TIPS FOR REGISTRATION and HOW WE WORK

Registration for families is quick and easy.

We have clear online registration forms and we send you e-mail messages every step of the way, at key times supported by text to your mobile, making sure you have all the right information at the right time.  

We introduce you to relevant candidates only.

A summary of the process:

• You register online, we need the registration form, letter and pictures
• We call you for consultation and deposit
• You interview our shortlisted candidates, with use of our questions if you wish
• You confirm your au pair and pay our fee
• We provide both you and your au pair with all preparation material
• Au pair travels and joins your family!

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Registration process explained in more detail:

In more detail……….

Please register online, follow the instructions on each page and don’t worry, if you are unsure about some of the things, we can look at them together.

As soon as your online registration is complete, we contact you to arrange a telephone consultation to discuss your requirements and answer any questions. We can activate your search after consultation and payment of deposit, all in one phonecall.

Your shortlisted candidates will be viewable online for you, no big files to receive or unwanted calls to answer! You contact your preferred candidates for an interview; we send you suggested interview questions to make it easy.

All candidates have informative and complete profiles containing;

• letter from the au pair
• notes from the interview with our agent
• pictures
• references, medical certificate and police check.

We recommend that you contact either one or more candidates for a telephone interview. TIP: Use a webcam for the interview, it makes it even more personal

You can invite your preferred candidate to be your au pair and if she accepts, we follow up with a contract for you to confirm the placement, only now our fee becomes payable.

We continue our service with relevant information at key points in the process, such as just before and just after the arrival of the au pair. We give you and your au pair smart information and preparation material exactly when you need it.

Your au pair travels and joins your family. Your au pair will pay the flight and you collect her from the airport. Give her time to settle and explain all about your family with the use of your family handbook.

SMART TIPS for the best profile

Step 1 Facts about your family

Where we ask the basic information about you, what you require and when

In this area, we need you to answer each question about your family’s wants and needs. Consider where you may be in a position to compromise and where you can’t. There are enough au pairs looking and we want them to feel at home where they are going, this form will help us to help you and them!

The dates can make a big difference, if you can be flexible about start date and duration of stay, this will really increase your chances of finding the right au pair quickly!

We will go through this section on the telephone also. Together we can identify your priorities and use them for our sophisticated search.

Step 2 More about your family

Where we get to know you better, to shortlist the right candidates on your behalf.

Write as much as possible, about yourself, your family, your friends, your job, your pets, your hobbies and interests, likes/dislikes, your home, your town, your region, what sort of work/study you do, how much childcare experience you are looking for.

Describe your expectations of the role that the au pair will play in your family and the accommodation for the au pair.

Is there a special skill, passion or talent that your children have, if so, you may be looking for the au pair to have an interest or a skill in this area too as this gives an instant bond through shared interests, especially with older children.

Be clear. This information is first and foremost to help our team to shortlist the right candidates for you. However, selected candidates will then be able to read your profile so please try to keep it simple, as most au pairs will not be proficient in English yet.

As a guide, write between 200 and 500 words.

Be friendly, honest and sincere, au pairs will prefer someone where they will be part of the family, this may be the first time they live in a foreign country. You need to show them they can trust you and that you will make them feel welcome as a member of the family.

Show advantages! Make sure you clearly state all the positive selling points of joining your family. This can include the distance to the nearest station, language school or the centre of town, use of the car in their spare time, learning to play tennis/ride a horse/sail a yacht, or simply the fact that there is a lot to do and there are many other au pairs in your area. Ask your friends and family, they may be able to contribute.

Be realistic. An au pair is unlikely to be a fully qualified nanny, cook or housekeeper. Work out what is most important for your family.

Some requirements may be restricting your options or requiring you to pay your au pair more. We can guide you when we speak on the telephone, but for example, a candidate with ample childcare experience, strong language and cooking skills and a driving licence will count on being paid more than the minimum.

Consider if your family has specific needs. A family where sole care is required, especially with more than 2 children, very young children or a child with special needs will benefit from a person with experience. A family with teenage boys may consider a male au pair to connect with the boys through sports and hobbies and a very young mum may wish to consider a mature au pair to help her

We never expect you to compromise on what really matters!

Salary guide, you can give a salary range in step 1 with use of the salary guide, this will help us to qualify boundaries. Step 2 allows you to be more specific if there is a particular preference that you are willing to pay more for.

Provide references. Make it easy for a new candidate to contact your current au pair for example. Alternatively, references can be from baby sitters for example. Although we do not ask families to supply references, au pairs will really appreciate it if you offer.

Step 3 Pictures of your family

Our au pairs always tell us that this is the first thing they look at! We encourage the use of pictures, ideally showing all members of the family and maybe ‘action shots’ of your family in their favourite place or performing their favourite sport. A picture of your home is very re-assuring for an au pair.

Step 4 Telephone consultation

As soon as the above is complete a team member from our au pair agency will contact you by telephone at a time that is convenient to you. This way we can ensure we fully understand your requirements and objectives.

When we call, we will

· explain the interview and selection process,

· give details about being a host family

· discuss your profile

· make sure you are happy for us to start your search and know how to contact us if you have any queries

Expect the telephone consultation to take approximately 15 minutes.

Naturally, if you prefer, you may contact our au-pair agency at any time!

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