Contract for an Au Pair

[chickers]

Hello
Just wanted a bit of advice my sister is about to hire an au-pair is there a template for a contract which she can get anywhere.
Also is there like an au-pair/nanny 'bible' which people use to guide them through this process.
Thanks in advance.

Go on to aupair world website .

I adapted from here.

I changed parts of it I did not like the words 'employee', 'employment' or 'salary' or 'dismiss' because it sounded like an employer-employee relationship. Used more neutral words like 'aupair', 'stay', 'pocket money' and 'termination' instead.

Look in mn archives on how to find an aupair. It is far from a perfect process.

Also look on popular aupair websites like aupair world and great aupair for tips and profiles of prospective aupairs.

Thanks for the tips.

The problem with trying to use a contract is that because an au pair is not a 'job' it is difficult to expect a contract to be adhered to (if you see what I mean).
I create an au pair handbook (all about our house, routines, children's likes/dislikes, house rules) along with a list of au pair duties (what needs to be done when) and give them to the au pair when they arrive.
The au pair world website has a very official looking au pair contract on it - but it refers to an Act/Treaty (or somesuch) that the UK is not part of..

Agree with Millarkie. I have an "Agreement" which myself & AP both sign (Could forward it to you if you wish). But if AP doesn't stick to it, there's not much I can do. For example, it says each should give 2 weeks' notice if we want to end the relationship, but last AP gave 1 week. She needed to get home before Christmas & prices were £100s cheaper on 15th Dec than a week later. OK, I could have withheld money - but she'd done the work - I'm not that mean.

I have a contract with my aupair because she asked for one. She felt more secure to have one.

The reality is if the aupair breaches it, there is very little point in enforcing it. If she were to do a midnight flit, no piece of paper will help me.

My contract refers to the houserules and timetable so they are incorporated by reference. Again, if she does not follow, a family would do better to work things out with the aupair than point to chapter and verse.

Definitely a good idea to have a contract/agreement and handbook, so APs know what you expect. Agree with above poster. We have had to adapt ours, for example regarding APs personal use of car, when AP's interpretation of what was written exposed loopholes! You live & learn!

I usually find its the AP's parents who have told them to insist on a contract, I use the on APW but then slashed loads of it out, so the contract doesn't say much more than we are the family, you are the au pair, we will pay you and you will do the agreed stuff, the agreed stuff is then set out elsewhere.

And as CSM points out there are always loopholes, current AP inadvertently exploited one in telephone rules, a quick discussion and some new rules and everybody is happy.

And that sums up the family AP relationship, it is about give and take on both sides, and where it breaks down is where that balance doesn't happen, (read the many threads on that subject) and that is something that can't be put into any contract, so I have found best to keep the contract to a minimum.