au pair advice needed please!

[JulietLeach]

Hi, we're desperately looking for an au pair for our 4 year old twins from January 2011. I put an ad on gumtree but then the au pair we thought we had, got herself another job (full time). Now due to time getting on, I wonder if it is better and safer to go through an agency. Can anyone recommend an agency they used? Also is there an agency with offices in Dulwich or surrounding area - I'd love to actually go and speak to someone face to face.

Just in case anyone knows anyone - we need an au pair to work 3 days a week, plus a couple of evenings babysitting. They would have their own bedroom, bathroom and sitting/study room. Happy to get them insured on our car and welcome them into our family. We have 3 kids (4 year old twins and 8 month baby) but the baby will be looked after by a childminder on the 3 days that I work. The au pair will be responsible for the twins and be expected to take them to pre-school, feeding them and any before or after school activities.

We are completely new to this, so any help and advice would be so gratefully received!

Thanks,

Juliet

[womanofdulwich]

i have found the au pair world web site really good, but previous to that the abc aupairs run from SE22 somewhere were very good - now maybe abc/linka au pairs- they screened the girls in their home country. you might prefer an au pair who has already been to this country if you want her to look after 4 year olds, as she will need to be able to read to them with expression (IMO).

[dulwichmum]

I agree with womanofdulwich, aupairworld is a terrific website. I would not touch the agencies, in my experience. One local agency did not check references - never again. Another, asked me to pay a deposit up front and sent me one application form for a couple in their 60's and a "retired town planner" from France who was 55 and a smoker. I want someone with some energy.

You have plenty of time if you get online now. I have a template somewhere of questions to ask at interview over the phone. If you PM me, I will email it to you. If you see someone you like online, hop to it, and email and phone her asap, or she will be snapped up before you get a chance to confirm references. The good ones are usually given a job offer within 36 hours of going online.

I would not bother trying to interview someone already here - unless she is the aupair of someone you know well and comes with a great reference from them. You should be aware that if an aupair is already here, they may have been asked to leave for a reason - anything, you name it. I have seen it all... PM me for advice if you like.

Aupairs add great energy to your kids lives. If you get the right one, you will never want her to leave!

[snss75]

Another vote for aupair world, have found all of our 5 au pair there. I also agree with dulwichmum on the au pairs already in the UK, be careful if you decide to go down that road. There are often very legitimate reasons why an au pair may have chosen to change families but there are also quite a few who have been given the boot as they were useless and are then not telling the truth about the circumstances. For example, I asked our previous au pair to leave (read: fired her) after 2 months for number of reason that I'm not going to get into here... I've heard that another two families have subsequently fired her! What I found amazing was that neither of these families wanted to contact me prior to hiring her but just believed the stories she told them about her time with us & circumstances of her departure! I happen to know someone who knows the 2nd family where she went so I've actually heard the stories she's told... Anyway, if you do find someone who's here already, DEFINITELY get in touch with the previous family for a reference. My current au pair was actually already in the UK (found her through aupair world as well) when I hired her: she wanted to change families and I was happy to hire her as her previous family gave her a good reference & they were on good terms. She's working out well for us so it can work but I'd be extra careful. Like dulwichmum, I've had loads of experience with au pairs so far, excellent, good and unfortunately also bad so happy to discuss if you'd like! Good luck!

[JulietLeach]

Thank you so much for all your advice. I have mo registered with au pair world and hope to find someone very soon.I hadn't heard of this website before so really really helpful. I will also call the abc/lina agency just to chat and see what they're like. Thank you so much again, Juliet

[kitkat1]

Hi we found our lovely German au pair via www.Find au pair.com. This is the first time we have had an au pair and for now it seems to be going well. I am wondering if you know of any good places where she can meet other au pairs locally to socialise with. She has been on facebook already and met a few girls which she has become friends with but they are quite spread out over London. In your experience, how have your au pairs managed this? She is going to look at joining a language class - are there any good local schools where there are young people she can meet? or pubs near colleges etc where its easy for her to meet new people?

Thanks very much!