Depending on whether a person wants to work as an au pair through an agency or independently, the requirements for becoming an au pair may differ. In general, an au pair candidate should be at least 18 years old and have previous experience working with children. A person seeking an au pair position may also need a high school diploma, a driver’s license, and a clean criminal record.
An au pair is a person who travels to another country to work as a live-in childcare provider for a family. Au pairs provide child care in exchange for the opportunity to live abroad for a period of time. Au pairs frequently relish the opportunity to learn about a foreign country’s language and culture. Some people even have the chance to go to college while they’re living abroad.
Au pairs are usually between the ages of 18 and 26, but not more than 26. A high school diploma or its equivalent is usually required of them. Some au pairs have already begun college when they begin working with a family, but this is not required. An au pair is usually required to have a driver’s license, as she may be required to apply for an international license in order to drive while in another country.
To become an au pair, a person usually needs some prior experience with children, such as babysitting, working in a childcare center, or assisting with recreational activities at Sunday school. Au pairs aren’t expected to be childcare professionals, but they do need some experience with children. This means that they don’t need a lot of experience to get a job. However, some agencies do require au pairs to have a certain number of hours of experience. An agency, for example, might require 200 hours of babysitting experience.
Au pairs are required to submit to background and criminal record checks by most families and au pair agencies. Psychological testing may be required by some agencies. Prior to traveling to begin a work assignment, au pairs are frequently required to have medical examinations and fill out health forms.
If a person meets the qualifications and wishes to work as an au pair, she should contact an au pair agency and apply. These agencies screen au pairs and families before placing them with families in other countries. Au pairs sometimes choose to work with families on their own. In this case, a person interested in becoming an au pair may respond to advertisements on au pair Web sites and in related publications. There are even some websites where au pairs can post their profiles for families to see.