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The Au-Pair Program

The Au-Pair schedule depends on the needs of the Host Family. Of course, the routine of each family can work differently. So if you find your ideal Host Family, make sure to ask them about your duties and responsibilities before you sign the agreement. Some families might need your help only Monday until Friday so that you will have a lot of free time on the weekend. Other parents need to work on Saturday and Sunday. This will of course have an effect on your schedule. Be flexible and make sure to talk about your expectations during the video interview.

The family offers the Au-Pair free accommodation and full board. In exchange for that the Au-Pair takes care of certain tasks that are connected to childcare for 20 to 40 hours a week. The exact amount of hours the Au-Pair is allowed to work depends on the host country. However the tasks are very often similar.

What are the responsibilities of an Au-Pair?

The Au-Pair schedule consists mainly of caring for the Host Family’s children and to help with light household chores. During the stay the participant is like a bigger sister or brother for the kids and therefore it is important to be respectful and caring. The exact description of the Au-Pair’s tasks vary from family to family. In general these are duties of an Au-Pair:

  • You play with the kids, take them on trips, to the playground and do crafts with them.
  • If your host kids are very young, you will have to change diapers, bath the baby and feed them. You might also have to read some books or sing to the baby.
  • You help them put their clothes on and get them ready for kindergarten or school.
  • The Host Family might also ask you to wash and dry the kids’ clothes, vacuum rooms that everybody uses and loading and unloading of the washing machine.
  • You help with their homework in the afternoon.
  • Light household chores just like cleaning up the kids’ room, buying some groceries and preparing meals for the kids are also part of your tasks.
  • You go to playdates with the kids.

What does an Au-Pair not have to do?

There are some tasks that are never the Au- Pair’s responsibility. The candidate is free to still help with those tasks, but it should never be obligatory!

  • An Au-Pair is never responsible to clean up the whole house or to do some renovations.
  • You do not have to do the laundry of the whole family or cook for the whole family.
  • If the Host Family has pets, you are not responsible to feed them and take care of them.
  • You are only responsible for the children of your Host Family. You will not have to care for the children of other people.