Channel 4 looking for Families with 4 or More Children of the Same Gender

Love Productions has been commissioned to make a documentary for Channel 4 about large families with single-gender offspring.  We are looking to feature families based in the UK who have four or more children of the same gender and are pregnant, or trying for a baby of the opposite sex, in order to complete their family.  We want to explore what it’s like living in a same-sex household, and look at the reasons behind the decision to have another child.

There are many reasons as to why a family might continue to try for the other sex ranging from the previous loss of a child, to wanting to bring a female presence to an overwhelmingly male household.  We also understand that particularly wanting a boy or girl is not uncommon and we want to explore the emotional and psychological reasons behind that desire.

We are already filming with two families in the UK, one family with 8 boys hoping to have a girl, the other with 6 boys and their new baby girl.  The film promises to be a sensitive, insightful and celebratory portrayal of large families who would love to have a boy or a girl, and the how much it means to them to achieve their dream.  It will be broadcast as one of Channel 4’s Cutting Edge documentaries later this year.
It would be fantastic if you had a family on your books wishing to share their story in the film.  I would be most grateful if you would consider passing on this information to any of your clients who may have 4 or more children of one gender.  If a couple wants to just call for further information, that’s fine, there’s no obligation for them to feature in the film and all calls are treated as confidential.

Please contact Smartaupairs on 0800 917 81 66 – and we can put you in contact with the Producer.

News from ISA (The Independent Safeguarding Authority)

The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has been created to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults.

You can view www.isa-gov.org.uk

The page relating to the au pair industry is:
http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/default.aspx?page=314

This scheme takes effect as from July 2010 and will be compulsory as from November 2010.

The BAPAA committee is currently seeking clarification as to whether au pairs are to be included in the scheme.

Keeping Your Child Safe & Encouraging Better Behaviour

The two following booklets are provided by NSPCC and are free to view online.

The information is easy to read and very useful especially during the early days of the au pair placement. Therefore, why not refer your au pair to the page or have a read through together with her/him.

Keeping Your Child Safe:

“How do you keep children safe outside the home? How can you keep your toddler safe if they tend to wander off? What should you tell your child to do if they get lost? How do you make sure that your children are safe when taking part in activities in the local community? What should you do if you see a distressed child?

This booklet offers practical advice to parents and carers, encouraging them to think about how they can make the world a safer place for children. Includes information on what questions to ask when choosing after and out of school activities.”

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/publications/Downloads/outalone_wdf48089.pdf

Encouraging Better Behaviour:

“A practical guide to positive parenting” , why does a child misbehave & how to react,  guide to positive discipline. A paper copy is provided as part of our family welcome pack.

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/publications/Downloads/encouragingbetterbehaviour_wdf48121.pdf

Source: NSPCC

Au Pair Driving in the UK

If you need your Au Pair to be able to drive you are responsible for arranging car insurance. Check the age you can afford to insure prior to choosing an Au pair and also check the type of licence – for rules on driving in UK, go to http://www.dvla.gov.uk/

Please note that if you need a driver you need to be aware that an Au Pair’s driving ability may be an unknown quantity. Even if the Au Pair says that they have been driving for 5 years, they may have passed their test 5 years ago and not driven a car since; so you need to be sure of their driving ability before accepting them as your Au Pair. To help, in the Au Pair application process we ask for basic information such as: How often do you drive? What types of roads do you drive on – motorway, town, city, countryside? Have you had any accidents?

Ultimately, the decision to accept an Au Pair as a driver is your responsibility and you need to be sure that the Au pair is capable of driving – especially if you expect them to drive your children. We would suggest that once the Aupair arrives you arrange for a 2 hour driving lesson so that a qualified instructor can assess their driving ability. You may need to arrange more lessons!

Source: Rebecca Haworth-Wood

RULES FOR THE ROAD

Austria

Learning: A driving school and accompanied driving programme, with practical and theory lessons and a minimum of 3,000kms accompanied driving. Learners can start at 16 and take the test from 17.

After the test: Two years’ probation and a zero-alcohol rule. Any violations lead to an offender course and extension of probation. One year after the test, there’s a day of track training and group discussion.

Germany

Learning: Drivers can learn to drive only in professional driving schools. Learners can take the test at 17, followed by mandatory accompanied driving until 18.

After the test: Two years’ probation, extended if there are violations. Zero alcohol until 21

France

Learning: Starts at 17½ (if at a driving school) or 16 on the accompanied driving programme — a combination of a minimum of 20 hours’ driving school training, 3,000km accompanied driving, plus two three-hour feedback meetings with instructor. Minimum age for test, 18.

After the test: Three years probabtion and novice drivers must display ‘A’ driver-plates on the back of the car. They must also drive more slowly, ie, 110km on motorways, instead of 130km.

Sweden

Learning: Lessons start at 16 and the accompanying driver must take a three-hour training course. Driving test can be taken at 18.

After the test: Two years’ probation. Violations result in a suspension of the licence and driver has to retake test.

UK

Learning: Test can be taken at 17. Unlike other countries, motorway driving is not taught.

After the test: Two years’ probation, during which the licence can be revoked after obtaining six penalty points, instead of the usual 12. Driver must then retake test.

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/features/article6505094.ece

Photo: IanWhite/Deviantart

Information for First Time Host Families

We are currently getting a lot of questions from families considering an au pair for the first time. The economic situation has made many families re-think their children’s’ education and childcare options for after school or families with younger children are calculating the cost of the nursery or the nanny versus cheaper options such as an au pair.

To make sure we cater for ‘first timers’ the best possible way, here are some of the questions we are asked most frequently.

What are the main differences between a nanny, a child minder and an au pair?

A nanny is a childcare professional. You can expect them to know everything about handling different age groups and they are fully ‘equipped’ to care for babies also. They are unlikely to take on any household task except those directly relating to your children. They live out and come to your house to care for your children as per an agreed schedule. You pay them a salary, expect upward from £350 net per week. She is caring for your child/children only and you pay the same for 1 child or several children. School age children may be too independent for a nanny. If you want any housework done in addition to childcare, expect to pay for a regular cleaner also. Any babysitting or extra hours are extra.

BBC Section on Childcare Options

A section on BBC discussing different childcare options – including a view on having an au pair as a childcare provider.

BBC – Childcare – What’s Available?

Pros & Cons as seen in the article for an au pair placement are:

“Pros

• An au pair or mother’s help can help with light housework, taking and collecting children from school, or looking after them for short periods after school.
• An au pair or mother’s help is a ‘built-in’ babysitter, although you must agree terms and conditions for this beforehand. Don’t expect them to babysit for more than two or three nights a week.
• An au pair can help your child understand another culture.
• A good au pair or home helper can become a close friend

Cons

• It’s likely that an au pair, home helper or babysitter won’t be qualified. They won’t be registered, either.
• They aren’t suitable for full-time, sole-charge childcare.
• You may find it hard having someone else living in your house.
• They may be great play companions, but not know how to cope when the going gets tough. It’s your responsibility to make sure they know the basics of childcare and first aid, and have suitable back-up in case of emergency.
• With an au pair, there may be language or communication difficulties.
• You’ll almost certainly need to provide some emotional support for a young au pair – think of yourself at 18.”

Source: BBC

Flexible Child Care – Au Pairs for Shift Workers

An au pair can work really well in families where one or both parents work shifts, such as emergency services such as doctors, nurses, police officers and the fire brigade but also those working in the hospitality industry such as restaurants and the entertainment industry are often out in the evenings or overnight. Even those who work in the medical profession on a nine-to-five basis, sometimes have additional ‘on call’ duties.

The advantages of live-in child care are even greater for families who work shifts, as the au pair is already at their home and familiar with the children, some are even happy to provide overnight child care for night workers.

For some employees shift work means an extremely early start. In this case, the au pair can get up with the children at a normal time and get the children ready for school and take them there. Any other child care solutions, if at all they are available at such early times, usually means getting the children up much earlier then usual and dropping them of somewhere prior to school hours, which is stressful to the parent and tiring for the children.

And working late in the evening part of your working patterns, a nursery or childminder either is not available after 6pm or charges significantly extra. An au pair who is already at your home can provide the extra flexibility required.

Many au pairs are very comfortable with parents who work shifts. As long as they can attend language classes and know more or less in advance when to expect to be in charge of the children, they can be an ideal solution for working parents, especially those in shift work.

The benefit of live-in child care is that both au pair and children can go to bed at a usual time and in their own comfortable home, meaning a fresh start the next day. It really helps that the au pair is familiar with the children and with the home.

Sole charge and overnight

It is important to stress to host families that an au pair is not a professional child carer. Before you leave them in charge of children, especially those younger than school age, it is vital that you give them clear and full instruction and a settling in period before you leave them in charge of your children for long periods of time or overnight. Our handbook guide gives detailed information about how to ‘train’ your au pair.

Considering an au pair for the first time?

We provide additional support for host families who are considering an au pair for the first time. We also arrange short term placements, particularly suited as a trial but also ideal for those who are employed on short term contract and may change location after a few months.

Register with Smartaupairs

More Choice of Specialist Candidates

Our specialist candidates are very popular with families looking for that ‘little bit extra’ from the au pair placement.

These Specialists are candidates who are either Native English speakers, Mother’s help candidates (more responsibility and/or longer hours) or ‘tutor-au-pair’ candidates (able to assist with homework support).

The candidates below may be placed at any time and their profiles are just examples of the caliber of specialists we regularly place through smartaupairs.

For more practical information about
Mother’s help positions click here.

For more practical information about
Tutor au pairs click here

SPECIALIST (5147)

Lisanne from The Netherlands

Lisanne is a 21 years old Dutch girl and a Specialist candidate. She completed 2 1/2 years of a teacher training course and also did practical training but decided it was not her ideal future career and wanted to take a year out before making definitive decisions about her future studies (Sep 2010) and wants to spend the ‘year out’ as au pair.

• Tutor or Mother’s Help candidate
• Extensive childcare experiences due to her education and a lot of babysitting
• Internships at Nursery for babies and toddlers, at Primary schools for children with learning difficulties (ages 6-11) and at a Montessori school (ages 6-9)
• Very good English skills
• Start date: July 2009 for 9 – 12 months

SPECIALIST (5165)

Erin from Canada

Erin is a 21 years old Canadian girl and therefore a native English speaker. She has got lots of childcare experiences as she has worked as a Supply Early Childhood Educator to take part in essential routines and assisting children during those routines such as toileting, sleep time and supervising outside. She also worked as a “Before and After School Program Teacher”.
Erin loves horse back riding, is a condident rider and gave children horse back riding lessons in summer camps. She has done a lot of babysitting as well.

• Native English Speaker
• Early childhood Education first aid CPR
• Extensive childcare experiences with babies, toddlers and school aged children
• Start date: September 2009 for 11 – 12 months

SPECIALIST (5174)

Edith from Sweden

Edith is an 18 years old Swedish girl and has got lots of experiences in supervising children. She has provided live-in care in a family in Sweden while being a part time student in high school and she has also been a summer au pair in England already. Edith gained many experiences in babysitting as well. As she loves dancing she arranged a dance camp for children that she has written the stories for and she has been the chorographer for the shows the children performed.

• Mother’s help candidate
• Extensive childcare experiences with babies, toddlers and school aged children. Her mum is also a nanny so full support.
• Very good English skills.
• She has already lived away from home since she was 15 while providing Live-in care
• Start date: July 2009 for 6 – 12 months

Finding the Right Language Course

Here are our Smart TIPS to find the best (FREE?!) language course.

Family and au pair should work together to find the right language courses and it may be difficult to arrange these in advance as a local test is often required to make sure classes are at the right level.

The information below is correct for most locations. Smartaupairs provides all au pairs in Kent with a contact list for FREE English classes – what a bonus!

EFL = English as Foreign Language

Advantages
•    Highly recognised Cambridge certificate
•    Regulated language schools accredited by English Council
•    Easy to find on English UK www.englishuk.com
•    Mostly high quality locations
•    Often additional extras included such as a social/excursion program
•    Flexible start dates and durations (usually)
•    Open to all nationalities

Disadvantages
•    Expensive
•    Fewer au pairs attend

To Find

www.englishuk.com

www.europa-pages.com

ESOL = English for Speakers of Other Languages

Advantages
•    Internationally recognised Trinity Certificate
•    Non-commercial, part government funded, so CHEAPER
•    Many other au pairs to meet
•    Government approved

Disadvantages
•    Some locations are a bit less desirable
•    More difficult to find out details on how/where/when etc.
•    Only usually open to EU au pairs
•    Can be inflexible on start date and duration (September & January)

TO FIND – try typing in Google:
for Kent Adult Education ‘ESOL classes [name of town/area of host family]’ ‘ESOL courses [name of town/area of host family]’ ‘Adult education [name of town/area of host family]’ And/or ask your host family to call the local council office and/or local college.

SKILLS PLUS or SKILLS FOR LIFE (ESOL)
Designed to teach English to foreigners moving to Britain

Advantages
•    Non-commercial, government funded, so FREE (EU only)
•    Many other au pairs to meet
•    Government approved
•    Usually flexible on duration and start date

Disadvantages
•    Exam recognised by OCR (UK recognised – limited internationally)
•    Some locations are a bit less desirable
•    VERY difficult to find out details on how/where/when etc.*
•    Limited availability, some towns non at all
•    Can be overbooked/overcrowded and sometimes waitlists
•    Only open to EU au pairs

TO FIND – in Kent go to skills-plus website or e-mail info@smartaupairs.com, we have an additional contact list for FREE classes in KENT Outside Kent try typing in Google: ‘ESOL Skills for life classes [name of town/area of host family]’ ‘Free ESOL classes [name of town/area of host family]’ ‘ESOL Skills for life courses [name of town/area of host family]’ ‘Adult education [name of town/area of host family]’ And/or ask your host family to call the local council office and/or local college.

TEACHER TRAINING CLASSES (TEFL/TESOL)*
Attend classes where the teacher is learning to teach English.

Advantages
•    Totally FREE for all nationalities!
•    Many other au pairs to meet
•    Government approved

Disadvantages
•    No exam (attendance certificate only)
•    VERY difficult to find out details on how/where/when etc.
•    Limited availability, some towns non at all
•    Often in the afternoon – may not fit in with host family schedule

TO FIND – in Kent, Christchurch College in Canterbury often has these courses
if you are not near Canterbury, try typing in Google: ‘TEFL classes [name of town/area of host family]’ ‘TESOL classes [name of town/area of host family]’ ‘Teacher training courses [name of town/area of host family]’ And/or ask your host family to call the local council office and/or local college BE PREPARED FOR SOME SERIOUS SEARCHING! These are not ‘official’ courses and no money is used for advertising them so ASK ASK ASK!

EXTRA SMART TIPS: Use teacher training as extra classes and to meet another network of people
A Cambridge English Exam can be booked separately in some places, in addition to any of the above language classes or no classes at all.

All information and tips provided are for information only. Although every effort is made to ensure it is accurate and up to date, smartaupairs makes no guarantees and accepts no liability.

Part-time English Courses: next term 15th September 2009 – DISOUNT VOUCHER attached

Locations

Eurocentres London Central (Victoria) – 56 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PH (phone = 020 7834 4155)

Eurocentres Lee Green (near Blackheath) – 21 Meadowcourt Road, London SE3 9EU (phone = 020 8318 5633)

Only £299 per 13 week term.  BUT WITH THE ATTACHED VOUCHER YOUR AU PAIRS PAY £279

• Students can start at any time
• 3 day a week (1.5 hours a day Tuesday -  Thursday)
• Lessons either at 10:30 – 12:00 or 12:30 – 14:00
• 2 London schools – London Central in Victoria and London Lee Green (near Blackheath)
• Cambridge Exam Preparation, IELTS Preparation (both schools are IELTS testing centres) and General English
• Students have free access to our Learning Centre – computer network with online study material, library, language laboratory etc
• 60 years of English language teaching experience and one of the most recognised names in the EFL industry
• Enrolment fee of £40 – one off booking fee for new students

Download DISCOUNT VOUCHER

Download Eurocentres Part-time Dates and Fees 2009

Download Eurocentres part-time enrolment form

Download How to get to Eurocentres – guide for au pairs who are new to London

Download What do au pairs say about Eurocentres

All information can also be found on our website – www.eurocentres.com