You decided to become an au pair because you want to get away from home for a while, learn a foreign language, get to know another country, and you enjoy working with children… A great decision!
Here are some tips on how to make your au pair year a positive experience for you:
1. How can you find a suitable host family?
You should look for your future host family through an au pair agency that can also provide advice and support in case of problems and has contacts in the region where your host family lives.
Please do not use an agency that is only present on the internet! You might find a family more quickly this way, but you typically won’t have any advice or support during your time as an au pair.
On the website www.weaupair.com, you can find au pair agencies from the Association for International Youth Work and IN VIA. Both organizations offer their au pairs advice and support during their stay in case of problems with the host family.
2. What are the conditions for the au pair stay?
The behavior of the host family has a significant impact on whether your au pair year is pleasant for you. There are au pair conditions set by the Federal Employment Agency that host families must adhere to. Here are the most important conditions in brief:
- Free accommodation – a private room and shared use of the host family’s living spaces
- Full board – including on days off or when the family is away
- Pocket money: 260 euros per month
- Work hours: 30 hours per week
- Au pair insurance: accident, liability, and health insurance
- Financial contribution to language course: 50 euros per month towards course fees, as well as support for public transportation costs
- Free time: at least one day off per week, holiday arrangements by agreement with the family, free time to attend language classes in consultation with the family
- Vacation: if you stay for more than six months, you are entitled to vacation. During this time, you will continue to receive your pocket money.
- Both you and the host family can terminate the au pair relationship with a two-week notice period. You are generally allowed to change host families twice during your au pair year. A new visa must be issued for the new host family. More information on this can be found in our blog post “What to Consider When Ending an Au Pair Job Due to Termination Before the End of the Au Pair Year.”
3. How can you contribute to a harmonious coexistence?
- Educate yourself about your rights and responsibilities, ideally before your au pair stay begins.
- Always communicate with your host family and be open to facilitate mutual understanding.
- Be willing to join activities with the host family, especially in the first few months (possibly even on weekends). This helps in building relationships and mutual trust.
- Know your fixed working hours from the start so you can plan your language course and free time. If this information is not provided, request a weekly schedule.
- Ask questions if you don’t understand something, especially if it’s a language issue. Request written instructions for your tasks.
- Show initiative in interacting with the children from the beginning. Children can usually be engaged quickly through play.
- Learn about the family’s parenting rules (such as TV time, computer games, eating habits, consumption of sweets, etc.).
- Inform the host parents if you will be away on weekends. Even though you are an adult, the family typically feels responsible for you.
4. How should you respond to problems with the host family?
Some issues can be resolved through a conversation. However, if that is not the case, contact your au pair agency for assistance. If the agency is unable to provide support, you can arrange a counseling session with ClubIn by emailing clubbuero@vij-muenchen.de.
We wish you success, good luck, and a wonderful time!