The Au Pair & Student Placement Agency

[ Makedonija ]

Welcome to the web site of ASPA.  This agency is one of the largest in the world and is widely considered to be the best.  We have assisted in many television and radio programs and supplied editorial to regional and national newspapers.  Articles written by the agency have been published world-wide.  The most recent series of articles was published in a Czech newspaper and on the Internet with the assistance of a prominent Czech science fiction writer.  The articles feature the adventures of a young Czech au pair, her remarkable experience with a host family, her subsequent rescue following our own 999 call and her ultimate successful placement by this agency.

General guide to choosing an agency

Most au pair placements are successful for both family and au pair.  The key to a good match is in the selection of both family and au pair.  A family seeking an au pair must check very carefully that the information supplied about an au pair is comprehensive and accurate.  Has the au pair been interviewed?  Can the family speak to the interviewer?  Can the family speak to the au pair and referees?  Are there written and verified references and photographs?  Is there a good choice of au pairs and nationality of au pair?  Many of the methods and working practices pioneered by this agency will be included in proposed government legislation governing how au pair agencies recruit and place au pairs.  The recent BBC documentary about au pairs illustrated just how appalling some families can be and how important it is that au pairs and families are correctly chosen.  Although the poor placements highlighted by the program demonstrated in graphic detail how not to match an au pair and family, one placement was very successful.  This au pair was one of our own clients and went through our normal vetting procedure and was matched with a family in Italy.

Equally important is the support and protection of the au pair and the selection of their host family.  Most au pairs are charming and friendly young people.  They are often university students taking a year or two out.  They frequently have quite extensive child-care references and experience.  This is because many countries are rather more child-care orientated than is customary in UK families.  However, all au pairs are vulnerable when living in another country.  The host family is their only means of support.  It is a sad fact that some form of mistreatment of an au pair is common.  This may be grossly excessive working hours.  It may be very poor, or no, pay.  It may be that their bedroom has no cupboard or wardrobe facilities.  It may simply be that there is no language school available or no means to get there.  It is essential that a prospective au pair deals with a competent agency.  It is essential that comprehensive details about the host family are available including working hours, time off, language school availability and pay.  Most important of all, it is essential that the agency offers a good choice of families all over the UK, with support and accommodation for an au pair in the event that a problem does occur.

This agency has invested heavily in overseas offices, communication technology and in systems designed to protect au pair. This enables us to offer a service to host families that is superior to that offered by any other agency in the world.  The following facilities are available to au pairs and host families:

For au pairs:

• Wide choice of families
• Families for immediate placement and placements in the next few months
• Extensive and detailed family application forms with timetable
• National UK placements and many international placements especially within the EU
• Regular contact and support during the placement
• Staff fluent in most au pair languages
• Free phone and emergency 24hrs/day contact number for all au pairs arriving to the UK
• Free collection from airport or coach station
• Free accommodation for all au pairs in the event a placement does prove unsatisfactory
• Option to choose another host family or return home

For host families:

• Wide choice of au pairs from many countries available at all times
• Extensive and detailed au pair application forms, references and  photographs
• Our own offices in many countries with bi-lingual interviewers
• Bi-lingual UK staff of many nationalities
• Families short listing au pairs will speak to both interviewer and au pair
• Large range additional information on au pair available
• Emergency cover if au pair required quickly or current au pair is ill
• Full money-back or replacement au pair service covering entire period of placement
• We handle all immigration paperwork for reliable entry into the country
• Placements for any duration from 1 month up to 2 years
• Insurance, medical and legal helpline

We are frequently contacted by au pairs from other agencies who have been grossly mistreated by their host families.  Hours in excess of 60 hours per week are common, and typically involve full time care of at least one baby.  These au pairs are often friendly and competent young people who have been abandoned by their agency.  They are looking for a family with far less hours of work and the ability to attend a language school.  Although we will sometimes have less background information available on these au pairs, they can usually attend an interview with the host family.  This can be very useful.  However, it is important to understand that all au pair placements, whether as a result of an interview with the host family or not, are a voluntary matching between host family and au pair.  If the host family is at any time unhappy with an au pair, we are happy to provide accommodation for the au pair with a view to finding a new host family.  In the same way, if an au pair is unhappy with a family, we will normally offer the au pair an alternative family.  In both instances, we offer the host family with either a refund of the fee or a replacement au pair.  This facility covers the entire stay of the au pair and is unique to this agency.

Main Offices, UK contact names and important telephone numbers