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.

30 hours a week, £100. We're in zone four, but really and truly only 25 min to Oxford Circus by tube. I've had a few questions about 'exactly' where we are in London and comments like: thanks for telling me about your village [hmmm].

I@m thinking of trying to BOLD the lines in our profile which say, please only reply if you have a valid work permit for the UK and can stay with us for six months or more!!!

It's not THAT unusual to want someone for six months is it?! It's not like I'm saying 24 months...but I guess it's like recruiting from Gumtree in that invariably you will have people who chose to ignore things like that.

Harriet, I'm searching for an August/ September start and have had lots of enquiries. I am only offering the basic wage, but it's an easy job with usually less than 25hrs and only one school aged child.

There is a lot of luck involved but I would hold out until you find someone who seems genuinely enthusiastic about your family.

They could change their mind, but then so could you, which is why it's worth hanging on until you really click with someone.

I hate it when I ask them loads of questions, invite them to ask questions and they don't even ask one back.

Disregarded straight away.

Am still looking.