An Au Pair is normally a single person, male or female, aged 17 years or more, who comes to the UK as part of a language and cultural exchange programme. This means that they undertake to live with a UK-based family for an agreed period of 3-24 months and to help them with their children and light household chores for around 25 hours per week or an average of 5 hours per day. However please note that an Au Pair Plus may not have full sole charge of young children under the age of 3 years. Part time care is permissable for children aged 2 & over. If both parents go out to work, a Mothers Help or a Nanny is the appropriate choice for younger children. For more details or to register for a Nanny or Mothers Help, please go to www.millennium-nannies.co.uk or click on the blue Millennium Nannies button on the bottom left hand side of this screen. This age restriction does not apply to mothers who are at home full time or are working part time from home.

In exchange for their help Au Pairs must receive full board and lodging, including their own room for their exclusive use, and weekly pocket money of at least £60 a week outside London (we recommend at least £65-70 per week if you live in London). They must have two days completely free from daytime work, ideally the weekends. However if the host mother or father have jobs which involve weekend work, it is possible for the Au Pair's day or days off to be given during the week, subject to prior agreement.

In addition to their daytime working hours, Au Pairs can babysit up to two nights per week at no further cost to the hosts, provided advance warning is given. However please try to avoid asking your Au Pair to babysit every weekend, as she may soon feel she is missing out on weekend social events and activities among other au pairs.

Au pairs should receive 3 weeks paid holiday per year, to be taken at a time agreed in advance & which is convenient to the host family & the au pair. However pocket money must be paid in full should the family take a holiday and not require the services of the au pair during that period. An au pair cannot be obliged to go home at her own expense &/or without pay or to take unpaid holiday while the host family is away. If the au pair is left to mind the family home additional money should also be made available for the purchase of food.

The size of the room provided for the Au Pair does not matter, provided it is pleasantly decorated and large enough to accommodate a single bed, wardrobe and adequate storage space (if need be one can use space-saving furniture, such as drawers built in under the bed etc). There should also be a few book shelves. A television is optional but you should provide a radio & CD/cassette player. If possible a small desk and chair are helpful.

It is important to remember that this is not an Employer-employee relationship, but a cultural and language exchange based on mutual goodwill and respect. Building a good relationship is not always as straightforward as it sounds and the Agency is available to give advice and support when needed. At the outset, there is a month's trial period for the Au Pair and the new host family to get used to living together and we always ask that you use this trial period fully to give the au pair time to find her feet and adapt to a completely new environment. In the event of the relationship breaking down completely, two weeks notice will be required by each party. This will give the Agency time to find you a new Au Pair and to relocate your Au Pair to a new host family.

Your Au Pair will need to attend English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes for on average 2-4 hours per week. For details of these please contact your local Education Department or ask at your nearest library. Most adult education centres offer part time EFL classes as do many local colleges and private language institutions.

Normal Au Pair duties include childcare, preparing light meals for the children, tidying, washing and ironing, light housework such as dusting, sweeping/mopping, vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen or bathroom. Jobs which are not considered routine light housework include wiping down skirting boards and paintwork, polishing brass or silver etc . If your Au Pair will be expected to do more than 1-2 hours cleaning a day, then it is important that you make this clear at the outset, to make sure that he or she is happy to do the amount required. Traditionally the Au Pair's work is at least 50% child related, so any variation on this needs to be discussed and agreed in advance. If she will be the only person doing most of the weekly housework, or if the job involves little or no childcare, both the Agency and the Au Pair should be told this in advance. Au Pairs should not be asked to mow the lawn, do gardening, clean cars either inside or out or to clean outside windows, except by prior agreement. Some male Au Pairs may be willing to undertake such tasks instead of doing indoor housework. An Au Pair must not be asked to clean any place of business or any home other than the host family's.

Driving should only be asked of an Au Pair if strictly necessary. Driving skills vary a good deal between countries and should always be assessed on arrival in the UK. Plenty of practice should be given in opposite side of the road driving and formal driving lessons provided as required during the first 1-3 months. The process should never be rushed as girls can go to pieces when pressured into driving too quickly. There is always a shortage of confident female drivers over the age of 21. This is because in Eastern Europe few girls in this age group drive regularly. Western European candidates tend to be only 19 or 20 with limited driving experience though many have their own cars and drive every day.