An
au pair is in
charge of taking care of the children. He or she will get food and
accommodation provided by the family free of charge, and a small
allowance in
addition (sort of pocket money). Being an au pair is an ideal way to
get a
first impression and understand the Austrian culture and lifestyle.
What the au pair must know
The au pair is an extra pair of hands to help you take care
of your
children. Having said that, an au pair
is not a
professional nanny. She will have some basic skills and can look
after
children but for any specialized care or concerns, please ensure that
you have
the right person on the job. In general, an au pair does the
following:
- Speaks the language, at least enough to understand and talk with
the family
- Ensure the children get up on time; dress the children
- Take them to school/nursery/activity classes
- Play with them, entertain them
- Be in charge of their meals
- Tidy up their rooms
- Be free to baby-sit them if needed, some evenings
What the family has to do
The family has to welcome the au pair in thinking that she
is not an
employee but a home help for the children. Therefore they will make
sure:
- The au pair has her own bedroom,
- An au pair is only expected to do light domestic work. Au
pairs may be asked to do some housework, especially related to the
children,
- The family pays some pocket money
- It may be good to register the au pair with the family GP
Her possessions should also be registered on the house
insurance.
Some addresses...
If you want to register as an au pair or as a family,
you can
contact:
You can also consult:
Usually agencies will ask registration fees from the family, the au
pair
or both.