Tips for Family Registration
Before you start to fill in our on-line family Registration form we would just like to bring to your attention a few things to help your application be attractive to our very best au pairs.
What you write will be read by Heavenly Au Pairs staff, by some of our Partner Agencies abroad but most importantly by your future Au Pair/Au Pair Plus/Mother's Help. Please bear this in mind throughout.
1. Do respond honestly and truthfully, there is little point saying that you live in a castle if you live in a 2 bedroom flat. Upon arrival your au pair will be disappointed (!) but also will not be able to trust you and might not stay. If you live in a 2 bedroom flat, please say so. Then you should also mention the positives – there are lots of great shops nearby, or it is a very large flat, there is a language school at the end of the road and your toddler's nursery is 2 minutes walk away.
2. Apart from providing the essential facts, this on-line registration form, together with the more extensive Part 2 Registration form which we send you automatically upon registration, is your chance to promote your family.
What you say and how you say it will either entice candidates or put them off!
3. Remember, you need to make clear on the registration form that you are a very nice fair family (but still, if you do not actually treat them well once they are with you, then they might still leave).
4. The overwhelming majority of families who come to us are fantastic, wonderful, kind, generous, supportive families, who we are genuinely hugely enthusiastic about, and love to promote to like-minded fantastic au pairs, who are tripping over themselves to be picked by you.
Please do ensure that the candidates get the correct impression of you from your replies.
5. Please read our page on 'What is an Au Pair?' before you begin to fill in our Registration form, then you know what the Au Pair programme is all about and what fair terms are for the au pair.
6. We are not some anonymous computerised system – your forms will come directly to the Heavenly Au Pairs team who will check through them in detail and search for the most wonderful matching heavenly candidates for you. If, after registration you think you should have answered differently or if your circumstances change, please get in touch. We will discuss with you and make the appropriate changes to your Registration forms which we send out to our au pairs and partners.
Some more tips concerning specific questions in the Registration Form
The more options you provide us with the wider we can cast the net in our search for your perfect au pair.
- You might for instance consider a male au pair? Male au pairs tend to be really excellent at entertaining your children and having a lot of fun with them. Male au pairs are also often good at driving. Many of them do have experience with housework and are more than happy to help in this area.
- Consider also if you absolutely need your au pair to drive? Often, particularly in more rural areas this is essential to the role. Only approximately ½ of all au pair candidates can drive, so if you do not absolutely need a driver you will have a far greater choice (including drivers and non drivers).
- Regarding the aupair's level of English- We will always try to find you the best candidate with the highest level of English, but if the language capability is not as important as their personality or skills then consider a candidate who is less than good at English.
- Be fair when it comes to the pocket money which you will pay your au pair. Our heavenly au pairs are certainly solely motivated by money, but if their weekly pocket money is significantly lower than others are being paid then you might not attract the best au pairs or they will feel resentful once they are here as they meet those other better paid au pairs. Always pay fairly, not too much either as then you may be liable for tax and NI contributions - please conduct your own checks.
We hope you have found this helpful.
Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to give us any feedback.
We look forward to receiving your application and to working for you!
Very many thanks,