The au pair-host family relationship usually brings wonderful experiences for both parties. However, in some cases, personalities don’t mesh, or expectations differ, which can lead to tension.
Setting expectations in advance can make a potential rematch easier, and your Local Childcare Consultant (LCC) is there to guide you through the process if things don’t go as planned.
Unsure what steps to take when challenges arise? We've outlined the process below.
Keep communication lines open
First and foremost, keep communication open with your au pair. Both you and your au pair should feel comfortable discussing how things are going. If challenges come up, try to work through them together before seeking further support.
When issues persist despite your efforts, reach out to your Local Childcare Consultant, who will arrange a mediation meeting for all parties involved.
Meet with your Local Childcare Consultant
During this meeting, your LCC will sit down with you and your au pair to discuss the issues and explore potential solutions. The LCC may recommend a trial period to see if things can improve after making some adjustments. If the situation still doesn’t improve after this period, the next step is an exit interview.
The exit interview
An exit interview provides an opportunity for you, your au pair, and your LCC to finalize the details for the coming weeks. Your au pair will stay with your family for up to two weeks to allow time for a transition. If they continue working during this period, they are entitled to their weekly stipend. If you decide they won’t be working, the stipend is not required. The exit interview covers the au pair’s schedule, their last working day, and any modified rules, such as curfew and car use.
Follow-up with your Customer Relations Manager
After the exit interview, your Customer Relations Manager will check in to answer any questions and discuss your options for finding a new au pair.
While Cultural Care will do its best to support you, it’s wise to have backup childcare available, as a gap between au pairs can occasionally occur.
A rematch
Although rematches are rare, they do happen. Setting expectations early and maintaining open communication can help prevent a rematch situation. However, when rematches do occur, they often lead to happy outcomes.
Host mom Swati Sharma, who nominated her rematch au pair for Au Pair of the Year, shares that what makes her au pair’s story so remarkable is how it all began—"We were her third family after two re-matches in her first 3 months as an au pair!”
For Swati, the experience proved that there is often an ideal match waiting, even if it doesn’t happen right away.