Can anyone give us an advice on using au pair

cheggers

I thought Au Pair's were generally fit blonde birds from Sweden?

gingin_2

miss k_ensington. These are not necessarily girls from poor countries looking to send a bit of money home. I really think your understanding of what an Au Pair is, is wrong. You might have a person from France or Germany or Italy or anywhere from any sort of background! There reasons for working are not normally to be able to send money home, more to be able to get a better grasp of the English language before starting a university course or getting a job.

bella4uk

cheggers wrote:

I thought Au Pair's were generally fit blonde birds from Sweden?

You've been watching too many top shelf films.....in yer dreams!!!....;)

missk_ensington

I'm not saying they're all poor! I was looking at getting an au pair from Czech Republic/Hungary/Poland etc, and having been there myself I KNOW they are very poor countries with monthly wages at less than we earn in a few days.

Does anyone have any tips for getting a good au pair? Who pays the plane fare?

B&H

Hi,

The only good way to get an aupair is by word of mouth! Agencies do not know who they empoy! Dont forget most youg girls will not have experience in dealing with children and living in a different country with a different language that they may not speak is not always easy!

Personnally I would not want to live with a stranger in my home and would be sad to leave my kids with them....

I used to be an aupair looked after older kids ( 8-10 ), which worked perfectly, but I am not sure if I'd employ one!

missk_ensington

I can't get an au pair by word of mouth because I don't know anyone who knows anything about them or anyone who's ever had one!

I was going to take in a lodger because I keep blacking out and live alone with my 2 year old son, felt safer knowing someone lived with me too and if anything happened would find me before anything terible happened. At present, if I collapse no one would even know, and my son could be doing anything- running out onto the main road, getting knives.... it doesn't bare thinking about!

Can you just send them back if you don't like them?!

llh189

I agree with some of the posts about wanting cheap labour, this whole discussions seems to be about how little can we get a way with paying poor eastern european girls who should be grateful for the chance to come here to earn a pittance, we then also want them to work long hours looking after children they can't always communicate with and then pressume that they should do all the house work and clearing up after the adults in the house.

I know that childcare is very expensive and that most of us wouldn't be here if we had pots of money but come on I think we should try and put ourselves in their shoes and have a little heart. Somethings in life are too important to ruled by the chance of saving money.

Also as we all know in this country £50 is not a lot of money, even if bills and are and food are thrown in, sounding like someone should be really really grateful for this sounds a little uncaring.

Sorry if this sounds harsh.

llh189

This is what I mean about being uncaring

"Can you just send them back if you don't like them?!"

Edinburghlass_2

missk_ensington, by your own admission your DLA is paid to you to provide care for you when on your own due to your "illness".

Now your idea is to employ a young person with possibly little grasp of English to be there incase you collapse and expect that young person to cope

And then send her back if she doesn't suit you

As already stated an au-pair is there to look after the children, not do the housework for you and work long hours, I really think you need to read the previous posts.

Presumably your DLA is worked on paying a person a reasonable wage for the duties required.

missk_ensington

Whats the DLA got to do with an au pair???!! I don't see the relevance myself.

Actually it is quite standard for an au pair to cook and clean, if not it wouldn't ask about it in the questions from the agencies.

I don't think I am asking too much for an au pair to pick up a phone and call someone if I blackout, and ensure my son doesn't drink bleach or anything!