Anonymous
Post 08/02/2021 10:55     Subject: New to Au Pair Hosting
Hey there - I wonder if OP is a real host parent or a troll lawyer looking to make a case about lack of vetting by agencies.
Anonymous
Post 08/02/2021 10:01     Subject: New to Au Pair Hosting
Don't wait on the company to match you. Bad idea. Also, the aupair is an independent human. They also have a say in whether they want to be in your household.
I would really read about what you signed up for. Aupairs have lots of requirements for their own happiness (car, food, cellphone, gym) and it's not always as long term match.
Visas are incredibly difficult to get at the moment because of delays and travel concerns. While you may be able to find an in-country aupair by September, it will be difficult to have an out of country travel here by then. It's also difficult to get an in-country aupair for the typical program stipend.
Good luck but with another potential lockdown coming, we decided to step away from hosting when our aupair left this month. Too much stress.
Anonymous
Post 08/01/2021 18:10     Subject: Re:New to Au Pair Hosting
September is close to still be looking for an au pair. You need to be contacting the max number you are allowed. Most will ghost you.
Anonymous
Post 08/01/2021 09:55     Subject: Re:New to Au Pair Hosting
Anonymous wrote:Hi OP, I don’t know the agency that you are with, but I would not rely on matching specialists to give you a list of au pairs. I would proactively search the database and connect with candidates that seem like a good fit. Now to your actual question. I would look for an au pair who would be a good fit for your family. Nobody can tell you what this is. Make a list. What is important to you: Good English? Good driver? Certain language skills? Good swimmer? This person will be leaving in your house. Do you prefer an extravert or an introvert? Do you prefer someone who has lived on her own? So I would start by making a list of what’s important to you. Once you start sorting through the applications, you will get a sense of the differences. At the end, it’s like with a roommate or a romantic partner, you won’t know if you “klick” with the person until you actually talk to them. Good luck!


Agree with above: don't rely on the matching specialists. They will spend all of two seconds compiling a list of all the au pairs who have not been matched yet, and this late in the summer, you are getting the leftovers that no one else dared to match with. Maybe 20-30 years, ago, before the online profiles and Skype/Zoom/FaceTime interviews, the matching specialists played a much more nuanced and responsible role in match-making, but now it is solely up to you to actively find, interview, and vet your AP.
Anonymous
Post 07/31/2021 06:22     Subject: Re:New to Au Pair Hosting
Hi OP, I don’t know the agency that you are with, but I would not rely on matching specialists to give you a list of au pairs. I would proactively search the database and connect with candidates that seem like a good fit. Now to your actual question. I would look for an au pair who would be a good fit for your family. Nobody can tell you what this is. Make a list. What is important to you: Good English? Good driver? Certain language skills? Good swimmer? This person will be leaving in your house. Do you prefer an extravert or an introvert? Do you prefer someone who has lived on her own? So I would start by making a list of what’s important to you. Once you start sorting through the applications, you will get a sense of the differences. At the end, it’s like with a roommate or a romantic partner, you won’t know if you “klick” with the person until you actually talk to them. Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2021 17:53     Subject: New to Au Pair Hosting
The AP I vetted the least was our best AP. The AP with the most experience was awful. Honestly, it's a crapshoot. If there's something that's very specifically important to you (language, expertise with special needs/certain age/certain sport/etc) you can screen for that. But otherwise it comes down to chemistry. Just like romantic matches look perfect on paper but don't work in person, so with APs.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2021 06:48     Subject: Re:New to Au Pair Hosting
Anonymous wrote:Does the agency vet them separately and run all the background checks, etc?


Well, technically the agency is going to verify that they have their childcare hours. In reality? Many of them do volunteer hours at the agency childcare center to get the hours, and there's little to no way to verify any other references for many.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2021 09:28     Subject: Re:New to Au Pair Hosting
Does the agency vet them separately and run all the background checks, etc?
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2021 09:25     Subject: Re:New to Au Pair Hosting
Well, to start with, you'll sort through all of the available APs to find one or a couple who meet your criteria and then interview them.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2021 08:48     Subject: New to Au Pair Hosting
I just filled out an application for an au pair to begin September and am waiting to be matched. What are some things I should look out for when I receive candidates?