What is the au pair arrangement?

Au pairs are young foreign nationals who come to Britain to improve their English and experience British culture and in return will provide help in the home.

Only specific nationalities (mainly European) qualify for the scheme and having a visitors visa does not normally suffice.

Au pairs always live in.

Au pairs assist in childcare and light housework for up to 25 hours per week in return for board and lodgings plus pocket money. Up to two nights babysitting can be added on top of that (normally unpaid). In line with other reputable agencies we now recommend £60 per week pocket money.

The Home Office, who set the guidelines on au pairs, say that an au pair is to be treated as a "member of the family". Our experience suggests that you can give them the tasks you could give to a member of your family of similar background, although they will usually need extra guidance and support initially.

Experience has shown that good au pair hosts adopt an attitude that is supportive but not controlling and, over and above the normal duty to promote trust and confidence in an employment relationship, are prepared to make concessions to meet the au pair's reasonable needs.

Although you need to be very clear with an au pair as to exactly what's required, treating them 'on equal terms' (the original meaning of 'au pair') is definitely the best way to get good service.

If you are looking for trained child care then au pairs are not usually suitable, although quite a few trained teachers do apply to us. (For trained live-in child care a nanny agency may be able to help.)

The au pair arrangement is classed as a "cultural exchange" rather than as the employment of a migrant worker in the normal sense. Au pairs don't need a national insurance number or to be registered for work with the DWP but there are special requirements that wouldn't apply to other posts.

Since the motivation of the au pair's stay is meant to be English language learning rather than making money, the language of communication within the family circle must be English. This is part of Home Office rules.

In effect, as hosts you will be important English teachers for the au pair. It is highly recommended that you make a little time to talk to the au pair each day.

If you are a non-native speaker candidates will invariably need to be reassured that your level of English is excellent and that you won't be communicating within the family in another language.

Au pairs expect two full days off per week and must be able to attend English lessons at least two or three times per week (if they can't realistically get there on public transport, a car will need to be made available).

We are now recruiting on the understanding that families will give at least two weeks pocket-money paid leave per year.

We believe occasional extra hours to be acceptable for EU au pairs but we don't arrange what is sometimes called "au pair plus" (due to the pay, tax, NI and worker registration issues arising).

The agreements between au pair and host that we arrange are on the understanding that they can be terminated at any time subject to two weeks notice. We are usually able to arrange a replacement within the two weeks - although the host-family should have a contingency plan (as recruiters we don't guarantee continuity of child care and some times of the year are busier than others.)

Most au pairs are looking to stay for a year but six-month placements are also popular and an au pair will sometimes stay for two years. Summer au pair placements are very popular and the quality of applicant can be exceptional.

Au pair accommodation

A clean, safe, reasonably well decorated and furnished room with wardrobe space and a TV will suffice. (En suite facilities aren't required.)

Internet access in some form (not necessarily in their room) has become virtually a requirement in recent years and is useful not only for keeping in touch with family and other au pairs in the area, but for the learning opportunities it provides. (On our Hungarian web pages for example we have childcare-specific vocabulary which you could encourage them to browse.)

Practicalities to check out first