AU PAIR INFORMATION: For information on au pairs and horse jobs or Au pairs for Ireland please contact Jane Kidd at 04844 615105 Email: horsejobs@btinternet.com
Many thanks for your enquiry regarding work in Ireland/U.K. either with children only (or with children and horses or just horses if this is your choice).Our offices are in Northern Ireland but nearly 99% of our families are in the Irish Republic, mainly Dublin and the other main cities as well as every part of the countryside in towns, villages and rural areas......we have applicants to suit every family no matter where they live
We have many families in Cities and towns in Ireland and the UK.
We also have families who have horses or animals and have many families who live in the countryside or by the sea. What is an au Pair?: Who can apply to be an au pair through this agency?. What will it cost? Working Hours/Days per week Wages or “Pocket Money” (THESE ARE MINIMUM RATES) Standard Au Pair – (25 hours: € 90/100* per week minimum) Au Pair Plus (35 hours: € 100/120* per week minimum) *A slightly higher rate of pay is expected from families who live in the country to off set the cost of travel from the family home during time off. Some families offer the use of a bicycle, a car or a pre-paid bus pass which help with travel expenses. A mothers help (40/45 hours per week €120/180) would expect a higher rate of pay: and is available to work longer hours with children and usually is a more responsible sort of applicant who could work without supervision or help and would expect a slightly higher rate of pay than that of a standard au pair: € 120 per week for a 5 day week – 8 hour day/40 hour week. Rates of pay for a qualified nanny are available on request from this office. Many families pay more than the Internationally recommended rate, especially if they like you and you get along with the children – some pay for monthly bus tickets or private sport club membership or the use of the car, some might help towards the cost of your travel to this country – if you are short of money, please ask and we will see what we can do, but cannot make any promises. Other “Carer type” jobs. What do you need to be an au pair through this agency: 1. Supply a written Medical Certificate and be in good health – a medical certificate is required if you want to be an au pair for more than 6 months – it must show any allergies, physical or mental illnesses presently affecting you as it is important that the family knows about these things for your safety and continued good health. We will accept a medical certificate which is up to 1 year old in date. You must have a genuine interest in children – if you don’t, it will not work out and you will be waiting everyone’s time…au pairing is not a free holiday, it is a job of sorts and you will have to make a commitment to yourself and the family. Be able to pay for your own travel arrangements. Some families will help with airfares for long term au pair applicants (6 to 12 months) but as you have the option of changing families within the first month if you are not happy, it is not reasonable to expect the family to pay for your flights/Bus etc if you might not stay with them. If you are male, we do have families who might take you but these are limited and tend to be mainly in the countryside rather than in the cities. You must supply 1 PASSPORT SIZED PHOTO (even 1 is enough as we can scan it to our computer files and forward to the family)…You can send this by Email provided you know how to do this properly – our computers have been jammed in the past by life sized photos taking hours to download …if you are not sure how to send a photo by email – ask someone or sent it by normal post…..thanks. REFERENCES – If you want to work with children, you must be able to supply a reference or references. Ideally, this should be from someone who has Children that you have cared for in the past – it can be a family member but a non family member is more desirable. It can be from a previous employer or a character reference from your school/college if you are a recent school leaver. It must state that you are a reliable and trustworthy person and are capable of looking after children on you own if needs be. It should outline the duties you performed, when you worked and for how long - providing the contact name, address, telephone and email address and/or a copy of a written reference that you might already have. If it is in your Language, please provide a written translation for the family. What to do next if you want to go ahead: If you can’t send your completed application straight away, let us know by email that you are interested and we will put your name into our computer.Send your completed application as soon as you can and include photo’s of yourself. How long does it take to get a family: It can take from a few days up to a month for a successful placement, depending upon the time of year but we nearly always have families waiting for applicants so it can be as short as 10-14 days.. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU…………Jane Kidd Aupairs2ireland and Horsejobs-Ireland Tel/Fax: 0044 2844 61 51 06 (the fax is automatic only during office hours) (Tel/Fax: 048 44 615106 – from the Irish Republic if you are already in Ireland) Our offices are in Northern Ireland but most of our families are in the Irish Republic but our Telephones are UK numbers. IF YOU WANT TO WORK WITH HORSES AS WELL AS CHILDREN , PLEASE ALSO COMPLETE A HORSE JOBS QUESTIONAIRE AVAILABLE FROM THIS OFFICE…….. HOPEFULLY…HELPFUL HINTS for au pairs and grooms. From Jane Kidd telephone: 004 2844 615106) The National Airline of Ireland is aerlingus and the second airline is www.RYANAIR.COM ryanair There are several other airlines which operate from the Major cities on the Continent directly to Dublin, Cork, and Shannon(Limerick), Knock(Sligo), Waterford, Belfast International, and Belfast City airports – if you cannot get a direct flight, many people use the London airports as a connecting point into Ireland. Look on the map to see where your host family lives before you book…. Here are some useful websites which you should visit before you make your travel arrangements – check out which area you are going to and how to get there. go ireland detailed maps of all areas in Ireland. ireland-information – detailed maps of all areas in Ireland discoverireland You can also travel by Coach and Ferry or Train and Ferry – stenaline and pandoferries operate a constant ferry service between the Uk and Ireland, Primarily between Holyhead(North Wales) and Dublin or Dun Laoire and Fishguard(S. Wales) and Rosslare. The ferries can take from 90 minutes for the fastest to 3 hours for the slowest ferries between Uk and Ireland. Please note that there are 32 ‘Counties’ in the whole island of Ireland – There are 26 ‘Counties’ in the Republic of Ireland and there are 6 ‘Counties’ in Northern Ireland. There is no visible border between the 2 areas. The Republic of Ireland is a Euro Zone and Northern Ireland still uses the UK £. Buses in Ireland are cheaper than trains which are faster;
You can buy bus and train tickets on line and pick them up at the station:
www.buseireann.ie There is a bus every 15 minutes from Dublin Airport to BUSARUS (the central bus station) every 15 minutes. There is also a bus to 8 different hotels around the greater Dublin area called the Air Coach from bus stop No 5 at the airport. The Bank at Dublin airport is open 24 hours per day. There is a Vodafone shop at Dublin airport open till 2200 hours where you can purchase an Irish SIM card for your mobile phone – all mobile phones in Ireland begin with 085, 086 or 087 depending on which service you buy into. What is expected of you as an au pair or a horse job seeker…. For those of you who have not worked before, it is important to remember that you are taking up employment when you are here – even if it is as an au pair, and you are only receiving pocket money – you have entered into a contract (of sorts..) with a family or employer to do certain things for a certain amount of time per day, and that is what is expected of you. Your working hours are the hours devoted to the wishes and needs of the family and employer. If you are asked to do something, DO IT , and do it immediately. If there is a routine established – keep to this routine and presume that you will be required to do the same thing every day unless you are asked not to – Many families and employers are exasperated by aupairs/employees who have to be told – every single day – the same instructions…….it is extremely annoying and some families refuse to have certain nationalities because of this…..use your initiative…look around and see what has to be done before you have to be told – this goes for all jobs – childcare and horse care … If you don’t do what you are asked or expected to do, or have an ‘attitude’ when asked to do something – you will soon be asked to leave and believe me, it does happen and I have to find families or employers for applicants who are not given a good recommendation from their first Host family or employer – I cannot always find a second (or sometimes 3rd) job in all cases… Cultural differences / settling in……. There is no doubt that each nationality is different; this is the reason we travel, to see new places and experience different ways of life. Language is different, food is different and habits are different and it takes time to get used to these differences. Some we accept for what they are and some we never accept. Most Irish people are very friendly, inquisitive, talkative and eager to please, whilst others are quiet, withdrawn and difficult to get to know and it is important for you to realise that it takes time and a little effort on both side for a good working relationship to be established. For this reason, there is a recommended trial period of 1-2 weeks between the host family/employer and the applicant. If, on day one, you hate the place…... don’t panic. Wait for a day or two to see if things appear in a different light, as they often do. The family has to get to know you as well. You are not the only one to have to make adjustments. First impressions, if bad, are not always correct.. Contact this office and talk about any immediate problems and see what can be done. In the end, a change is always an option open to everyone. Attached is a list of Do’s and Don’t – we have put this together through years of dealing with au pair and horsejob seekers as well as families and employers – PLEASE READ IT AND BRING IT WITH YOU TO IRELAND……IT CONTAINS USEFUL INFORMATION….. Do’s and Don’t’s Do carry some identification around with you in your bag, especially when you are out socially. This proves your age and nationality. It is a good idea to photocopy your passport and to keep a copy with you. NEVER give your passport to anyone, keep it in a safe place at home and don’t bring it with you in case your handbag is stolen… Do bring an International electricity adaptor with you so as you can use your own hairdryer, C.D. player or other electrical appliances (available at most airports) rather than having to constantly ‘borrow’. Do bring your own or International Driving licence with you if you have one. Do bring a copy of your car insurance from your home (if you have one)… Do bring some student identification with you if you are or have just been a full time student as you can get an International student Identity card from USIT (Irish Student travel Service) and a special travel card for the bus and train services within Ireland. Contact the USIT office on your arrival in the nearest Large town. You can get a student rail card from any Train station – ask for an application form. Do have a look at a map of Ireland and know where you are going . There are 26 ‘Counties’ (Or regions) in the Irish Republic and 6 in Northern Ireland. You can go to www.discoverireland.ie or www.browseireland.com When you get here, try and form a mental picture of the geographical position of your family in relation to the local town/city and know how to give directions to a taxi or , Police, Ambulance, Fire Brigade (999) should you need to. You can get maps and information from the Irish Tourist Board in your country before you come to Ireland/UK. You can then show your parents/friends where you are going. Do find out how the parents in the family would like you to address them. Some would like to be called Mr and Mrs at all times, others are happy to be called by the their first names but it is good manners to ask in the first place – this is an Irish custom. Do find out how to properly use the washing machine, dishwasher, dryer, answering machine, house alarm etc. Do bring your Mobile Phone with you if you have one – you can purchase a Irish SIM card quite cheaply and put it into your phone on a “pay and use” basis. It is very expensive for your family to phone you on a Non Irish mobile as roaming charges are very high in Ireland. Do bring the correct clothing with you. It seldom snows in Ireland for more than a day or two but it can be very wet and the coldness tends to be very damp rather than dry..in the summer time it is warm but never very hot. Don’t drink the last bit of milk or eat the last piece of bread in the evening as it might be needed for a sick or hungry child in the middle of the night. Tell someone if food has run out - they may have forgotten. Don’t use all the hot water every time you have a shower or bath. A lot of houses in Ireland, especially older ones, do not have wonderful plumbing or water heating facilities and your one long shower in the morning might result in the rest of the household having no hot water for the rest of the day. Find out when is the best time to take a shower/bath to suit everyone. Social life It is important that you have a social life, if you are an au pair, remember that you have babysitting duties and that the requirements of the family come first. It is better if you try and establish well ahead of time, when you will be required to baby sit so that there can be no mix up. For both au pairs and Grooms ; If you are going out for a social evening the following points should be observed. Do find out if the family require you to be back at a particular time. If you find this restricting, please try and discuss it with the family and come to some agreement. If you expect to be out all night, tell the family as they may wish to at least lock the door and not to expect you in. Don’t give out the family telephone number without first clearing it with the family – they may have had previous security problems that you do not know about… Don’t invite anyone back to stay with you, even if you have your own apartment until you have been in your job for a while and know whether this would be acceptable or not – and if it is not, please respect the families wishes – again - they may have had security problems in the past that you don’t know about. Don’t invite ‘new found friends’ to call around to your house without clearing it with the family. If you are asked out on a date, make arrangements to meet at a convenient public place or outside the front gate if they are calling for you. Do keep the telephone number and address of your family/employer with you when you go out. Do contact other au pairs/grooms etc of your nationality in your area (sometimes we can help)- they might be lonely or homesick or might just like to meet you!. Don’t use the telephone/fax/computer without first asking. It costs 60 c per minute to call Europe and as most households can see what calls are made on their telephone account, it will soon become apparent if you have been using the telephone without permission. A good idea is to ask if you can make a brief call to home and get them to call you back or arrange for your family or friends to call you at a convenient time.. Don’t sit on the phone for hours, It can be very irritating for families having the phone engaged for long periods especially if they run a business from their home. Try the old fashioned art of letter writing, post cards or email!!!!.. Don’t take any drastic action if you find you are not happy. Most problems can be quickly resolved with a phone call. If you have any problems of a serious nature with any male member of the family or staff in the form of unwelcome attention etc, or more normal difficulties, please contact this office first as we have had a lot of experience in dealing with many problems and may be better able to handle them for you or give you advice on how to do so. If you do decide to change family, you must give this office, at least 7 days notice of your intention to change/leave as it may leave them in a difficult position should a replacement not be available immediately. There is no problem with you leaving and it should not cause you any awkwardness, after all, the family have the same right, to ask you to leave should they not feel comfortable with you. If you have a problem telling the family or employer of your desire to leave, you could contact this office and we would be happy to help and can do this for you… We are available during office hours (10 – 1900) and at reasonable times at the weekend at the following: Phone from the Irish Republic: 048 44 61 51 06 From within Northern Ireland/U.K: 02844 61 51 06 Leave a message if it is an answering machine and we will get back to you. Do contact this office first if you have any problems whatsoever – Jane Kidd and staff…….. DO TRY AND BE HAPPY AND HAVE A [ back to top ] IRISH AU PAIRS WISHING TO AU PAIR ABROAD If you are an Irish applicant and are interested in going abroad for a period of 3 months or more, we can place you with a family in any of the following countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. You have to pay for your own Flight to and from your chosen country and your language classes, if you wish to attend (unless otherwise arraigned with the host family) You will be given contact numbers of other au pairs in the same vicinity as you, at the time of your stay, and you must abide by the family rules of the home. There are places in every country you should not visit; this will be explained to you by the host family of your chosen country. You will have to supply a completed application form to this office along with 2 references (which cannot be from friends or relatives, and which will be checked) some recent photos of you, preferably with children, a medical certificate, copy of your passport, copy of drivers license if you are going to drive in the country you have chosen, have a basic understanding of the language and last but not least, a Dear family letter to the family, outlining your details, hobbies, interests, experience with children, why you want to be an au pair, generally about your family, brothers/sisters and this must be in the language of the country you have chosen. On no occasion must you slap or shake children, no matter what the circumstances. If you have a problem with the children or their behaviour, you must discuss this with the family and ask what the best way to deal with the situation is. Be prepared to try different foods, some of them you will love and others may not be to your liking, explain this to the family and usually they will try to supply food that you like. You will be asked to do some light housework, child care and evening babysitting as part of your au pair care and in return will receive pocket money, usually on a weekly basis, the amount varies from country to country. For more information please contact this office at aupairs4ireland@ireland.com Telephone: 04844 615106
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