There are some very different ways to find your perfectly matching host family. No matter which way you are going to choose in the end, there are a few things you should think and inform yourself about first:
- Do I want to pay money for the matching process?
- Children of what age do I feel comfortable caring for?
- Which tasks and responsibilities do I want to have during my stay as an au pair?
- Which language do I want to speak with the family?
- How much money do I want/need to earn?
- Do I need or have any special requirements?
Once you have thought about these points and in the best case written down a few notes, you can start your search.
The point of paying money for the matching process is very important right here. It determines whether you are going to use one of the numerous agencies available to you or rather find someone on your own.
Work with an agency
In terms of registering with an agency, you have got plenty of different ones to choose from. There are some specialised on au pair only, while others also help to find places for Work and Travel. There are some for specific countries or regions only, whilst others provide host families from all over the world.
One important factor to think about is the price they charge for their services. This should also be looked at in relation to the services they are actually providing to you. Some might only suggest 3 fitting families, while others start with 5. Some might arrange video conferences, while you need to do that yourself with others. Also the support at the destination as well as in case of a family change and some additional first aid or language courses provided before you start should be considered.
In general, the use of an agency is great to have a higher chance of a reliable family, that has clear terms of what they do and what you need to do. Be aware that when applying to be an au pair via an agency you will need to prove a specific amount of child care experience in clearly defined fields as well as have other documents ready. Still, the support in case of problems once you are in your host family is very valuable.
Look on faceboook
Facebook is a very easy way to connect to other people and I definitely recommend signing up for everyone planning on being an au pair, no matter whether you choose to use it to find your host family. There simply are a large number of groups for au pairs, host families, nannies, foreigners, etc. for every destination that will provide useful information for you and make socialising and finding friends much easier.
In terms of finding a host family here, it is helpful to look for posts by host families themselves, but also current au pairs looking for their successor. In case you can get in touch with a current or previous au pair, this is the best you can do! It is a lot better to get reliable information from them. They will tell you how the daily life really is in a family and will give you helpful tipps in terms of travels, things to bring or preferences of the kids.
Anyway, if you found a post that interests you, I would always recommend on asking for more information and maybe even whether the family has an au pair world profile. This is simply for safety reasons as you don`t want to get into any scam. Also always arrange a video call before you say yes or maybe even sign a contract!
As a result, I`d say facebook is great to get a first round of information (also on pocket money and so on)and absolutely fantastic for socialising, but always use a second source before you make a decision.
Use aupairworld.com
The website aupairworld.com is an online platform where families and (future) au pairs have profiles with their most important information and both parties can search for someone meeting their requirements. It is free to use for the au pairs and offers a lot of additional information material and advice, which is a fantastic bonus.
I myself have used it a lot and I like the way the system is working.
Important to know is that you will need to establish all by yourself. So you can use the search function to find host families in the respective area with children in the right age, but then you will need to keep reading profiles and sending first messages. From my experience, this, however, is a great way to become clearer about your expectations and wishes. You can then easily edit your profile and add your talents, wishes and requirements.
Once you like someone you use the chat function right on the website to contact the family and then you are free to send more info, do a video call or exchange email addresses.
Personally, I would call this the most reliable (apart from actually visiting a possible host family and experiencing one day in their life) way to find a host family, while having a whole lot of flexibility and independency to do everything to your terms.
No matter which way you are going to choose in the end, it is the most important piece of advice I can give you: Start early! The sooner you realise you need more babysitting hours to apply with an agency or establish clear wishes for your host family, the better the result will be in the end. And believe me, there is a perfect host family for every single one of you!