
WHO DO WE PLACE ...
We mainly place au-pairs from Czech and Slovak
Republic. Some au-pairs contact us
personally but the majority of them come from the Agencies in
Czech or Slovak Republic
we are cooperating with.
PLACEMENT AREA ...
Most of the au-pairs are placed in London
area or its suburb and also all around the
county of Surrey.
Information about an Au-pair
AN AU-PAIR
An Au-pair is a single girl aged between 18 and
27 who comes to England to learn or improve there
fluency in the English language and to live with an English speaking family.
RELATIONSHIP
She is provided with a free room, board and
pocket money. She has her own room and is allowed
time each day for quite study and recreation, also opportunity to attend
religious serveces.
An Au-pair is not a qualified child-minder nor a domestic, her experience
in child care and housework is
the one she gained in her own home. She should be fully instructed
before being left in charge of the
household or children for any length of time. She should be
treated as a member of the family, taking
her meals with them and sharing their recreational
pursuits whenever possible. A period
of time is
needed for the Au-pair to accustom herself with her new envirovment.
The family should be sympathetic
during this period.
DUTIES
The Au-pair should be given full information
about the family and her duties before she
leaves her
country. She is expected to undertake light housework in order to keep
the house clean and tidy and help
with children, washing and ironing etc. Some training
may be necessary before she is
fully able to
undertake her duties. She should not be asked to undertake heavy
housework (cleaning windows, walls,
scrubbing floors etc.).
WORKING HOURS
She should be working a maximum of 25 hours
per week, usually 5 hrs, daily
on a 5 day basis,
baby-sitting 2/3 evenings per week providing
that this doesn't clash
with her classes. Daytime
child-minding is regarded as working time. Extra duties
with additional payment must be
agreed in
advance.
FREE TIME
She should be given at least one full day off each week
and also have time during the
day to meet
friends, attend classes etc.
POCKET MONEY
We recommend a minimum of £40,- per week.
ENGLISH CLASSES
The cost is the responsibility of the Au-pair but she should
be given an assistance in enrolling. If the only
avaiable classes are more than 3 miles away, her travelling
expenses should be paid. Summer Au-pairs
do not normally expect to attend classes.
TRAVEL
An Au-pair is responsible for the cost of her fares to and
from her own country. She should be met on
arrival to this country.
ILLNESS
In the event of the Au-pair falling ill she should be provided
with accommodation and food until she is
well or appropriate arrangements are made for the future care.
NOTICE
An Au-pair should be given at least 2 weeks notice plus her
usual pocket money and in return she should
also give a minimum of 2 weeks notice of her intention to resign.
HOLIDAYS
She should be given 1 week
paid holiday for
26 weeks of residence
with the family.