Information for Host Families

Hosting an au pair means welcoming a young person from another country into your home – not as an employee, but as a member of the family. In exchange for room, board, and pocket money, your au pair helps with childcare and everyday family life, while you provide them with a warm home, guidance, and the chance to experience your culture and language firsthand. It's a relationship built on mutual respect, trust, and the shared experience of cultural exchange.

IAPA is the international trade association for au pair agencies. While we don't arrange placements ourselves, our member agencies are experienced professionals who screen host families and au pairs carefully, and support both throughout the placement

To ensure a safe and positive experience for everyone involved, we always recommend working with an IAPA member agency in your country. You can find our member agencies  under Member Search

Below, you'll find answers to some of the most common questions host families ask.

Au Pa ir with child doing homework

Host Family FAQs

1. Why should we apply through an agency to become a host family?

Finding the right match between a host family and an au pair takes experience and care. Agencies support you throughout this process – from understanding your needs and preferences to helping you find a well-screened au pair who is a good fit for your family. And their work doesn't end with the matching and placement: they continue to support both you and your au pair throughout the entire stay.

2. What are our responsibilities as a host family?

As a host family, you provide your au pair with a private room, meals, and a fair amount of free time, alongside a safe and welcoming home environment. You're also expected to treat your au pair as a member of the family, involving them in daily life, respecting their personal time, and supporting their cultural exchange experience.

Your agency will provide you with detailed guidelines specific to your country's regulations.

3. What does it cost to host an au pair?

Hosting an au pair typically involves an agency placement fee, the au pair's pocket money, health insurance, and sometimes a contribution toward language classes, travel costs, and public transport. Costs vary by country and agency. Your agency will provide a clear, itemised overview of all expected costs, based on the regulations in your country.

4. How much pocket money do I need to give my au pair?

Pocket money amounts are often set out in national au pair regulations and must be clearly agreed with your au pair in advance. It should continue to be paid during agreed holidays and periods of sickness. Your agency will inform you of any government regulations on pocket money that apply in your country.

5. Do we need to provide health insurance for our au pair?

In most countries, insurance for the au pair is a requirement to be paid by the host family. Your agency will advise you on the specific insurance requirements in your country and can often help arrange suitable coverage.

4. We are not happy with our au pair, what should we do?

  • Start with communication. Many issues are small and can be resolved through open, regular conversation with your au pair.
  • If you can't resolve the issue directly, contact your placement agency. They can help mediate between you and your au pair.
  • Sometimes a match simply doesn't work out – even when both the family and the au pair have done their best. This doesn't mean you're not a good host family, or that the au pair isn't a good match for someone else; some pairings just aren't the right fit.
  • If the placement needs to end, your agency will support both you and your au pair in finding a new match. There is usually a notice period, agreed in advance in your contract, during which you continue to host the au pair. Both parties are expected to treat each other with respect throughout this time.
  • Your agency will guide you through the process, including ending the contract correctly and handling any necessary deregistration with official authorities and insurance providers

7. There are no IAPA member agencies in my country. What should we do?

Contact the relevant government department in your country and ask for a list of reputable au pair agencies.

You can also check for a national au pair association in your country. Even if their member agencies aren't IAPA members themselves, they typically follow the national association's code of ethics and are generally reliable organisations. You can find a list of national associations on our [National Associations →] page.

Whichever route you take, it's important to carefully check the reliability of any organisation before proceeding.

Be cautious about finding au pairs through social media or other online platforms. These channels typically don't screen au pairs, and scammers frequently use them to target host families.

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