How Are Au Pairs Screened?

Screening happens before you ever see a profile

Choosing who cares for your children is the single biggest decision in this process, so it is worth understanding what has already happened before a candidate appears in your search results.

Every applicant goes through vetting before matching with any family. That is not a final check at the end — it is the gate at the front.

What the process covers

• A detailed application covering background, motivation and experience
• Personal interviews — a real conversation, not a form
• Reference checks with people who have seen the applicant care for children
• Background screening
• Documented childcare experience, with hours and ages
• English language ability, assessed rather than self-declared

The purpose is to confirm that each candidate is qualified, trustworthy and genuinely prepared for a year of cultural exchange in a family home.

Screening narrows the field — it does not choose for you

This distinction matters, and families sometimes miss it. Screening establishes that a candidate is safe and capable. It cannot establish that they are right for your household — your routine, your parenting style, your children's temperaments.

You still review profiles and choose who fits your home. You are never handed a name and told to accept it, and you should never feel you are guessing either.

What to look for once screening has done its job

Since safety and capability are established, spend your attention on fit:

• Experience with the ages of your own children, specifically
• Comfort with your actual schedule, including early mornings or evening activities
• Whether their described approach to discipline resembles yours
• Driving confidence, if your household depends on it
• Whether the conversation felt easy — you will be living together

Support does not stop at the match

Screening is the beginning of the safety net, not the whole of it. Once your au pair arrives, a Local Coordinator stays in contact with both sides throughout the year.