Au Pair Nenad with the children of his host family	Information for Au Pairs
	Read what some of our au pairs have to say about working through Cinderella Au Pair Agency.
	Look at some pictures of our 2004 Au Pair Welcome Party.
	If you would like to apply to be an au pair with Cinderella Au Pairs you must first read about and understand what is expected of a Cinderella Au Pair. It may seem rather a lot to read but it is very important. If you do not understand all of it please get a friend to help you. You can click for the Czech/Slovak translation, the Hungarian translation or the Spanish translation.

1. CHILD CARE

• Child care is one of your duties as an au pair. Unless a parent is at home, most of the children will be attending school and nursery and one of your main duties will be taking the children to and from school/nursery, and staying with them until a parent comes home after work. Be creative with the children. Have fun! Plan activities and make the time you spend with them interesting for you and the children.
• Whether the parents stay at home or not, during your working hours you are "on duty". Be attentive to the children, know where they are at all times. Be very safety conscious.
• It is important to realise that the children are brought up in a different manner to those in your own country. They can sometimes seem rather "spoilt" and it is not always easy to start off on the right foot, especially taking into consideration that you may have only the very basic knowledge of the language. If you are prepared for this, you should cope better. It is important to have PATIENCE, especially at the beginning; when the children find that you do not lose your temper with them too easily and can joke and laugh them out of a bad temper, things really do improve!!! Most Au Pairs are happy from day one but in any event, things improve enormously after the first few weeks so do not worry!
2. HOUSEWORK

• The Au Pair is responsible for light housekeeping. This may include general family laundry or just the children's, some ironing, dusting, vacuuming, tidying up and keeping rooms straightened. Each family is different, make sure you know what the family expects of you.
• You are considered to be a working member of your host family. This means pitching in and doing what needs to be done without always having to be asked. Be willing to help.
• Maintain a positive attitude. If your family has asked you to do something, make sure it gets done.
• You are responsible for keeping your bedroom (& bathroom) clean, neat and tidy.
3. EDUCATION

• Language classes are very important. They are a benefit of being an Au Pair.
• You will be able to take classes during your free time.
• You are responsible for the cost of your own language classes although some families will pay something towards the cost of the language classes.
• There are many language schools available and we have a list here at Cinderella Agency we can let you have. If you live near Clapham (London SW4) we can recommend English Language Training (ELT).
• Get involved. It is also an opportunity to meet friends and learn more about the culture.
• Do not be afraid to ask questions. You will be able to improve your language skills and learn more.
4. FAMILY LIFE

• You are considered to be a member of the family.
• Get involved with the family. Take an interest in what they are doing. This is an opportunity to make some great friends.
• Knowing when to give and take private time. Both you and your family need to have your own space and time together.
• COMMUNICATE! Be open with your host family. Take time to sit down with the parents and discuss concerns with each other. Sadly, relationships sometimes break down because the Au Pair is unwilling to communicate feelings. The good news is that if you are willing and committed, most issues/problems are readily worked out if they are handled correctly.
• Au Pairs experience a lot of new situations and some might even experience culture shock. Your host family's lifestyle, living situation, expectations, discipline style with their children or marital patterns might differ widely from what you are accustomed to in your own family life.
• Try to discuss positive or negative issues, preferably not when everyone is feeling tired! Effective communication is a skill for life and this is a great time to practice those skills.
5. SOCIAL LIFE

• Take the opportunity to make friends. Do not wait for someone else to make the first move. Introduce yourself to others.
• We will give you a copy of the Friendship List with details of other au pairs in the area.
• Be aware that there are differences in the night life in countries.
• Be careful. Travel at night with friends. Do not take rides from strangers or people you do not know well.
  Always arrange beforehand for a taxi or mini cab to pick you up - give your name and ask the driver to confirm the name before you get in the car. REPUTABLE mini cab drivers wear identity cards. NEVER take a ride in a car whose driver offers you a lift and says he is a taxi driver.
  If you need to get home and haven't booked a cab, black London taxis are much safer.
6. WORKING TIME & TIME OFF

• Your weekly working hours and free time will be confirmed in writing depending on the type of post you have applied for but normally as a standard au pair you will work 5 hours per day 5 days per week for pocket money of £55 per week. You will often receive a minimum of £5 per week towards the cost of language lessons. You will have 2 days off per week and most evenings.
• Be flexible. Work with your family and their schedule. Plan in advance when you can. If you are doing a good job and the family is happy with you, they will try to be flexible as well.
• Employers are not out to be your parent or restrict your social life but will be concerned about your ability to function with the children during the day. Try to understand how a family might feel if your late nights were affecting the children.
• Reading, studying, letter writing, hair washing, etc., should be done in your free time. You should not take a book onto the beach while you are looking after children and it is vital to ALWAYS keep your eye on them.
• You should not bring friends into the house, male or female, without the prior consent of the family.
• It is wise not to sleep out overnight except in particular circumstances and you should first discuss it with the family. It is common courtesy to tell them if you are going out and expect to return later than usual.
7. SETTLING DOWN PROBLEMS

• Expect to be homesick and accept it while it lasts. IT WILL PASS! Most Au Pairs will feel homesick anywhere between the first 2-3 weeks they are with their new family. DO NOT BOTTLE IT UP - DISCUSS IT WITH THE FAMILY. The best way to overcome homesickness is to get involved with your new family, make new friends and stay interested in what you are doing.
• Changing host families is possible, but do not think that if you have any problems that you can just find a new family. You will have to work to make the placement a good experience. However, if you have problems that you cannot resolve with your host family direct, you should contact us.
• The thing which families complain about more than anything is that some Au Pairs abuse the use of the telephone by running up HUGE telephone bills which do not always come to light until after the Au Pair has gone home! If you like to talk with your family and friends on a regular basis, please reverse the charges or ask them to call you. This would be a good time to improve your letter writing skills!!!!
8. YOUR AGENT: CINDERELLA.

We are here to help you in any way we can. We have interpreters for most of the languages spoken by the au pairs and you are welcome to phone in at any time. As stated above we also have a friendship list for you and we can put you in contact with other au pairs in your area. We will also help you find a language school, register with a doctor, etc. although normally the host family will arrange this.

It is important that each Au Pair understands what is expected from them; this will help to minimise problems and make the experience a positive one for everyone involved.

When you have read and understood this page please click below to find out how to apply to be a Cinderella Au Pair.