Au Pair Screening and Training
Au Pair Screening
Agent Au Pair maintains the highest standards when interviewing and screening au pairs. Our educated and highly trained staff in our overseas offices conduct specially designed recruiting and screening techniques that enhance the ability to select the best au pairs in the region. Their local residence allows them to screen the au pair by not only an in-person interview but also by checking local references, verifying a police clearance, and administering a psycho-metric test designed to measure characteristics considered most important to be successful on the program. Because of our rigorous selection process, families can be assured that their children are in the most capable hands.
An au pair must meet the following qualifications to participate in the program:
- Be between the ages of 18-26
- Have graduated from secondary school or equivalent
- Have appropriate local, verifiable childcare experience
- Be physically and mentally healthy as evidenced by a signed physician's report
- Be personally interviewed in English by an authorized Agent Au Pair representative to evaluate motivation, enthusiasm and maturity
- Possess a driver's license
- Have successfully passed a background investigation that includes verification of school, three non-family references, a criminal background check and a personality profile
Au Pair Training
Your family can be confident your children are in the safest hands. Upon arrival in the U.S., each au pair attends a five-day training program at the Agent Au Pair Academy in San Francisco. The program covers child development instruction and safety training.
The child development instruction is taught by professional early childhood educators and covers: age-appropriate activities where the au pair gains creative ideas for learning; techniques for implementing games for mental stimulation and building self-esteem; and skills for providing a solid foundation for social, emotional and physical aspects of development. The classes include various means of interactive training, such as role-playing, videos, group discussions, workbooks and handouts.
The child safety instruction is taught by certified American Red Cross staff and covers topics required to pass CPR certification.
The materials are available to take home in the form of an Au Pair Handbook to be used as a reference during the au pair's 12-month stay.