Anybody between the age of 18 and 25 who is not married and has not children of her own. Most Au pairs come to Ireland straight after Secondary School or, alternatively, take a year off while at university or after finishing their job training. Ninety-nine percent of all Au pairs are female. For a young man it is much more difficult to find a placement with a host family as an Au pair.

It is strongly recommended that all applicants taking up Au pair positions in Ireland take out their own health insurance. A good insurance company for German Au pairs is Hanse-Merkur (Email Hanse-Merkur). Without private insurance you would have to pay, in the event of illness, for any visit to the doctor/hospital. (In an emergency, however, urgent health care would be covered by the state just as in the case of Irish citizens.) No other insurances are required.

It's unlikely that you'll be driving in Ireland unless you – or your family – is willing to pay a high insurance premium.

Of course. The family is required to give you enough time off to be able to do courses for the duration of your stay as an Au pair – at least one regular evening per week.

The weekly hours you have to help the family must be agreed between you and your host family. As an Au pair, you agree with your host family to help in the house for 25 to 35 hours per week, and your duties will be primarily childcare-related duties including some light house-work. What you do, how frequently, and for how long, depends to a large extent on individual family requirements and will be discussed and agreed upon by you, the Au pair, and your host family. The agreement between the Au pair and the host family stipulates that Sunday and one other day during the week are free.

In most cases the Au pair books her own flight from her home country to Ireland, choosing the nearest destination Airport to the family’s home.

Remember that being an Au pair is not the same as having a salaried job. Rather, it is an opportunity to spend time in another country as part of a cultural exchange. It will provide you with an opportunity of becoming fluent in English and sharing family life with people who will become lifelong friends. As part of that family, you will play the role of a responsible "older sister". Consequently, the payment you receive will be like substantial pocket money, rather than a salary. Our host families are required to pay their Au pair a minimum pocket money of €100 – €120 per week. How much pocket money a host family pays and what other additional perks they would give their Au pair can vary widely. Some Au pairs come to individual arrangements with their host families, occasionally receiving extra payment for extra hours worked (if, for example, both parents must work late) or whatever. Some host families pay for the gym membership of their Au pair, others take out car insurance for their Au pair, or give them credit for their Irish mobile phone.

This question is a difficult one to answer. No two households operate in the same way. One Au pair might, for example, be in charge of an eight-year-old boy when he returns from school, give him his lunch and supervise him doing his homework. Another Au pair might have to drive two children to playschool in the morning, and look after a third child of 9 after school. Some Au pairs do vacuuming, ironing and cooking. Others might do less. Still other Au pairs might occasionally change nappies for babies and help put them to bed in the early evening. All of the duties mentioned here would fall under the category of light housework around the home. But remember, it is up to you to discuss your duties with your host parents. You should expect to help out a reasonable amount of hours per week. On the other hand, though, if you feel that what you are expected to do is unreasonable, you must discuss it with your host family before things turn sour. The best strategy is to be honest and to say what is on your mind if something is bothering you.

Sabrina Geisler
Au pair