Au Pair Placement. History and Definition

The term Au Pair is not translated in any language and is used to describe an exchange concept. The term can apply equally to both young men and women. The Au Pair concept was born in 19th century Europe. It initially allowed young upper class men and women to improve their foreign language skills, discover another country and its customs while staying with a family of the same social standing.

As a form of exchange of services, the Au Pair would take care of the host family’s young children in exchange for food and lodging with the family. Since the end of the Second World War, the Au Pair concept has become more democratic and now includes young people from all kinds of social backgrounds interested in its possibilities for exchange.

Today, the concept is more a response to the economical and social needs of the host family in helping them to balance childcare with work and vacation. It allows people who accept the concept to experience linguistic, cultural, or social immersion while traveling and staying abroad at a much lower cost.

Although these days, the host family is required to provide a minimum of weekly spending money to the Au Pair and weekly days off in exchange for their work, the philosophy of the Au Pair concept is never an employer to employee relationship.

Be An Au Pair

If you like to take care of young children and want to offer your services to a family with the following advantages:

• Housing in a private room
• All meals
• Spending money

Be A Host Family

If you want to host someone in your family who will take care of your young children in exchange for the following:

• Housing in a private room
• All meals
• Spending money

Depending on the destination, some additional advantages may be offered (insurance, transportation, language courses) Consult the section for all applicable criteria to be or host an Au Pair in the country of your choice. Social and educational: The ideal program for exchanging and improving language skills, discovering another culture, and making new friends in a safe and trusting environment.

Note: The Au Pair concept can also apply for families who need someone to accompany an elderly family member, do general maintenance and gardening, or help with light work around the house. It must always be a cultural exchange in a host family context.

Greeting On Arrival

It is the host family’s responsibility to meet the Au Pair when he or she arrives at the closest international airport, train or bus station. If it is not possible for the host family to meet the Au Pair, taxi charges to the family home will be at their expense. Au Pairs cannot be expected to transport their luggage by public transit.

For the Au Pair, make sure you know who will be coming to meet you before you leave, including their name, title, photo if possible, which must be sent to you beforehand. A sign with your first and last name will avoid any risk of confusion when you arrive. Please provide your host family with your precise itinerary for your entire trip (name of airline, flight number, departure time, arrival time, and any transfers)

Remember to keep the contact information for your host family on you so that you can reach them at any time during the trip to notify them of a change or delay in your arrival time.

Security note: If the person who is supposed to meet you when you arrive is not the agreed upon person, demand to speak to your host family to confirm the change.

For the family, make sure to tell the Au Pair everything possible about the person who will be coming to meet them (first and last name, title and photo if possible)

A sign with the first and last name of the Au Pair will avoid any potential confusion when he or she arrives.

Obtain the complete travel itinerary and provide contact information where you can be contacted in any circumstances if your Au Pair needs to contact you for a change to his or her travel plans.

If it is not possible for you to meet the Au Pair, taxi charges to the family home will be at their expense. Au Pairs cannot be expected to transport their luggage by public transit.

Phone Calls

For the placement, it is essential to have a phone conversation between the Au Pair and the host family. Exchanging contact information must be confidential and secure before any placement can be accepted and confirmed.

Obtaining or sending contact information is only done after one or more satisfactory exchanges to determine that the Au Pair placement is doable for both the Au Pair and the host family. Remember to take the time difference into account if applicable.

The telephone interview should be enthusiastic and allow you to confirm the specifics of the placement. Preparing questions in advance will make this easier. It’s important to be patient and listen well, especially when the exchange is taking place in a foreign language for the Au Pair or the host family.

If the program is available in your language, it is possible to use your computer to call someone for free with a microphone and headphones or speakers. There are numerous telephone communication programs available for free on the Internet, including Skype, which can be downloaded by typing “Skype” in a search engine like Google, Yahoo etc.

For Au Pair telephone calls during a stay, it is important to minimize long distance or local phone charges when communicating with your family or friends.

You should agree on rules governing phone use with your host family. Au Pairs cannot demand to use it, and the host family may require that they use phone cards or have their own phone line or cellular.

Medical / Vaccination Certification

For the Au Pair, ask your doctor to complete and sign a medical certificate stating that you are in good physical and mental health. Send a copy of this document to potential host families by e-mail, fax, or mail upon request.

For the family, it is important to ensure that your Au Pair is in good physical and mental health to guarantee that he or she will be able to stay with you for the duration of their planned placement.

Require that your Au Pair provide you with a certificate or other document signed and certified by a doctor whose contact information can be verified and ask that the document be sent to you by e-mail, fax, or regular mail before accepting a placement.

RECOMMENDED VACCINATIONS
Depending on the country, some vaccinations may be required. Many countries have such restrictions.

For the Au Pair, contact the embassy or consulate of your chosen country for information on required vaccinations.

For the family, make sure that your Au Pair has all the necessary vaccinations to stay in your country.

Criminal Record Check

For the Au Pair: ask your local police department or other legal authority in your country to provide you with a certificate or other document stating that you do not have a criminal record. Send a copy of this document to future host families by fax, e-mail or mail if they ask you to do so.

For the family: it is important to ensure that your Au Pair is honest and has a clean criminal record. This will provide you with peace of mind when welcoming the Au Pair into your home and family for the length of the placement.

Require a certificate or other document from the Au Pair issued by a police department or other legal authority that can be verified and ask that the document be sent to you by fax, e-mail or regular mail before agreeing to a placement.

Luggage Personal Effects

For the Au Pair, you have to make sure that your luggage is prepared along with your personal effects for the length of your stay. Ask your host family about the climate and the clothing you’ll need.

• Toiletries
• Travel documents (tickets, insurance, driver’s license if necessary, the family’s contact information, addresses of contacts, etc.)
• Seasonal clothing
• Language dictionary if required
• Generic names of your medication if you have a prescription
• Spending money for unexpected circumstances and needs (should be equivalent to at least two weeks of pocket money from your host family)

For electrical devices, depending on the destination, voltage and outlets may be different and you may need an adapter or converter. Bring gifts and souvenirs from your home country to give to your host family and their children when you arrive. This little touch is always appreciated.

Don’t overpack and ask your transport company about the maximum weight and number of bags you can take. If you are over the limit, you may have to pay a surcharge when you leave.

In addition, some products may be prohibited depending on your destination. Check with the embassy or consulate of your destination country if necessary.

For the family, help your Au Pair to select personal effects adapted to your climate and the clothing they will need where you live.

Some Advice For An Au Pair

Whether you’re leaving home for the first time or are a seasoned road warrior, going abroad can be disorienting. Families are from affluent backgrounds and their culture and lifestyle may be different from what you are used to. Try to be tolerant and generous to discover your hosts’ world with curiosity and a bit of humour.

It will certainly take some time to successfully develop a sense of trust between you and your host family. Make an effort from the start to feel at ease, although this doesn’t mean you should “make yourself at home.” Be diplomatic, humble and modest in your dealings with your family.

Don’t be aggressive in demanding changes!

They’ll be more willing to listen to you if you are yourself open and understanding. It is not appropriate to “tell it like it is” and make them uncomfortable and this will probably have the opposite effect to what you wanted.

When you arrive at your host family’s home, learn the rules, check their expectations about household chores and if you can bring friends into your room, etc. Don’t get into the habit of going out late if you know you’ll be working early the next morning. Even if you are used to being completely free, you are the responsibility of your host family, who may ask to know where you’re going for security reasons.

Children’s Education

Although children are sometimes spoiled, you must respect how their parents have chosen to raise them. However, when you are alone with them, you will need to set limits, which may create tension. Try to talk this over with the parents. Never leave the children alone!

Day To Day Concerns

Adapting to a new way of life can result in changes in your body (tiredness, irregular menstruation, weight change, etc.) Taking care of yourself is important, as is making sure your room is neat and tidy.Stress is something almost everyone experiences from time to time. Although it’s normal to live with stress up to a certain point, it can become a problem if it is too much or you don’t know how to manage it. At the start of your stay in the country, there will probably be some stress.Take the time to relax and put things in perspective. During your free time, do things you enjoy and try something new while trying to establish a routine. A good sense of humour is a definite asset for managing stress and learning to work with people from another language and culture.

Information To Remember

It is higly recommended to note the following information and leave a copy of these documents with a friend or relative who can be easily reached:

• Information about your banking transactions, traveller’s cheque and credit card numbers and telephone numbers in the event of loss or theft
• Your health insurance policy number and the phone number of your insurance provider or their overseas representative
• Photocopy of your passport and visa (also note the contact information abroad in the event of loss or theft
• Copy of your plane ticket or transportation
• Contact information of people to be reached in an emergency
• Medical treatment if applicable.
• Check the Expiration Date…Make sure that important documents like your driver’s license, healthcare card, credit cards, or others do not expire while you are in the country. Make arrangements to have them renewed before you leave.