Au pair meaning "equal" in french. Au pair is mostly young woman between the age of (18-30) years. These young women leaving their country a developed country through a registered au pair agent or organisation that help to connect them to their host family in the country they wish to work as a au pair.
The au pair work is to take care of the children and also to help with some of the house work, in exchange for food, a room and some pocket money every week. A lot of young women or girls in under developing or developed countries use this means to travel to foreign country in exchange of culture and to connect to the world; which I think is not bad.
A recent TV investigation in Germany, revealed, some au pairs are working for more than 12 hours a day and 70 hours a week in a German homes; working for full time childcare and and doing household chores for an average wage of 100 €. Apart from the fact that some Au pairs are been over used, some of them are been s*x*ul abuse by their host family.
The 'German's Au pairs' programme aired few days ago after an investigation with a spy camera
which last several months. Two au pair told the investigative Reporter how they worked for 12 hours
in a day without getting enough rest or earn good wage. And one of the au pair also explained how she been abused by her host family.
The Au Pair work usually is to take care of the children and do some house work in exchange for food, a room to sleep and pocket money every weekend. It is also an opportunity for them to explore the country of their host family by learning a new culture and new life style. But on the other hand these women are indirectly doing full time work; taking care of children and doing all the domestic work in seven days a week including on public holidays. Some of the host family also use the Au pair to work in their guest house.
The investigations team also monitored some of the agents who contracted Au pair to their host family and they worked together to make sure they rescued some of the au pairs and bring them to a new host family with the hope of good working condition.
In Germany once a person is working under a contract (written or verbal) on a full time or part time, that person has the same rights under the employment. Therefore, Au pairs are entitled at the national minimum wage of 8.50 per hour. In addition the host family should also see Au pair as part of their family and help them to enjoy their experience as a Au pair without any physical or emotional abuse of any sort.
I will advice anyone who loves to take care of children to give it a try but it better if you go through a hiring and look for a good agencies as an element back up in cases of any form of abuse. You can actually learn a lot as a Au pair. It is interesting and enlightening to experience the culture of different country by this way.
For how to become a Au pair visit greataupair or aupairworld.
Queendaline Schneider.
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