Au Pair Safety

Recently on the news, the media had a very unbalanced coverage to au pairing in the UK and we would like to inform you there are strict guidelines put in place by registered members of BAPAA, and all agencies that are part of the organisation adhere by the rules.

BAPAA was established in 2003 with the purpose of regulating au pair placements in the UK following the formation of the International Au Pair Association (IAPA) a few years earlier.

Members of the association are obliged to follow strict guidelines in respect of placements and both families and potential au pairs submit detailed information before any placement is arranged.

Unfortunately the problems shown arise from the unregulated and internet based agencies where there are no controls or supervision for the au pairs once in the UK.

An au pair agency such as ourselves, on the other hand provides full backup throughout the placement with many benefits for the au pairs such as regular outings, welcome booklets, a mobile password protected App, a friend’s website, FaceBook groups, an emergency helpline, etc. No au pair needs to be alone and certainly never exploited.

The guide for this cultural exchange programme is that au pairs should only be on duty for their host family for up to 30 hours per week and these hours to include babysitting when required.

New guidelines state that pocket money should be not less than £80 per week plus a £20 per week contribution towards either language school or travel costs. Board and lodging are included plus holiday entitlement. Au Pairs must be treated as a family member and often we hear that this relationship extends for many years after the placement has officially ended.

This why we always stress it is important to book an au pair through an agency and applicants to apply through an agency, so you are guaranteed support and back up should something go wrong.

The team at Childcare International