Host families contact us all the time about their frustration with au pair agencies that basically say all the same things: "our au pairs are carefully screened, responsible and mature young women who can drive, speak English and have experience working with children." The frustration comes later when host parents find that many au pairs arrive in their homes and cannot speak good English, cannot drive and have had little or no experience with children!
It is a disturbing fact that a large percent (approximately 15% - 25%) of au pairs do slip through the screening process and arrive in the USA without the basics: English, driving skills and childcare experience. How does this happen?
Foreign agents who work out of travel agencies abroad are hired by the au pair agencies to recruit and screen au pairs. The agents work on a commission basis and the more au pairs they sign up, the more money they make. Therefore, built right into the screening process, there is a conflict of interest that ultimately affects the quality of the au pairs arriving in the USA. As a host parent, what can you do about this?
Get informed. Be aware of the mistakes host families commonly make during the matching process. You can and should do your own screening in addition to the oft times slapdash screening agents do in order to increase their commission checks.
We review the Top Ten Mistakes Host Families should avoid at our website: aupairclearinghouse.com/aupairclearinghouse.com/ and here are the first three out of the ten:
Mistake #10: Not Reviewing An Agency's Qualifications: if you choose a program only because it is cheap, you are placing your child at risk. Make certain the program you sign up with is registered with the Department of State who monitors and regulates these agencies. Visit our site for a list of the 12 designated au pair agencies.
Mistake #9: Not Taking the Time to Check the Application: Make the most of the applicant's information sent to you by the agency! Make sure the applications from the same agent/country is varied - if each application you receive from the same country/agent reads the same across experience, English skills, impression during interview, etc. this may tell you the agent is not discriminating or reporting factual information - they are plugging each girl who applies to appear "excellent" across all dimensions. This is a red flag that the information you are getting may not be factual!
Mistake #8: Not Reading Between the Lines of the Au Pair's Host Family Letter: Each au pair writes a letter to prospective host parents. The information contained in this letter can be very revealing. Does she express herself well in English; does she express a happy and upbeat personality; does she discuss difficulties at home that may indicate she is running away from family conflict, etc. She should make positive comments about herself, her family and in children in general.
Go to our site to read the entire list of the Top Ten Mistakes and to read more about the above regarding our tips and suggestions, etc.
Good luck to all host parents who are signing up for an au pair in the new year - it can be a great experience or it can be a disaster - it is your choice. Do your homework and get informed.
Happy New Year
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