Premier Au-Pair Agency assures you a first class service both during the selection of your family and throughout your stay with your family.
The Au-Pair arrangement offers a good opportunity for the applicants both from Western and Eastern Europe to learn the English language, whilst living as a member of a resident English-speaking family. Au-Pair applicants usually are available for a minimum of six months throughout the year and also there are a number of girls who want to come for approximately two months during the summer holiday period.
AGE
An aupair must be a national of one of the following coutries :-
Andorra, Bosnia-Herzegovinia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Hungary, Latvia, Lichtenstien, Litluania, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey.
Nationals of Western Europe can also enter the UK to work or study without any formalilities.
All applicants accepted by this agency are aged between 17-27 years old
DUTIES
An Au-Pair must be prepared to help her host with general light housework and help with young children for up to 5 hours per day, or a maximum of 25 hours per week would be reasonable for £70-75 per week pocket money.
An aupair plus can expect to work up to 35 hours per week for £95-100 pocket money.
During the school holidays an Au-Pair may be asked to look after the children for more hours when the mother is working. However extra pocket money should be paid to compensate the extra hours worked at £2.50 per hour for every hour worked over and above the usuall working hours. Families are not expected to work excessive hours and families must be considerate. Treat your family as you would like to be treated yourself.
FREE TIME AND CONDITIONS
The Au-Pair must be given free time daily to study or to pursue other interests. Two days a week must be free and any evening when baby-sitting is not required.
One free day for an aupair plus per week
They must be provided with their own bedroom where they can study in comfort. However, the Au-Pair must also be made to feel that they are welcome to share in the social life of the host family, as if they were a member of it. Not to do this may lead to the applicants becoming very homesick and lonely and eventually lead to them wishing to leave the family.
LANGUAGE TUITION
Some applicants wish to follow a language course, usually for a few hours once a week. This may take the form of private lessons or group classes at a language school or technical college.
Au-Pair's are responsible for their own fees, but it is extremely helpful if the family can assist them in finding the most suitable and convenient classes.
POCKET MONEY
The Home Office recommends £55 per week. This must be paid on a weekly basis to the Au-Pair. We have also been advised by the Home Office that it would be reasonable of the aupair to give the family one week's notice, when wishing to end the Au-Pair placement prematurely
INVITATION AND TRAVEL
Once your family has decided to have an Au-Pair and have selected an applicant, we shall need a letter of Invitation off them together with their apllication to you giving you details of your family, your duties, free time and your pocket money. We contact you informally to get a quick yes/no whilst forwarding this letter, together with their or application form, with instructions from us.
You are asked to reply immediately to this office. You will need to make contact with them to make travel arrangements.
Applicants are responsible for their own travel expenses to the UK, however it is understood if the host family cannot collect the Au-Pair from the arrival point of your entry into the UK that the host will pre book and pay for your travel ticket to the town where you will be Au-Pairing.
It is understood that the family will meet the applicant at the airport/ferry port/main line railway or coach station.
NATIONAL INSURANCE
This is not paid for an Au-Pair. Most Au-Pairs can be treated under the National Health Service, although applicants from countries who do not have a reciprocal agreement with Great Britain should arrange for private cover before arriving to the UK.
DRIVING
If you need to drive it is important that you obtain an international driving licence.
Most families will provide one or two driving lessons for the Au-Pair if you are apprehensive about driving on the left.
REATING THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE
Horror stories about being an Au-Pair or engaging an Au-Pair abound! The vast majority of Au-Pair placements are successful and happy. The following are likely to help.
When the Au-Pair arrives, give them a little time to settle in, and become used to you and your family. If they want, let them make a brief call home to let their family know they have arrived safely.
Homesickness can be a problem.
Be patient! Don't forget that the Au-Pair is a long way from home possibly for the first time in their life.
Talk to the Au-Pair. Remember that they have come to the UK to learn English, so it is important that they have the chance to communicate.
You may need to speak slowly and particularly distinctly but your Au-Pair's understanding will soon increase.
Choose your family carefully make sure you are going to be happy there as this family will be part of your life throughout your stay in the UK.
We have very few aupair's requesting a change of family, as all our families are all respectable families in good areas.
We hope you choose to come to the UK through our agency and if you do assure you an experience never to be forgotten. If you are applying to other agents in the UK can you please let me know on a covering note when returning your application. This is a completely free service for you.