggest a way I can go about this. Also what are the websites I should use if I have to go that route or shall I just try my luck with an agency again - in which case what do they charge? Yours hopefully..............

Hi Stressed, if you don't want to go through an agency, then tbh Gumtree is as good as place as any. If you have a look at recent threads on here you'll see that Ap's have been very thin on the ground recently. And I'm afraid it's taking me a good couple of hours a day trawling through Au Pair World and Great Au Pair. In your favour, it sounds like you are London suburbs which will definitely help your search.
AP agencies charge anything from £200 - £500 for an AP more for a mothers help but again it'll be slow for the next few weeks as the next batch of AP's will start in June. Hth's

Thanks - Do you happen to know anything about the legendary list I have seen referred to in previous posts about things to ask a prospective AP (I have only got half way down the forst page of posts on this forum). Also have you any example of what you can post to attract AP in the first place? And why June - because they finish school/college? Thanks v. much

AP usually arrive around school years, so June for the summer hols and sept for the next academic year.
Scroll through the the childminders/ AP's page in the topic list, a version of this list, kindly posted by blueshoes was posted quite recently.
Also just to let you know, most agencies don't recommend AP's for sole care of children under 3. I don't know if this was required anyway but just to let you know.

Thanks for this. I would never just leave AP in charge but it would be great to have someone to mind them in the house while I get on with other bits like cleaning/cooking (or they could help with this bit) - is that sole charge or just helping?

Au-Pair / Nanny Questionnaire

Yes you can get au pairs to help with cleaning and cooking. Depending on the capability of the aupair many are capable of small amounts of sole charge care too..eg nursery runs, while you are at hairdressing appointments etc.

I think the best advice I was given before having an aupair was to write a daily routine, making it very clear what your ap was to do each day. eg

Monday-Friday
7-8am- prepare breakfast for you and the children, clear away and load diswasher.
8am-8.30 dress children for school. Put on washing machine.
8.30 am shoes and coats on and leave for school by 8.40am

etc etc

This means that you all know excatly what the ap is expected to do..rather than her hanging around not really knowing what are her jobs and what are yours.. then her not doing enough and you feeling awkward having to keep asking etc. obv my example above doesn't apply to you as your 2 aren't school age, but gives you an idea.

Good luck with your hunt
Jenna

Just to clarify 'prepare breakfast for you' means for the aupair...not you! Before I get accused of aupair slavery, making them make my breakfast!! LMAO

Jenna {grin}

ha ha, i had an image of me sitting at the table waiting for the au pair to bring my breakfast... was almost tempted to get one there for a minute

I wonder how many au-pairs would put the washing machine on, without first putting anything in it
If using lists, you may need to be careful to make sure the au-pair understands what is meant by things, such as putting washing machine on.

LOL's Nanny nick.... BUT I had one of those and I'm sorry to say it was a (whispers) boy! (sorry!)
Don't assume AP's know how to do anything...(sounds hard, but I promise you it's safer) he also blew up the microwave but putting a metal spoon in.