An au pair is a young girl/boy who, to improve his/her knowledge of a language, goes to a foreign country and lives with a host family for an agreed period.

The au pair helps the family to look after the children, takes them to and collects them from school, baths them, prepares light snacks, plays with them and speaks to the children in English. An au pair is also expected to help with the daily household duties. These duties can include: dusting, vacuuming, washing, ironing, general cleaning and tidying, some simple cooking or meal preparation, washing dishes and helping with the evening meal. In return, she/he receives from the family board and lodging and a weekly pocket money.

The au pair is integrated into the family and their daily life, with the same rights and obligations as all others family members. The family helps the au pair to improve her/his knowledge of the language and culture.

Whenever possible the au pair will have meals with the family and will participate in their daily activities. Families must take into account that au pairs do not enter in the category of employee or student, but have a special status between both concepts.

Au Pair History

France is the birthplace of the au pair program. The au pair concept was born at the end of the XIX century when young British and Germans went to France to study and families of their same social level employed them.

Au pair means “on par” or equal. At present, this word is known worldwide and cannot be translated into any other language.