LC Exchange Guide+School Toolkit - Flipbook - Page 16
There are two ways to find a host family, one is through personal
contacts, and the other is through a company.
The Council of Europe have a European Agreement on Au Pair Placement. Ireland never signed up to this treaty, however
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland did.
According to the agreement:
“Au pair” placement is the temporary reception by families, in exchange for certain services, of young
foreigners who come to improve their linguistic and possibly professional knowledge as well as their
general culture by acquiring a better knowledge of the country where they are received. The person placed
“au pair” shall not be less than 17 or more than 30 years of age. Au pairs receive board and lodging, time to
attend a language course, one full free day per week and pocket money.
Students may come across The European Committee for Au Pair Standards (ECAPS) while undertaking research. ECAPS
was established in April 2006 with the objective of defining au pair standards within Europe. It aims to establish one
set of rules and guidelines for au pairs, host families, au pair agencies, and national au pair associations. ECAPS’ activities
include lobbying and discussions with the Council of Europe, the European Commission and individual governments to
ultimately establish recognition of the au pair exchange as a cultural exchange programme throughout Europe. Despite
its official sounding name, it is not a European Commission group, it is a policy of the International Au Pair Association.
Useful links
IAPA
IAPA is the International Au Pair Association https://www.iapa.org
France
The Union Française des Agences Au Pair (UFAAP) was established in 2000. UFAAP has 14
members and is the only official union in France specialised in au pair placements both
inbound and outbound.
UFAAP member agencies are renowned for their reliability, seriousness, quality of selected
families, suitable students and screening of both parties. The goal is to set quality standards,
rules and regulations in the au pair placements. UFAAP is in continuous conversation with
French government officials to get a national agreement that would make au pair placements
officially recognised as a cultural exchange www.ufaap.org
Germany
The Au‑Pair Society e.V is a non‑profit national organisation founded in 2000. Au‑Pair
Society member agencies (nearing 50) abide to high‑quality standards that have been
revised according to ECAPS guidelines and are applicable for both inbound and outbound
placements.
The Society gives advice, supports networking among members and provides a lobbying
body to improve, support and protect this cultural exchange programme. The Au‑Pair
Society e.V. is an acknowledged association, accredited by the German Bundestag
https://www.aupair-society.de/
Italy
The Associazione Nazionale Italiana Alla Pari (ANIAP) was established in November
2013 as the Italian National Au Pair Association. The goal of the association is to help
young people who want to become au pairs and families who want to become host
families www.aniap.org
Spain
The Asociación Española del Programa Aupair (AEPA) is a not for‑profit organisation, whose
aim is to promote quality and professionalism among the Spanish organisations involved in
the au pair business and defend the interests of families and au pairs.
https://www.agenciasaupairaepa.es/
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How-to Manual for School Exchanges
