AU PAIRS DO:
• Have responsible fun
• Be SUPER conscious of safety at all times
• Switch off your cellphone
• Be very organised and pay attention to the details of your job description
• Have a valid first aid certificate
• Keep a log of all monies spent along with the slips in a book specifically for this purpose - essential!
AU PAIR DON'T:
• Think au pairing is a glorified form of babysitting.
• Watch television with or without the kids.
• Sleep on the couch
• Leave a mess for others to tidy up.
• Use your cellphone other than your job related.
• Be late to pick up kids from anywhere.
• Call last minute and tell a working parent that you are ill.
• Make every outing about spending money - shopping malls etc - be creative!
• Talk to the children about your problems.
• Swear or talk badly in front of children.
• Wear inappropriate clothing, face piercings or visible tattoos
Au Pair Support
We offer support to all au pairs who work through our agency via telephone, email or even over a cup of coffee.
We offer induction training sessions where we will, as a group or on a one-on-one basis, discuss au pairing in depth as well as your au pair job description to gain full understanding of what is required of you in your particular placement. Some jobs are real challenges!!!
You can turn to us if you are uncertain as to how best to handle the circumstances that you find yourself in with your unique job. We support you by providing a listening space where we can reflect your communication back to you.
Based on our knowledge we will offer you advice or best fix if needed and will assist you in addressing the problem with the parents of the family you work for. In justifiable cases, we will also advise you to find a new position. We have a vast amount of experience in this field and will offer a more balanced view than your consulting others outside your realm of work. Many an au pair who has worked through us in the last 14 years will testify to that!
Another aspect of working with children is that, although it is very rewarding, it can also be taxing, as you are dealing with family dynamics and varying personalities that might touch on your own life experience. We have adopted a holistic approach where there is a flow of giving and building.
In our terms and conditions, given to all candidates at the personal interview with us, we state that there is a once-off administration and support fee. This fee is payable to Au Pair at Home once the au pair has a position with a family and has earned her first month's salary. If the au pair has been registered with us she never pays a fee again.
We would like to extend a similar offer of support to other au pairs who have found placements through other means but lack the support that is often needed in dealing with the dynamics of the family.
We offer a year's support program that has an annual renewal for R250 a year. For this fee Au Pair at Home offers from Mondays to Fridays (within reasonable hours) problem-solving support and coaching via email, skype or telephone (we will call you back if need be).