Hello Joyce,
thank you for your response. Of course we from smartaupairs will help you. I will send you an email to provide you with all necessary information to sign in for our trustworthy agency smartaupairs.
Does anyone know if there are some free courses for aupairs in Kent near Bromley or in London ?? If yes, could you give me the names or addresses please. Thanks.
There are only very limited places now that offer free courses for au pairs. The Kent County Council organise free English courses for au pairs in several locations in Kent and they are always very busy. The courses are part of the ’skills plus’ program.
Please see for more information: http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-learning/adult-and-community/skills-plus/
I just wanna ask cause i am a au pair from Philippines i have an offer from a host family fromuk and i don’t know if it is a scam the agency require me to pay the Expatriate Work Permit – ₤300 because for any employee who is coming over to United Kingdom for a job.and i dont know if its real i will put a copy of the letter of the agency so that you can really understand what i mean.
Thank you for contacting smartaupairs and your trust in our agency.
Unfortunately this does not look like a genuine company and you did well questioning them further before you paid your hard-earned money. There are many au pair scams around and this looks like one of them. First of all, there is no au pair visas any longer and for Philippine passport holders it is therefor not possible to be au pair in Britain. (see our home office website http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf16aupairs)
In addition to this, you should not have to pay an agency in Britain for your au pairs stay. Genuine au pair agencies in Britain do not charge au pairs (see information from the British Au Pair Agencies Association http://www.bapaa.org.uk/displaypage.asp?page=1) but do work with partner agencies in your home country, who will charge you for the service of processing your application paperwork and providing you with program information, all in your own native language, so that you fully understand what you are paying for.
Please do not pay them but find a genuine agency who can help you to be au pair in Europe. You can legally participate into the au pair program in the Netherlands! All the best!
In the USA, the au pair program is highly regulated and you should always use an agency to find a suitable au pair.
This is the link to IAPA, the International Au Pair Agencies Association where all the USA au pair agencies are listed. http://www.iapa.org/Docs/02_organisation/Member_Directory.php4
We are happy family of four looking for an aupair who can care for our kids as both parent are very busy with work the aupair should be looking up to very good and atractive salary.
Thank you for leaving a comment on our blog. If you are interested to find out more about hosting an au pair and would like to register with our agency, please go to our website http://www.smartaupairs.com. We do however have the responsibility to point out to all prospective host families that the au pair program is a cultural exchange program and that au pairs are an extra pair of hands (only) it is not a work program where an ‘high salary’ compensates for excessive hours.
Guidelines for au pair hours are explained on the website on the ‘what is an au pair’ page.
Hi my partner & I have been together over 9 years have 4 wonderful kids aged 8, 6, 3 & 2 & have just found out we’re pregnant AGAIN!!! we’re finding nursery fees far too expensive & the older children are starting to join clubs ie swimming, ju jitsu ect I’m finding it difficult as my partner (nic)works some lates & the younger kids should be in bed. At these points we really could do with an extra pair of hands. We are now thinking of an au pair, but at the moment are living in a 3 bedroom house so have not much room at all (hopefully moving in the spring subject to morgage deals) all this considered we were wondering if a hooked up caravan on the drive way would be considered as acceptable accomodation? & would an au pair manage with the demands of such a large family?
We believe it is very important for the au pair to be a genuine member of the family, therefore, we feel caravan accommodation
would not be appropriate.
Presuming Mum is at home to help with childcare, some au pairs are also happy to help families with 3 or more children.
June 4, 2008 at 5:23 pm |
Great blogs, with useful information!
July 16, 2008 at 12:47 pm |
I am looking for Aupair|Nanny, I live at pacific city Oregon Usa.. If you are interested email me to: michelledav52@gmail.com
July 25, 2008 at 2:50 pm |
hi am looking for a sincere agent to help me get a family.would kindly help me?.
July 25, 2008 at 3:18 pm |
Hello Joyce,
thank you for your response. Of course we from smartaupairs will help you. I will send you an email to provide you with all necessary information to sign in for our trustworthy agency smartaupairs.
November 3, 2008 at 10:26 am |
HELP !!!!!!!!!
Does anyone know if there are some free courses for aupairs in Kent near Bromley or in London ?? If yes, could you give me the names or addresses please. Thanks.
Delphine
January 6, 2009 at 3:37 pm |
Dear Delphine,
There are only very limited places now that offer free courses for au pairs. The Kent County Council organise free English courses for au pairs in several locations in Kent and they are always very busy. The courses are part of the ’skills plus’ program.
Please see for more information: http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-learning/adult-and-community/skills-plus/
December 19, 2008 at 7:14 am |
I just wanna ask cause i am a au pair from Philippines i have an offer from a host family fromuk and i don’t know if it is a scam the agency require me to pay the Expatriate Work Permit – ₤300 because for any employee who is coming over to United Kingdom for a job.and i dont know if its real i will put a copy of the letter of the agency so that you can really understand what i mean.
January 6, 2009 at 3:19 pm |
Dear Joaname,
Thank you for contacting smartaupairs and your trust in our agency.
Unfortunately this does not look like a genuine company and you did well questioning them further before you paid your hard-earned money. There are many au pair scams around and this looks like one of them. First of all, there is no au pair visas any longer and for Philippine passport holders it is therefor not possible to be au pair in Britain. (see our home office website http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf16aupairs)
In addition to this, you should not have to pay an agency in Britain for your au pairs stay. Genuine au pair agencies in Britain do not charge au pairs (see information from the British Au Pair Agencies Association http://www.bapaa.org.uk/displaypage.asp?page=1) but do work with partner agencies in your home country, who will charge you for the service of processing your application paperwork and providing you with program information, all in your own native language, so that you fully understand what you are paying for.
Please do not pay them but find a genuine agency who can help you to be au pair in Europe. You can legally participate into the au pair program in the Netherlands! All the best!
April 6, 2009 at 2:57 pm |
Hello Sir/Madam:
I would like to know, How to become a Host family.
I live in Pittsburgh/US and I have a 10 year old child.
Thank you
April 6, 2009 at 3:24 pm |
Dear Patricia,
In the USA, the au pair program is highly regulated and you should always use an agency to find a suitable au pair.
This is the link to IAPA, the International Au Pair Agencies Association where all the USA au pair agencies are listed.
http://www.iapa.org/Docs/02_organisation/Member_Directory.php4
April 12, 2009 at 8:18 pm |
We are happy family of four looking for an aupair who can care for our kids as both parent are very busy with work the aupair should be looking up to very good and atractive salary.
April 14, 2009 at 10:01 am |
Thank you for leaving a comment on our blog. If you are interested to find out more about hosting an au pair and would like to register with our agency, please go to our website http://www.smartaupairs.com. We do however have the responsibility to point out to all prospective host families that the au pair program is a cultural exchange program and that au pairs are an extra pair of hands (only) it is not a work program where an ‘high salary’ compensates for excessive hours.
Guidelines for au pair hours are explained on the website on the ‘what is an au pair’ page.
We look forward to help you find a nice au pair!
August 4, 2009 at 7:01 pm |
Hi my partner & I have been together over 9 years have 4 wonderful kids aged 8, 6, 3 & 2 & have just found out we’re pregnant AGAIN!!! we’re finding nursery fees far too expensive & the older children are starting to join clubs ie swimming, ju jitsu ect I’m finding it difficult as my partner (nic)works some lates & the younger kids should be in bed. At these points we really could do with an extra pair of hands. We are now thinking of an au pair, but at the moment are living in a 3 bedroom house so have not much room at all (hopefully moving in the spring subject to morgage deals) all this considered we were wondering if a hooked up caravan on the drive way would be considered as acceptable accomodation? & would an au pair manage with the demands of such a large family?
August 5, 2009 at 12:30 pm |
We believe it is very important for the au pair to be a genuine member of the family, therefore, we feel caravan accommodation
would not be appropriate.
Presuming Mum is at home to help with childcare, some au pairs are also happy to help families with 3 or more children.
Kind regards,
Smartaupairs