Some things to check out before hiring an au pair

Au pairs can be a great child care solution but you do need to check that their reasonable needs can be met in your location.

How will the au pair get around?

If an au pair can't get to the nearest town centre easily and independently then realistically the post isn't suitable for most prospective au pairs.

Check that the local bus or train service is at least hourly (with some evening and Sunday service) and also find out how much it costs. Bearing in mind that it is extremely rare for au pairs to specifically ask for a rural placement, be ready to subsidise journeys. We think it is fair that the au pair should only have to spend what she/he would if placed in the suburbs of the nearest town.

If public transport is poor, with our agency at least, you'll need to provide easy access to a properly insured car (subsidised taxis are another possibility).

Driving au pairs

It is imperative to budget for the costs of hiring a driving au pair. Insurance quotes can be surprising and often depend on the age of the au pair, so do ask for quotes before you start the recruitment process.

Although we do ask candidates about their driving experience it can be difficult to predict how well the au pair will take to driving in Britain, bearing in mind they will not be used to driving on the left. Budget for some driving lessons for the au pair.

Driving in town can be particularly stressful for the au pair and we feel that where possible it's best to find another solution (e.g. taxis).

From a recruitment and re-recruitment perspective it is worth bearing in mind that while city placements are very popular, only a minority of au pairs are willing to drive.

English lessons

Virtually all au pairs want to attend English lessons. A couple of hours 2-3 times a week is usually adequate. If this turns out not to be possible (and reasonably convenient) the post isn't suitable.

Surprisingly, in some areas the low-cost courses are for daily attendance (it could even be that such a course is the only one available). If it is at all possible to fit such a course around the au pair's duties this is likely to be highly motivating for the au pair and benefit all concerned.

Even in a large city it is always worth checking out likely courses beforehand (although it will not usually be possible to say in advance which one the au pair will be able to enrol on, as this will depend on the provider's assessment of level of English). Enquiries should, however, give you an idea as to the likelihood of a course being available.

It's important too to find out when the au pair will be able to start lessons. Attending language school can make all the difference during the settling in period. If possible adjust the start date accordingly, but if there is to be a long wait it is only fair to warn the au pair before he or she accepts the post.

Your nearest college of further education might be a good place to start your enquiries.

Home insurance

Check that your home insurance will continue with full force and effect should you take an au pair. It is prudent to get confirmation in writing.

See also: What are Hungarian au pairs like?

Contact Brick au pair agency

We offer 'big city' discounts on our au pair agency service for Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Nottingham, Newcastle.

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Hungarian au pair applicants please visit our Hungarian pages