Au pair urgently needed

[sarahmuk]

Hi I posted here a week or so ago regarding my frustration with au pairs treating their time here as a free holiday. My au pair has really gone and lumped me in it today.She returned to her home country for the easter break, when she was booking her flight with a low cost airline she wanted to return today at 7.30am. I adivsed her she was to returned over the weekend, as me and DH are back in work today and she needs to fuction to look after the kids as they don't return to school till tomorrow. She has not returned and I have spent a sleepless night worrying if something has happened to her. I have spent over an hour this morning contacting the airline to see if she's even booked to return to the UK. They have confirmed she will return this afternoon. I'm happy that she is safe but furious that she has not returned over the weekend as agreed. I have had to take a day off work and my employer is not happy so I'll get it in the neck tomorrow. This is the second time this has happend to me with au apirs where they return home and don't come back on the agreed date. My previous au pair returned 4 days late and DH lost his job because we had no childcare and he had to look after the kids. I have registered on Aupair world but even going through an agency your not sure to get a reliable person. I'm gong to give her 2 weeks notice today and urgently need a replacment. Can anyone advise on a good agency or au pair/nanny looking for work.

Where are you based? How old are your children?
Maybe look on gumtree or aupair world?

Maybe you need to look at other childcare options which may be more reliable. Au-Pairs traditionally came to the UK to learn about the English culture and language and in exchange for accommodation and a little pocket money they would help around the home.
From the sounds of it both you and DH are out at work, so the au-pair is not helping around the home but is doing sole charge childcare.

How much childcare are you needing (eg. between what times during the day, which days)? Would a Childminder or Nanny be an option?

Hi I know of someone who is looking for an ap/nanny position. Might suit you. She is currently North of London. Please cat me with your details ie hours, money, location and if you require a driver or not? Thanks

If both your employers are so inflexible that you cannot take an emergency day off work then probably most types of childcare (nannys as well as au pairs) will not suit your situation as they both can get ill. Could you find childcare that does not rely on a single person - afterschool club or a childminder with childminder friends who can cover?

I agree with Millarkie - but even with a CM or nursery there will be times when your children can't attend (their illness) and you will have to take time off. If reliability is super important to you, then you need professional childcare. An au pair is not professional childcare.

It is hard though - my most unreliable form of childcare was my first nanny, at one point I ended up late or off work at least once a week for 6 weeks due to her car trouble, boyfriend problems, and sickness..

yeah, and the problem is that bosses tend to be very uninterested in that kind of explanation; in fact, depending on what sort of job you are in, it can backfire, as a boss might conclude that if you can't organize a staff of one at home, what good are you going to be running an entire team or department?
It is nearly always a mistake to even mention childcare issues at work.

Thanks for all of the replies. My boys are 4.9.11. so its mainly pre school and after school care I need. My au pair at present has it very easy she gets paid well, I pay for her English classes, my shopping bill has rocketed as she will only eat organic food( failed to mention this when I interviewed her another leson learned) and I have a cleaner. I stressed the impotance that I needed someone till the school hols, she is now returning to Spain at the end of May. Today she calls me at work to say she has an interview for a perm. job in her chosen career in Spain on Friday and needs Thursday/Friday free next week. The problem is we have no family here in the UK mine are in Ireland and my DH are in France. We live in Hertfordshire and there in no afterschool care in our areas except for one after school club which £80pw per child and there is no structure the kids are allowed to do what they like and no snacks/refreshments are offered. I have reg on aupair world but I think I'm going to go with an agency as I don't have time to surf the net every evening. I have done the whole private nursery when my boys were younger and it was great. I thought as my kids got older the worries of childcare would ease, I think with all thats ging on here in the UK it maybe time to say bye bye to this country, had enough of my commute to London long hours no respect from work (I work in the Finacial Service Ind. so say no more)and the hassle of childcare. It's crazy to say kids in France go to school at 8am finish at 5 from the age of 4, and wed is a half day for parents and kids to attend doctor, dentist app. It's so different to here.