How We Screen Host Families

Au Pair Care screens host families as closely as it screens au pairs. We want to ensure that great au pairs are matched with great families. All potential host families go through a multi-step process which begins with the completion of a detailed application and a reference check and ends with your decision as to which host family is the best match for you. Choosing a host family is your first big task as an au pair, and we’re here to support you in this process.

1. Host Family Applications

Interested host families complete a detailed application. The application includes a family profile, details on lifestyle and hobbies, and an essay about why they would like to participate in the program. Families also submit two references. Meet a typical Au Pair Care host family.

2. Host Family Home Evaluations

Once the application has been reviewed and references checked, the family is scheduled for an in-home interview. Our experienced field staff interviews each family in-person and assesses a family's suitability for the program. The interview covers the family's background, their commitment to cultural exchange, plans for scheduling the au pair's time, and the home environment.

Each host family agrees to do the following during the host family screen process:

• Provide the au pair with a private bedroom
• Limit the au pair's working hours to no more than 45 per week, and no more than 10 hours per day
• Limit the au pair's responsibilities to childcare and light housekeeping related to the children
• Pay the au pair a weekly stipend and provide an educational allowance to take local classes

3. Interviews with Au Pairs

Once a family has met all of our requirements, they are given access to Au Pair Care's online matching system. The system allows families to review the au pair's application and learn about the au pair's hobbies, skills and preferences. Families that are interested in a particular au pair will then contact them to conduct a telephone interview.

The interview is a chance for the au pair and the host family to learn more about each other. The family will share information about their children, values, and community. The au pair will share their background, childcare experience, and what they hope to gain from the experience.

4. Host Family Selection and Matching

At Au Pair Care, we seek a mutual match between the host family and the au pair. Au pairs may interview one family or several to find a compatible family. Once the au pair and the family have selected each other, Au Pair Care arranges everything. We will complete the visa paperwork, make the necessary travel arrangements, and schedule the au pair for the orientation and training program.

In addition to assisting you during the host family selection process, Au Pair Care provides ongoing support for au pairs through our local Area Directors all over America. Meet some of our staff, see the salary and benefits you receive as an au pair, and then learn how to apply!