Our Au pair host families

Living in a host family as an au pair allows you to immerse yourself in a different culture and take part in the everyday routines of the family members. Together with your host parents and host kids, you will have the opportunity to share meals together, join family outings and celebrate holidays. Can't wait to try the traditional turkey on Thanksgiving in America, enjoy tea time in England or celebrate New Year's on the other side of the globe? Being an au pair gives you the unique chance to experience a new way of life!

Can't wait to find your host family?

Start your adventure abroad now by applying today!

Start your application!

What the average host family looks like

Our AuPairCare host families include many families with two parents and two to four children, as well as single or same-sex parents. The age of the children usually ranges between three months to ten years. Our families are of different ethnic origins and practice different religions. A multicultural population characterizes all of our destination countries which is also reflected in the diversity of our host families.

Before an au pair can find a host family, potential families have to apply just like you. The area director visits the au pair host family at home, explains the programme to them and determines whether they are suitable for the au pair programme or not. 

Only after you have had at least two conversations with an interested family, you should decide if you would like to match.

In order to give you a better impression of what a typical AuPairCare host family may look like, we would like to show you a few mock profiles (similar to the ones you receive before contacting a potential host family for the first time).

About the Family

2 children (1 year and 4 years old)

Family Personalities:

Hi! I'm Camila, I have Puerto Rican roots, and I live in California with my wonderful family. Steve and I have been married for 12 years and we love the idea of raising our children to have a multicultural perspective. Luis is 4, he has inherited a love for soccer. Dylan just turned 1 and brings lots of joy with his energy and love for adventure! He loves to play with his older brother and follows him everywhere. We are excited to find the right person to join our family, help to inspire Luis and Dylan to see new things and develop a friendship that grows as quickly and happily as they do!

Hobbies and Interests:       

Crafts/Hobbies: Painting/drawing; cooking; baking Sports: soccer; martial arts (Karate etc.); swimming

Other: Outdoor activities

Au Pair Preferences:

meal prep, laundry, playtime, bedtime, baths, driving children to/from school/activities

About the Family

2 children (10 and 7 years old)

Family Personalities:

We are a family that loves to travel and our children have been used to flying long distances since they were babies. We love the beach and the water and our son loves to surf. For us, the holidays are all about family time. We spend most of the holidays with our families in Melbourne and Brisbane (grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins). We are Jewish so there are many beautiful holidays to celebrate, especially in the fall when we celebrate the Jewish New Year. Our perfect combination for an au pair is someone positive and loving, but with a sharp mind and firm hand when required. And of course, safety is 100% our priority.

Hobbies and Interests:

Crafts or Hobbies: Cooking; Baking

Sports: Water Sports

Fine Arts: Guitar

Other: Outdoor activities

Au pair Preferences:

Meal prep, Children’s laundry, Playtime, Baths, Driving children to school & activities

About the Family

1 child (11 months old)

Family Personalities:

Hello future au pair! We are the McGee’s, a family of four (plus one fur baby!) living in Fort Collins. Michelle and Hayle have been together for 12 years and we have one darling little boy: Asher (10 months, going to daycare). We also have Haley's daughter Chelsey (18 years old) living with us during her college breaks. We are a close knit, fun-loving family who loves to laugh and make memories together. Asher is a bright, sweet, social child who's growing up too quickly, if you ask his mothers. We don't have family close, so an au pair will be so helpful to us, as we both work during the week. We can't wait to welcome you to our family!

Hobbies and Interests:

Crafts or Hobbies: Decorating; Cooking; Baking Sports: Swimming Fine Arts: Singing/Choir Other: reading

Au Pair Preferences:

Meal prep, Children’s laundry, Playtime, Bedtime, Baths, Driving children to school & activities, Homework help

About the Family

2 children (2 years and 4 months old)

Family Personalities:

Hello! My name is Olivia and I have a beautiful girl, Lily (age 2), and a cute little baby boy, Samuel (4 months old). I am originally from Cork, Ireland. As a family, we love the beach (we are members of a beach club near our home), we love to ski in the wintertime, watch hockey and baseball and of course travel!!! Lily is a very energetic, sweet young girl who loves to dance around, color and cuddle with her younger brother. We are a very close family with cousins and grandparents nearby who visit often.

Hobbies and Interests:

Crafts or Hobbies: Photography Other: Community Service; Spending time outdoors; Attending Sporting events

Au Pair Preferences:

Meal prep, Children’s laundry, Playtime, Driving children to school & activities, Homework help

Matching with your host family

The matching process is a two-way street, just like any other relationship should be. You have to fit into the family and the family needs to fit you. You will live as a family member with your host family and take care of the children. Therefore, it is very important that you are on the same wavelength. We also make sure that families adhere to certain standards (e.g. having enough space to give you your own room) so that you can feel at home with them.

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Host family applies

A typical family decides they need support in looking after their kids so they apply to find au pair. They then receive a visit from AuPairCare or our partner agency to make sure their place meets all the necessary criteria. Once they’ve passed, they can see the profiles of potential au pairs.

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Shortlisting

The au pair host family looks through the profiles of potential au pairs in search for an au pair that fits their family. The family selects a maximum of 3 au pairs at the same time.

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Contact and Matching

Once a family is interested in you, you will receive their basic profile together with some valuable tips for your first conversation. You should have at least two conversations with a family before you decide for one another.

The better your application, the greater the chances that you will find your perfect host family within a short amount of time.

Why do families choose to host an au pair?

There are many reasons why families want to host an au pair. Very often, both parents have fulltime jobs and need reliable and flexible care for their children. Many families also want their children to get to know a different culture and therefore opt for an international au pair. 

Your au pair contract for your protection

Your tasks as an au pair are contractually regulated with your host family. Find out more in our guide.

Your contract

  • Just like you, host families must meet certain requirements and are subject to an application process. They apply in writing and are then visited by an AuPairCare representative or a representative of our partner agency. Host families must e.g. be citizens of the host country or have an unlimited residence permit. In addition, they must be able to provide you with your own room and have to agree to the rules of the au pair contract.

  • You don't have to buy expensive gifts. However, we encourage you to find out what your host parents and host children like and give them something with a personal touch. This could e.g. be something typical of your region. If you are going to the US and you are under the age of 21, the gifts should never contain alcohol (wine, chocolates with alcohol, etc.). Gifts are often opened at the security checkpoints at the airport, so don't wrap them up too much. 

  • In consultation with our partner agencies, there is the possibility of changing your host family. When different people live together as a family, personalities sometimes clash. 

    Nevertheless, we would like to ask you to give your host family a real chance. Please keep in mind that it usually takes a few months to get used to a new environment. It is important that you first discuss problems openly with your host family or with your local counselor to see if solutions can be found. We expect you to give it a try for a minimum period of two months after your arrival. If the situation does not improve, you can go through the matching process again and speak to other families for a period of 14 days. Usually, participants are able to find a new host family within this period, but unfortunately, we cannot give you any guarantees.

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