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Becoming a host family

ASE is proud to donate 4% of your au pair placement fees (€939 in 2021) to UNICEF

The childcare challenge

It’s no secret that today’s working parents need safe, affordable childcare options. But choosing an option that suits your family’s needs has become a challenging process. What is best for your children? Which alternative fits your work schedule and lifestyle? Is the expense associated with your chosen solution affordable?

Live-in, Au pair childcare is a long-standing, flexible and affordable form of childcare. It may not suit every family. However, if you are committed to cultural exchange and are willing to share your home with a young European, it may provide the perfect answer. If you ask us to set this up for you, you will need to print out, fill in, and return an application form. Simply click the button to download the form (pdf, 373kb).
Au pair Host family Form

The Au pair tradition

For generations, young Europeans have chosen to spend a year in another country, living as part of a family while helping to look after the children. This experience provides them with an opportunity to learn about a different culture, enhance their foreign language skills and expand their understanding of the world around them. In turn, the host family not only broadens its cultural awareness and develops a unique view of its own customs, it also gains an older “sister” who cares for the children and offers them companionship, love and guidance.

Why “Au pair”?

In fact, this is the perfect term for the cultural exchange that takes place when a young person comes and shares your home. “Au pair” – a French expression – means “on par”, that is, living on an equal basis in the family environment, sharing every facet of domestic life.

What are the benefits?

Participation in a cultural exchange programme offers a wealth of educational experience to your children, opening the door to other cultures and people. Your children will be looked after in their own, familiar environment and will benefit from the safety and stability which this brings.

Au pair childcare also represents a cost-effective childcare solution. Baby-sitting once or twice per week is also part of the Au pair’s agreement with you.

This formula also provides you with greater flexibility and ensures that there is another pair of hands available to support your family. This, in turn, means less disruption to family life, compared to the difficulties involved in bringing your children to – and picking them up from – childminders outside the home. Not only this, but the Au pair can help you, too, with light housework, giving you more time to devote to other activities.

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ASE Cultural Exchange

ASE Cultural Exchange

German/English speaking care for Au-Pairs and exchange high school students in the South of Ireland – the staff of ASE Cultural Exchange are looking forward to meeting you!

Instagram: ase_cultural_exchange

1 years ago

ASE Cultural Exchange
This weekend, our #exchangestudents visited the second-largest city of #ireland, #CorkCity 🇮🇪.Among other sites, we explored the #corkcitygoal, a former jail – and one of the most exciting historical places the capital of the south has to offer! 🍀#studentexchange #exchangeagency #travel #countycork #sightseeing #highschoolexchange #schüleraustausch #irland #austauschagentur #culturalexchange ... See MoreSee Less
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2 years ago

ASE Cultural Exchange
ASE Cultural Exchange Ltd. is proud to donate 4% of the Au-Pair placement fees paid by our host families to UNICEF Ireland! 🤗#unicefireland #UNICEF#languageexchange #exchangeagency #culturalexchange #ireland ... See MoreSee Less
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2 years ago

ASE Cultural Exchange
ASE Cultural Exchange student Lisanne Schlüter from Germany, currently a student at Mount Mercy College in Cork, is an accomplished rower and top athlete. While attending school in Cork she has joined the Lee Rowing Club and has been training with them. Lisanne went to a Munster meet in Limerick on Saturday and came 2nd – single scull – she finished in her personal best time. Congratulations, Lisanne! 🤩 ... See MoreSee Less
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3 years ago

ASE Cultural Exchange
It is the sixth year in a row that ASE Cultural Exchange Ltd. is proud to donate 4% of the Au-Pair placement fees paid by our host families to UNICEF Ireland! 🤗#unicefireland #UNICEF#languageexchange #exchangeagency #culturalexchange #ireland ... See MoreSee Less
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3 years ago

ASE Cultural Exchange
Last weekend, some of our Au-Pairs and exchange students joined us on our ASE Cultural Exchange #AdventureTrip: After a boat tour, we hiked through a pristine oak forest in #killarneynationalpark. 🌲 Our ASE mascot Pepsi had a great time swimming and hiking with us – and so did we with you; thank you for joining! 🌞#countykerry#languageexchange #exchangeagency#studyabroad #aupair #aupairagency #highschool #culturalexchange #ireland #aseculturalexchange #exchangestudentprogram #exchangestudent #happydays ... See MoreSee Less
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3 years ago

ASE Cultural Exchange
Today, we hope you fished out some of your #green clothes again: THE #nationalholiday that is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other, #stpatricksday, or let's say – the day everyone wants to be #irish – is celebrated today.According to tradition, Patrick came to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. Patrick's efforts to convert, subjugate, and drive off the #celts were eventually turned into an allegory in which he drove #snakes 🐍 out of Ireland (Fun Fact: Ireland has never had any snakes!).Tradition holds that he died on March 17. Over the following centuries, many legends grew up around Patrick and he became Ireland's foremost saint.With this little history lesson, the staff of ASE Cultural Exchange wishes you a happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀#exchangeagency #ireland #dublin #stpatricksdayparade #irland ... See MoreSee Less
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3 years ago

ASE Cultural Exchange
As 2021 is coming to an end, we have once again prepared another #Irish vocabulary lesson to help you impress your host family on the “Oíche Chinn Bliana” (which literally means “Year’s End Night”, the Irish equivalent for New Year’s Eve).The Irish language distinguishes between talking to one person and talking to more than one person:If you want to say “Happy New Year” to one person, you can say “Athbhliain Faoi Mhaise Duit” (pronounce it like /Ah-vleen fway vah-sha gwitch/).If you wish to say it to a group of people, it is “Athbhliain Faoi Mhaise Daoibh” (/Ah-vleen fway vah-sha jeeve/).With this little lesson in mind, the staff of ASE Cultural Exchange Ltd. wishes you and your host families a prosperous #NewYear! 🎆🎉 ... See MoreSee Less
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3 years ago

ASE Cultural Exchange
The staff of ASE Cultural Exchange is celebrating the #InternationalAuPairDay today with you (24. November)! 🎉 ... See MoreSee Less
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3 years ago

ASE Cultural Exchange
The long-awaited photos of our last Weekend-Trip to the #cliffsofmoher, #galway, and #bunrattycastle with stops in the picturesque village of #doolin and the historic sight of #poulnabronedolmen are finally here: We had lots of fun, many smiles and a great time in total with our Au-Pairs. Thank you for joining us! 🍀 ... See MoreSee Less
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