Au Pair in the USA
Frequently Asked Questions

INTRODUCTION

GENERAL QUESTIONS
• What is the Au Pair Program?
• What do the sponsoring organizations do?
• What do local and regional counselors do?
• Are there any checks on the sponsoring organizations?
• What is the educational component of the Au Pair Program?
• What are the responsibilities of the American host family in assisting the aupair with the "mandatory" educational component?

THE SELECTION AND SCREENING PROCESS
• Where do aupairs come from?
• What kind of training and experience is required to be an aupair?
• What costs are involved?

ONCE THE AU PAIR IS WITH THE HOST FAMILY
• What are aupairs entitled to?
• What are host families entitled to?
• What responsibilities do both parties have?
• How long may an aupair stay with a family, and may the arrangement be extended?

QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS
• What if I have questions after the initial selection and match have been made, or what if a problem arises?
• What are my options if I am not happy with the arrangement?

Thousands of American families and foreign nationals have participated in the aupair Program. Most have found it to be a rewarding experience, but it is important to fully understand the program before deciding to participate. aupair agency in London based in Holborn.

The Au Pair Program was established in 1986 as an educational and cultural exchange with a strong child care component. Program participants enter the United States for up to 12 months to care for the children of the American family in whose home they will live. At the same time, the aupairs are required to complete an educational component of six semester hours of academic credit or its equivalent. At the end of one year, aupairs return to their home country. Aupair in England is a division of LS Network.

"Aupair" is French for "on par," reminding host families that, although an employee, their international visitor is to be treated as a member of the family. The rules are clear: aupairs are provided a private bedroom, meals, remuneration tied to the minimum wage, one and one-half days off weekly plus a full weekend off each month, two weeks' paid vacation, and the first $500 toward the costs of required course work to be completed at an accredited institution of higher education in order to satisfy the requirements of the educational component of the program. aupair is the best service.

Aupairs are not to work more than 10 hours a day/45 hours a week. They are not to serve as general housekeepers or assume responsibility for household management. In August 2001 the regulations governing the Au Pair Program were amended to create a sub-category called EduCare. This component is specifically designed for families with school-aged children requiring limited childcare assistance. aupair system is suitable for you.

Aupairs participating in the EduCare component may not be placed with families having preschool aged children unless alternative arrangements are in place for these children. EduCare participants are not to work more than 10 hours a day/30 hours a week. They must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours of academic credit, or its equivalent, during their program. Host families provide the first $1000 to the aupair toward the cost of the educational component. All aupair participants are paid in accordance with the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. We are an aupair agency in England.

As a matter of administrative convenience for both the Department-designated sponsors and participating host families, EduCare participants receive 75 percent of the predetermined weekly wage that is required for aupair participants. If these rules cause you any concern, you may wish to reconsider participating in the Au Pair Program. There are other considerations as well. As we are an aupair agency in England.

Are you willing to communicate your expectations at the beginning of your program? When occasional problems arise, one mistake that host families and aupairs make is to hope that conditions will improve and problems will correct themselves. As you consider whether the Au Pair Program is right for you, host families should think about how they will adjust to having an international visitor in their home. Aupairs should think about how they will adjust to living with a new family in a different country. For each, the values and cultural perspectives of the other may be vastly different. The following questions and answers might help you to make that decision. An aupair in england must be from EU country.

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GENERAL QUESTIONS

What is the Au Pair Program?
The Au Pair Program is an educational and cultural exchange program with a child care component. Aupairs come to the United States for one year to provide up to 45 hours of child care per week for their host family while pursuing educational credits. The EduCare participant provides up to 30 hours of child care a week. Sponsoring organizations in the U.S. have the responsibility for administering the program, within the regulations set by the Department of State (DOS). Although DOS authorizes these sponsoring organizations to conduct aupair programs, the responsibility for choosing the right organization rests solely with the host family and the aupair. Aupair agency in london tells:

What do the sponsoring organizations do?
Sponsoring organizations carry out the day-to-day operation of the Au Pair Program. They identify, screen, select, and match aupairs and host families. They ensure that background investigations, including criminal history checks, are performed on aupairs, and that host parents have adequate financial resources to participate in the program. The sponsoring organizations interview aupairs for spoken English proficiency and suitability to participate in the program. They also interview host parents to ensure spoken English fluency and suitability to deal with an international visitor.The sponsoring organizations provide aupairs with a detailed profile of the host family and community into which they will be placed, as well as the educational institutions available in the community. They ensure that aupairs have all the training required by DOS and must monitor the aupair/host family relationship throughout the year. These organizations must maintain monthly contact, through local and regional counselors, with aupairs and host families to ensure compliance with the program.

What do local and regional counselors do?
Local and regional counselors maintain ongoing contact with, and support, aupairs and host families. They are required to report to the sponsoring organization any unusual or serious situations or incidents involving aupairs or host families. Any incidents involving or alleging a crime of moral turpitude or violence are immediately to be relayed by the sponsoring organization to DOS. Moral turpitude is defined to include, but is not limited to, acts of theft, sexual misconduct, and child abuse.

Are there any checks on the sponsoring organizations?
Yes. Sponsoring organizations must annually submit to DOS copies of their advertisement and recruitment materials. They must submit summaries of the annual survey they conduct of host families and aupairs, all complaints received and their resolutions, and all situations that result in the placement of an aupair with more than one host family. Sponsoring organizations are audited annually to ensure compliance with the procedures and reporting requirements set forth in DOS's regulations.

What is the educational component of the Au Pair Program?
Aupairs are required to enroll in an accredited post-secondary institution for not less than six semester hours of academic credit or its equivalent. Its equivalent would include the recognized trimester or quarter hours. The EduCare participant is required to enroll in an accredited post-secondary institution for not less than twelve semester hours of academic credit or its equivalent. Two-year community colleges are eligible institutions.

What are the responsibilities of the American host family in assisting the aupair with the "mandatory" educational component?
As a condition for American families to host an exchange visitor under the Au Pair Program they must agree to
(1) facilitate the enrollment and attendance in an American "post-secondary" educational institution
(2) ensure that the aupair has adequate transportation to attend and
(3) pay the first $500 ($1000 for EduCare participants) toward the costs of required academic course work.

Any additional costs associated with acquiring the six academic credits (twelve for the EduCare participant) are to be absorbed by the aupair.

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THE SELECTION AND SCREENING PROCESS

Where do aupairs come from?
Because the Au Pair Program is worldwide, aupairs can be from any foreign country except those with which the US does not have diplomatic relations.

What kind of training and experience is required to be an aupair?
Aupairs must be proficient in spoken English and have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Host parents are to interview prospective aupairs by telephone, before they leave home, prior to accepting candidates as their aupairs.

Before being placed with a host family, aupairs must receive at least 8 hours of child safety and 24 hours of child development instruction. At least 4 hours of the child safety training will be infant related and at least 4 hours of the child development instruction will be devoted to the care of children under 2 years of age.

The child safety training, provided by qualified organizations, includes topics such as stress management, shaken baby syndrome, and CPR. Aupairs responsible for children under 2 years of age must have at least 200 hours of documented infant child care experience. Aupairs may not be placed with a family having a child less than three months of age unless a parent or other responsible adult is present in the home.

Aupairs will NOT have specialized training in nursing. They are NOT to provide child care services relating to the care and protection of infants and children performed by such trained personnel, as registered or practical nurses.

What costs are involved?
The average annual cost to an American host family is about $13,000. This includes fees to the sponsoring organization, a weekly payment tied to the minimum wage (currently $139.05), an educational allowance of $500, and room/board. The weekly wage for the EduCare participant is $104.29 with an educational allowance of $1000.00.

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ONCE THE AU PAIR IS WITH THE HOST FAMILY

What are aupairs entitled to?
Aupairs are entitled to a private bedroom, meals, a weekly wage that will increase if the minimum wage increases, one and one-half days off each week, a full weekend off each month, two weeks of paid vacation, and the first $500 ($1000 for EduCare participants) toward the costs of required academic course work.

What are host families entitled to?
Host families are entitled to a maximum of 10 hours a day/45 hours a week (10 hours a day/30 hours a week for EduCare participants) of child care, and they have the benefit of someone from another culture living in their home.

What responsibilities do both parties have?
Either a parent or responsible adult must be present in the home for the first three days that the aupair is with the host family, which may include a weekend. The host family and aupair must attend at least one of their sponsoring organization's family day events during the aupair's stay.

There must be a signed written agreement between the host family and the aupair outlining the obligations of both parties. In addition, the sponsoring organizations generally require the host family and the aupair to sign written agreements that outline the obligations of each party to the organization.

How long may an aupair stay with a family, and may the arrangement be extended?
Aupairs may stay with their host families in the US for one year. After that time they are required to return to their home country. The aupair arrangement cannot be extended. (Note: There is now a pilot project to extend the aupair arrangement for another 12 months)

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QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS

What if I have questions after the initial selection and match have been made, or what if a problem arises?
The sponsoring organizations have local and regional representatives who are available to help and counsel one or both parties of an Au Pair Program match. You can contact them or the sponsoring organization through which you entered the program.

What are my options if I am not happy with the arrangement?
Both the host family and the aupair have options if they are not happy with the aupair arrangement. Since the terms of these options may vary from one sponsoring organization to another, it is suggested that you check your contract with the sponsoring organization for specific information on cancellation conditions or talk with your sponsoring organization directly.

BROCHURE REQUEST
If you are interested in becoming a host family, please click here.