Using an agency is certainly the most reliable way of finding work.  Is important to consider the danger of au pair internet matches

Angie Copley is just one satisfied customer who was favourably impressed with the ease of fixing up a job abroad:

‘’After passing a BTEC course in Social Caring,  I decided I would go to Italy for a year and work as au pair or nanny. I found your website and read all about the benefits of registering with Au pair Australia and sent my application . Before I knew it,  your agency had found me a family in Sardinia. I couldn’t believe that it was so easy. All I had to do was pay for a flight out there and that was that.

Thanks for all your support
Angie Copley’’

The primary advantage of using a conventional au pair and nanny overseas agency is that it works closely with a partner agent in the target country, who can provide a local back-up service if things go awry. If an initial placement does not work out for some reason, an agency should be prepared to find a replacement ( Au pair or family) quickly. Although the level of service varies among agencies, a good agency will go to a great deal of trouble to help the new arrival with the logistics, e.g advise on travel and visas, facilitate contact with other au pairs in the vicinity,etc. For example, our agency organises trips and social activities, and provides all our au pairs with contact details of all other au pairs in Australia. None of this is available to the isolated au pair who has fixed up a family over the internet.

Judith Twycross’s experience with our agency arranging a placement in Seville for her was a textbook success;

‘’the main advantage of going through the agency was the  support offered by Au pair Australia and the fact that  I was given a choice of families over a three week period whom I could ring up and speak to myself or ask the Australian agent to check various details. This was very important to me as I had certain specifications from which I was not prepared to waver, such as I wanted to have at least two set evenings off a week and all weekends free. I also did not want babies under the age of two and I wanted to guarantee that I would be able to attend language classes. The English-speaking agent in Madrid was very helpful when I was trying to choose a family. She rang to speak to me and the family during my first month to check everything was going well and to clear up any misunderstandings. She also arranged a meeting between me and another au pair working in Seville which made the task of settling in and developing a social life considerably easier.’’

However, alongside the advantages of using an agency, the system is not guaranteed to be trouble-free. Once you lodged an application it is a good idea to keep in close communication with the au pair agency to check on the progress of your application.