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A & A domestic recruitment
inc. ANGELS INTERNATIONAL
Bristol & West House
Post Office Road
Bournemouth BH1 1BL
Dorset, UK

Office Hours:
Mon - Fri 10.00 - 4.30

Tel:
+44 (0) 1202 313653
Fax:
+44 (0) 1202 571065

E-Mail earnot@btinternet.com

AU PAIR INFORMATION

FEES

For Au Pairs coming to the UK - No fees applicable (free service).
For Au Pairs being placed abroad (in other countries such as France, Spain, etc) a fee of £75 administration will be charged.

AU PAIR DUTIES

Au pairing can incorporate any number of duties beyond caring for children. The job is often very demanding. Try not to have unrealistic expectations and never be fooled into thinking that you are on a holiday. You will have some wonderful experiences that you would not get if you stay at home, but you must not forget that you are abroad to work. This is an excellent programme that should end with good memories for all, and possibly a lifetime friendship.

Your main duties will revolve around the children and the housework. Each family has a different requirement as to the ratio between the two. Therefore in some families there will be more childcare and less housework, and other families there will be more housework and less childcare. You are bound to need to do some easy cooking for the children, and knowing how to wash and iron clothes will definitely help you once you are here. We at the Agency will tell you as much as possible about your family and their requirements. Please really think about whether or not the duties of the family suit you, the age of the children, the amount of hours, etc, before you accept them. If you are not happy with an offer of one family, then you do not have to accept them, and we will try and offer you something else as quickly as possible.

PLACEMENTS & WAGES/POCKET MONEY

Demi Pairs - who work for 3 hours per day, five days per week, and baby-sit for two evenings per week. They receive a minimum of £25/30 per week pocket money.
Regular Au Pairs - who work for 25 hours per week, and baby-sit for two evenings per week. They receive a minimum of £50 per week pocket money.
Au Pairs Plus - who work 35 hours per week, over a period of five days per week, and baby sit for two evenings per week. They receive a minimum of £60 per week pocket money.
Mothers Helps - The salary is dependent on the amount of hours and days that the family requires. They receive a minimum of £80+ per week (higher salaries for native English speakers) pocket money based on working 40+ hours per week / full time (pocket money depending on experience, number of hours, fluency of English, etc).

All the above categories also entitle the family to 2 evenings per week baby-sitting, which is included in the pocket money. All the above categories must be prepared to do light housework as well as childcare. Both the family and Au Pair should have a flexible attitude as this ensures a successful relationship between both parties

NATIONALITIES

In order to apply to become an au pair, you have to be between 17 and 27 years old. You must be single (not married), have no dependants, you can be either male or female, but you must have a genuine desire to learn the English language. You must be from either a Commonwealth or EEC country, hold a UK student visa, or come from one of the following countries:

Andorra, Australian, Austrian, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatian, Cyprus, Cyprus, Czech Republ;ic, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, French, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guadeloupe, Holland (Dutch), Hungaria, Hungary, Italiy, Latvia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Lithuania, Macedonian, Malta, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovinia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey.

 

Plus
a) Anyone (any nationality) holding a student visa for the UK.
b) Anyone holding a passport from one of the above countries (for example, someone who is living in the USA or South America with a passport from any of the above countries).

MINIMUM STAY

• 2.5 months for summer placements
• Over 3 months all other times
• Preferably minimum 6 months to one year or longer.

QUALIFICATIONS/AGE

• Minimum age 17/18 years, however, during Summer holidays we cannot accept applications from anyone under 18.
• Maximum 27 years (age limitations do not apply to EEC Nationals).
• Childcare experience not always necessary as long as the applicant has housekeeping experience.
• Minimum basic English
• Happy, flexible and helpful attitude.

Males can be placed but only if they have childcare and housekeeping experience and have been learning English to a standard enabling them to communicate and understand.

APPLICATIONS PROCEDURE

Application form obtained from the Agency, or on-line at our web site. The application form must be accompanied with the following:

• 4 passport sized photographs (smiling) if application form being sent in the post. One is sufficient if applying on-line,
• 2 references, one childcare and one character - teacher/previous employer, babysitting, etc.
• Medical certificate or letter from G.P. confirming that you are mentally and physically able to take care of children and do household duties. Also stating if you are currently on any medication, and whether you have, at any time, been treated or diagnosed for any long term ailment, any disabilities, or ever had psychiatric treatment.
• A 'dear family' letter (to tell the family all about you, your family, your hopes for the future, etc.
• If possible, snap shot photographs with children, your family, showing you smiling, etc.

OTHER SERVICES

• 24 hours emergency contact for any problems.
• Immediate help for Au Pairs should any-problems arise.
• Welcome pack on arrival with school information, transport information, hints on how to be a good au pair, and telephone numbers of other au pairs so that au pair can make friends quickly.
• Various languages are spoken in the office to help Au Pairs communicate any problems.
• On arrival Au Pair gets Information pack and phone numbers of other Au Pairs to make friends with.
• Au Pairs are always contacted within 2-4 weeks after arrival to see if they are happy. If any Au Pair is not happy with the family, a new family will be found immediately. Au Pairs can contact us at any time if unhappy with the placement, and don’t need to wait for our follow-up call.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Most of these jobs will be a mixture of light housework (such as vacuuming, dusting, ironing, cleaning, making beds, possibly including cleaning bathrooms) and childcare, but this will vary with each family. Once a family has chosen you, we will give you the full job description as per the family’s requirements and the family application form.

You should telephone the family unless we have told you that the family will contact you, and make sure that when you speak to them, you sound cheerful, friendly and interested in the family. You should have some questions ready to ask the family about the children, as this will please the family.

In your application form please make sure that you also include a fax number so that we can quickly fax you the family’s details, and then on acceptance any paperwork that you will need in order to get a visa, Including the letters of invitation. If you need to get a visa then please inform us when you will be going to the Embassy, and then once you have been you must inform us as quickly as possible if you received the visa, or not.

Once you have arrived to your host family you will receive from us a welcome pack which includes telephone numbers of other girls (so that you can make friends easily), and some information about The London Underground, local bus routes (in London only), National trains, schools, an Angels International identity card for your wallet, and our emergency 24-hour contact phone number, etc. At any time during your stay in the UK should you have any problems at all, you can telephone us or come and see us at the office. We are here to help you. If you don’t like your host family, then we will change your family, one that is more suitable for you (but you should give it a good try first). Please do not worry about talking to us about any problem that you may have with the host family, as all our conversations are treated as confidential if requested.

As an Au Pair you are responsible for paying for your fares to and from England, for any tuition fees for language classes, and fares to and from school/college. Please also make sure that you have medical insurance before you arrive, although if you are staying for one year or more you will be entitled to register with your host family’s G.P. (doctor), but please note that you may still be liable for some costs (you will always have to pay for prescriptions from the pharmacy (approximately £7 each prescription), and dentist bills - which can be quite expensive).

Please make sure that your passport is in order and that it is not due to expire, leaving at least 6 months of validity from the date that you are planning on returning to your home country. Also you must make sure that any relevant visa and immigration requirements are organised. If you are able to obtain a visa on entry into the UK please ensure that you have the necessary paperwork with you (i.e. your letter of invitation from the family/and/or The Agency), and our 24 hour telephone number in case of an emergency on your arrival this will be given to you on acceptance of one of our families, and is also written on the invitation letter. The invitation letters should accompany all au pairs entering the UK, even if you already have a visa.

It is a very nice gesture to bring your host family gifts on your arrival (especially for the children) and this starts off the relationship really well between you. They do not have to be expensive gifts because the gesture is enough.

Please be flexible in your application form because we try to match your requirements with the right families, and we do try to place you with a family as near to your requests as possible. This can however, mean that if you are not being flexible in your requirements, then you may have to wait longer than others who may be more flexible and easier to place.

Our service to you is free (we do not charge au pairs coming to England), but please remember, even though you do not pay us, we are still here to help you should anything go wrong or if you are not happy with your placement.