Selecting an au pair in Johannesburg to live and work with your family can be a difficult task. In some instances, an au pair might look perfect on paper, yet in reality it just doesn’t work for one or both of you. In order to avoid misunderstandings or potential unhappiness between au pairs and employers, we recommend setting a weekly plan and house rules in place and talking clearly and openly about expectations. We also suggest making sure that daily chores / tasks / expectations, are written down and readily available for both au pair and host family to reference.
In many instances, the problems that arise between au pair and employer are as a result of inexperience on either or both sides, language barriers or a difference in opinion or processes when it comes to managing the home and caring for the children.
At Au Pair Extraordinaire we take the utmost care to match up host families and au pairs. We consider the au pair as an individual and look closely at the needs and demands of your family. While we don’t often run into snags along the way, it’s not implausible to find that an au pair and the host family just aren’t a good match. If you and your family are uncomfortable with your au pair, you will need to let us know as soon as possible so that we can find a replacement. It is also important that your au pair is spoken to about the problem, so that they too can expect a change in host family. For your remaining days together, before the replacement is processed, keep the atmosphere light and welcoming – you want the relationship between you and your au pair to remain amicable.
Should you find yourself needing a replacement au pair the agency will put forward alternative candidates. If within ninety days no suitable au pair has been found you will receive a pro rata refund of your placement fee.
If you are experiencing an issue with one of our au pairs in Johannesburg or if you would like some tips and advice on how to avoid certain issues, get in touch with us at Au Pair Extraordinaire today.