You’ve read all the important information and are considering the Au Pair program as a child care solution for your family? Below you can see a step-by-step guide that will help you become a part of the Au Pair experience. Let’s look into each step in detail.
1. Register on AuPair.com and create your profile for free
You can register on AuPair.com for free to find your ideal Au Pair. There are more than 600 new users registering with us every day, so you will have plenty of options to choose from. To stand out among other families, we recommend you to make your profile interesting and competitive.
Your matching agency will send you a registration link, in order to activate your profile.
2. Search for a prospective Au Pair
Once your profile is activated, you can start looking at profiles from Au Pairs and add them to your ‘Favorites’. This way you will form a selective list of favorite users and they will also receive a notification about your interest. You can also send a free request to the best candidates. Au Pairs will be able to either accept or deny your request.
3. Become a Premium Member!
Once you have found several Au Pair profiles of your interest, become a Premium Member. A Premium Membership will give you the opportunity to write personalized emails to different Au Pairs who will be able to answer to you as well. This way you will get to know each other better and exchange further contact details. Try to contact 5-10 Au Pairs per day to make the matching process more efficient.
4. Arrange a video-interview
After exchanging e-mails with your Au Pair, you can set up a date for a telephone interview. This way you will get to know each other better and understand who will be the most suitable Au Pair for your family. Prepare for the telephone interview in advance. Think about what you want to ask your Au Pair and if necessary, note down the topics you want to discuss with the Au Pair.
Remember that your future Au Pair and you need to contact an additonal local agency in order to get a visa.
5. Sign the Au Pair contract and close other formalities
If you and the Au Pair want to match you can sign the Au Pair contract. The Au Pair contract is a document containing the most important details of cooperation between an Au Pair and a Host Family. It can help you avoid many possible misunderstandings and problems during the Au Pair stay.
6. Prepare for your Au Pair’s arrival
Once all the formalities are complete and your Au Pair is about to arrive, there are a few things to prepare in advance:
- Children: It’s helpful to explain the situation to your children and talk about the new Au Pair. This will help them adjust and get familiar with the Au Pair more quickly.
- Au Pair’s Room: Ensure the room meets the necessary requirements and is furnished appropriately.
- Contact Information: Exchange contact details with your Au Pair, including mobile and landline numbers, your address, and the Au Pair’s parents’ contact information. This ensures you can reach each other in case of delays or changes to plans.
- Schedule: We suggest preparing a daily schedule so your Au Pair can understand a typical day in your family. This will also help them plan their free time and possibly join any courses or activities to help with socializing.
7. Meet your Au Pair and enjoy the experience
Introduce your Au Pair to your family and your daily routine. It may take a few days for the Au Pair to feel more at ease and gain confidence. Be patient and understanding, as they are living with a foreign family in a new country where the language and culture may be different.
To help them adapt more quickly, we recommend discussing the following points with your Au Pair at the start of their stay:
- Weekly schedule: Clarify what you expect the Au Pair to do and when.
- House rules: Establish expectations for behavior and responsibilities.
- Use of the Internet and telephone: Set boundaries and guidelines.
- Language course: As it’s a program requirement, discuss options for language learning.
- Financial matters: Go over any financial arrangements.
- Bank account: Set up any necessary banking arrangements.
- Emergency procedures: Discuss what to do in case of an emergency.
Make sure to approach these discussions in a friendly manner, encouraging your Au Pair to feel comfortable sharing anything with you.
We wish you a great experience!