antipodean au pairs

[HarrietTheSpy]

Have had several responses from ozzies - range from 17-19 years old and just out of school.

I just need the au pair to look after DD (4 years old) for three and a half hours every day after school.

1. Too young?!
2. Do they pay for their flights from Oz? I'm not prepared to do this for someone I've never met who could bugger off as soon as she lands at Heathrow.
3. What does one do if after a week, space rocket style, you know it's not going to work if they've come this far?!

This is a major generalisation, but our DKiwiN was so fab (yes I know Oz is a different country), I keep coming back to these girls.

We have just had a fab Aussie (18) who paid for her own flights, or rather her parents did. I wouldn't consider paying for flights myself either.

Ours would have been fine in sole charge of a 4yr old for the hours you mention.

You could check their maturity by speaking to their reference contacts by phone.

To enter this country they need to have quite a bit of money accessible to them. My au pair neeed to show she had two thousand dollars - enough to be able to support herself for 6mths.

If after a week it's a disaster then they always have the option of fnding another family in Europe or of bringing their return flight forward a bit!

Hopefully if you have done all the right checks and interviews they will be ok - just pretty jet lagged for the first week and also with bouts of homesickness.

Gooseegg
Tks.FOr kids that age, who were you actually speaking to for references? Had your 18 yr old done loads of babysitting?

Gooseegg
Tks.FOr kids that age, who were you actually speaking to for references? Had your 18 yr old done loads of babysitting?

Yes ours had lots of cousins who she had cared for, and was also at boarding school which made me think she would be more independant and used to coping away from home.

From experience I would try to find someone with younger siblings if possible. They have the most natural skills with young children without realising it!

You could speak to parents or to school tutors. I know parents might not be the most impartial of referees, but they are generally very concerned about their daughter's welfare and need to be reassured as much as you do. You can guage a lot from phone calls.

The front runner from this set is from the outback and has also been to boarding school.

Aha ... I think I might know who you mean. I've had my eye on her too. I'm on apw looking as well atm but am currently courting a Fin.

I've just taken on a Fin, first time with one. Very very helpful but very shy. I thought she'd be like my Swedish AP, but totally different. Nice though.

Gooseegg
I was wondering that. Can I ask if you've had any dealings? Should we talk off line?

Squiffy
What is the deal with hats the Finns (and some other scandis but it is mostly the Finns) are wearing in their photos?! They're white. Do you know what I mean?

Gooseegg
on reflection, sorry that sounds really cheeky. odd request really.

good luck with your search!!!

Your OZ AP doesn't have the initial RT does she? If so grr...I was after her! But with the same misgivings!

Harriet

I think that the hats are graduation from high school hats.

actually no, Millarkie

Any experience with Almondbury Au Pairs by the way? A friend swears by them. Options seem slightly thin in APW - but i'm recruiting for Jan Feb time.

Yes I had 2 girls through Almondbury Au pairs. One was a terrible driver but that wasnt the fault of the agency. I would def rec them and will use them again when I go back to Au Pairs in a year or so......Jury is out after Jura's recent experience !

Why are they better do you think? Is there a real vetting process?

how is your nanny doing, mp?

hi issy

i'm pleased it is working out

i note with interest your point re having the time to "train" and settle the au pairs in. it seems to me (from reading mumsnet, not my own experience) that au pairs would require quite a lot of hands-on management which many dual career families would be unable to provide.

i suppose it's lucky we don't have the space and i can forget about this option .

hope all continues well

This is exactly why I'm trying to get an au pair who can come a month before I go back from maternity leave, the settling in. (Also, it has to be said, to have some options if it doesn't work out...!)

I had 2 german girls who were fine on there own pretty much from day 1. I had a hungarian girl who didnt cope at all. I think its partly a cultural thing and partly a personality issue.

Its true it is much easier if one of you is at home to start with definately.

Almondbury I dont think vet much at all but seem to have a good selection of girls form all over the world.

Bk...nanny actually pulled her socks up last few days of the holidays and did arty stuff with the children and a treaure hunt and didnt spend any of my money either which was a welcom change.

She seems happier in herself but then she wrote in the diary last night that she had enjoyed the children's first day back at school becaus she had hada load of peace and quite. Not what you need when I had a pig of a day....work is tough at the moment because of the credit crunch and I did 15 hours in the office as well as taking the children to school ( which she normally does ) because it was the first day of term. So she lolled around drinking coffee and did about 2hrs of tasks and 3 hours of childcare.......I know I shouldnt see it that way but sometimes its hard.......!!! LOL

hi mp - glad to hear she stepped up a bit - at last! i think the school holidays are harder if you are used to the kids being at school (certainly they are for parents so why not for nannies?), however it is her job to be ready and to have planned out the holidays to avoid being stuck.

hi issy - "Of course, a dozen au pair employers will pile in telling me that they have all managed splendidly with both partners working full time. And I would believe them as every domestic set-up is unique."

yes, of course! but i think on the balance of probabilities it is far more likely that quite intensive hands-on input is required. like so many things, a question of hoping for the best and planning for the worst!

It's been a busy night on the au pair front, I see. I just had to write in and say the Czech who inspired us to actually sign up for APW just rejected us . What did we do wrong?! No emails, just a 'No.' (Or, should I say, 'Ne.')

So, do we think that au pairs writing back when you contact them who kick off with a list of questions along the theme of 'what's in it for me?' are just a bit immature or frankly not very transparently wanting a free ride in London?

How scared should I be that the au pair will change her mind, if we agree a Jan or Feb start?????

Hi Harriet, what are your hours and the pocket money? I have generally not been lucky with getting eastern europeans to take the bait as my hours are only 25 hours a week at standard market rate.

A Jan/Feb start is quite far ahead IMO to be hiring now. It is also a non-standard time to hire aupairs - main intakes being Sept/Oct and July for summer aupairs. But there will always be aupairs looking to move at any time for wrong fit with host families, in which case, they will want to move and can start asap. That is me generalising widely of course. Mind you, a lot of it is luck. My French aupair hired in early July did a no-show for a late Aug start. Then again, the right girl will not change her mind.

See what you find now, but always be prepared to have to enter the market again if she does not turn up. Keep up the correspondence by email - at least 2-3x a week, send photos etc to keep her interest. If her responses get patchy, be on guard.