What are the costs involved in hiring an au pair?

We offer a free short consultation to help you understand the process and decide whether our service is right for your family.

If you choose to proceed, a £60 registration fee confirms your registration and allows us to provide a full consultation and begin a tailored search on your behalf.

Please note: this fee does not obligate you to hire any of the candidates we introduce. It simply enables us to move forward with our services.

We regularly run special offers and discounts throughout the year. Keep an eye on our social media pages to stay updated on the latest deals.

2. All applicants introduced to a prospective employer are carefully selected to ensure that they are suitable for the post and their references thoroughly checked. However, success is not guaranteed nor is liability accepted for loss or damage of any kind arising from the placement of an employee with an employer.

3. Placement fees for au pairs become payable on or before the date of arrival of your Au Pair. We do accept instalments

4. If an applicant is rejected by the client or the applicant rejects an offer of employment, and the client subsequently engages the applicant within 12 months of the client receiving the applicant’s application form, the placement fee must be paid by the client.

5. The client must also pay the placement fee if he/she introduces the applicant to another person resulting in the engagement of the applicant by that person within 12 months receipt by the client of the applicant’s application form.

6. An applicant’s application form is provided to the client in the strictest confidence on the basis that the contents are not disclosed to anyone else without the written consent of International Helping Hands. No guarantee as to the accuracy of the information contained in the application form is given by International Helping Hands.

7. If the client wishes to terminate the Au Pairs employment, he/she must give the Au Pair two weeks’ notice period, or find suitable paid accommodation for a period of one week, or pay for a return flight to the Au Pair's country. Failure to do this will stop any subsequent replacement Au Pair and future placements.

8.. Whilst it is hoped that your au pair will stay for the required length of time it must be pointed out that the placement fee does not guarantee the length of stay. Should a placement prove unsatisfactory within the first 6, 8 or 10 weeks (depending on which category of au pair you have chosen) due to au pair’s homesickness or personal reasons, you will be offered a suitable free replacement, subject to availability and providing that all the terms and conditions have been adhered to, at no extra cost. If you have not yet finished paying your instalments for the placement fee for your au pair and a replacement au pair is to be found for you, due to the reasons above, the instalments must continue to be paid on the date they are due.

9A If the family decide NOT to take the au pair replacement offered to them within the four-week period, International Au Pairs will offer the family a credit note which will be valid for 6 months from the date of departure of the au pair. This credit note cannot be transferred to any other family.

9B There is only ONE free replacement au pair. This does not come with a guarantee period.

9C IMPORTANT! Please note that in the event that the family has a problem with the au pair and does not subsequently inform the au pair about the problem as well as informing the agency in writing of the problem, the agency cannot provide a free replacement au pair.

10. The client must comply fully with the ‘Responsibilities of an Employer’ set out below

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL HELPING HANDS

Responsibilities of a Host Family

      1. Au Pairs should work no more than 25 hours per week, unless by mutual agreement. Wherever possible weekends and evenings should be free.

      2. Au Pairs should be provided with their own bedroom, with adequate facilities – all bedding, towels etc, wardrobe/adequate space for all belongings, cupboard, desk, chair, lamp etc. and adequate heating.

      3. Au Pair duties should involve looking after children (taking to and from school) helping to prepare their meals, helping with homework, helping with bathing and bedtime routine. ( See more detailed list in introduction email) Au Pairs should not be left in sole charge of babies and young children under 3, unless the host parents are TOTALLY confident in the Au Pair's ability to look after a child below that age group. Au Pairs do not hold any formal childcare qualifications. Other duties involve light housework – dusting, vacuuming, making beds, washing and ironing, but NOT heavy cleaning. Housework should not exceed more than 1 hour maximum per day.

    4. Au Pairs should be provided with ALL meals.

    5. Au Pairs work typically 5 hours per day 5 days per week with weekends free ( unless absolutely unavoidable i.e. Host family's work purposes)

    6. Au Pairs should be allowed and encouraged to attend English classes at least once a week. A contribution should be made to the cost of this and to travel costs. Please consult your agent for advice and guidance on contributions and travel costs. 

   7. Au pairs should be registered on their arrival with your own doctor.

   8. Families should be responsible for collecting their au pair either from their nearest airport(wherever possible) or pay for a taxi to their home. Au Pairs must not be expected to make long onward journeys by coach/train.

  9. According to the Home Office guidelines for Au Pairs, the au pair must be placed as a member of an ‘English speaking family’

  10. Holiday entitlement: The au pair is entitled to four weeks paid holiday per year (20 days); one week for every three months stay. Holidays should be discussed and decided upon as early as possible during the au pair's stay. If the au pair placement is for a shorter time, holiday is calculated pro-rata. The au pair should not be forced to take his/her holiday to coincide with the family holiday. If the family takes a holiday that does not coincide with the au pair's holiday, then not only payment, but provisions must be made (i.e., food, money for transport if applicable, etc.) during the family's absence. If the au pair does not feel comfortable staying alone in the host family's house during the family's absence, alternative accommodation with a relative or friend should try to be arranged. Please discuss with Agency if you there are any problems.

Bank Holidays/National Holidays. Au pairs should have all Bank Holidays/National Holidays as free time. If this is unavoidable, then days off in lieu must be granted or extra money paid. Please ask Agency's advice on holiday pay/entitlement

  11. It is the duty of International Helping Hands Agency to provide host families with up to date information regarding minimum wage regulations, according to Government Guidelines ,but the onus of complying with these regulations is not the responsibility of International Helping Hands Agency.

  12. International Helping Hands is a referring Agency. The Agency is not the employer and does not take responsibility for any damages to the host family's home or car, nor does the Agency take any responsibility for any accidents in, or outside of the home, involving the Au Pair, and/or any members of the host family.

  13. Re: Ukrainian candidates. International Helping Hands Agency will not be responsible for any re-payments the Government may try to recover from you in regards to the 'thank you' payments for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. International Helping Hands has made it clear to host families that they are not entitled to claim 'thank you' payments from the Council.

  14. It is agreed and understood that International Helping Hands Agency is in no way liable for any form of, or acts of physical, mental, financial or emotional domestic abuse or misconduct, whether it is from an Au Pair towards any member of the Host Family ( child or adult), or by any member of the Host Family ( child or adult) towards an Au Pair.