Please see below for the latest news regarding au pairs and the au pair Industry. Please assist BAPAA to keep this up to date by sending relevant articles by e-mail to pr@bapaa.org.uk and we can post it on our site; please remember to give us the source and/or author of the article.
Equally, if you are writing an article about au pairs, please contact BAPAA by e-mailing pr@bapaa.org.uk
READ ON for news items about:
- Home Secretary announces temporary halt to Vetting and Barring Scheme
- BAPAA working with UK government to clarify regulations for au pair industry
- BAPAA Press Release on 18th March 2010 - Au Pairs granted special exemption from ISA Registration
- BAPAA Boat Trip 2010 - date announced
- BAPAA Boat Trip 2009 - Photo competition winner
- BAPAA Discounted Trips with International Friends in 2010
- Au Pair of the Year awarded at City Hall in Vienna
- International Au Pair Association Annual Conference in Vienna, March 2009
- Summer Au Pairs
- Discount for au pairs at Eurocentres London Language Schools
- BAPAA's newly-launched Au Pair Handbook
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15 May 2010
Home Secretary announces temporary halt to Vetting and Barring Scheme
Home Secretary Theresa May has announced that the Government has put a temporary halt to the 'Vetting and Barring Scheme', which would have affected all people working with children and vulnerable adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with registration due to begin in July 2010.
It was agreed prior to the government’s announcement that au pairs were not to be included in the Vetting and Barring Scheme, a decision which BAPAA as an association welcomed, whilst fully supporting all appropriate measures to protect children and vulnerable adults. This legislation would not have applied to the "recruitment" of au pairs via the internet, which continues unregulated, whilst its specific requirements would have created considerable difficulties for agencies bringing au pairs to the UK in a legitimate and responsible manner. For example, in order to register an au pair for the scheme, agencies would have had to apply for a Criminal Records Bureau check, which is impossible for people not already living in the UK .
We would like to make it clear that, despite the Government's decision to halt the Vetting and Barring Scheme, all BAPAA member agencies will of course continue to maintain a high standard of vetting and interviewing, as well as taking up references, medical certificates and police checks from the au pairs' home countries.
The scheme was intended to tighten rules to prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. The Independent Safeguarding Authority will continue to make decisions about barring unsuitable people from "regulated activities". It will also maintain the separate lists of people barred from working with children and vulnerable adults. Criminal Records checks will also remain available for those eligible to receive them, and will continue to be required for certain posts where regulations are already in place.
This announcement will give organisations more time to plan for changes and new phasing-in dates, if appropriate, when announced after the next review. The terms of reference for the remodelling of the Vetting and Barring Scheme and of the Criminal Records regime are currently being considered and a further announcement will be made in due course.
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BAPAA working with U.K. Government to Clarify Regulations for Au Pair industry
Historically, the role of an 'Au Pair' was a specific category within U.K. Immigration Regulations and the Home Office published Guidelines for Au Pairs, which included: age criteria, hours of work and accommodation requirements. At this time, Au Pairs were not governed by employment regulations. In November 2008 the Au Pair category was removed from the UK Immigration Regulations.
Most Au Pairs now come to the U.K. from countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) under the European Freedom of Movement Directive and do not have to meet any specific immigration requirements to be an Au Pair (note that there are still specific Immigration Requirements for Bulgarian and Romanian Au Pairs).
Following the removal of the 'Au Pair' category from the Immigration Regulations in November 2008, the relevance of other UK Laws to Au Pairs needs clarification e.g. do the Working Time Regulations (WTR) apply to Au Pairs?
BAPAA is working closely with the Department for Business Innovation and Skills “BIS” (the Government Department responsible for the Working Time Regulations) and the Department for Children School and Families “DCSF” (the Government Department responsible for the Vetting and Barring Scheme) to develop clear, consistent guidance on the relevance, (if any) of the WTR or other legislation, the subsequent role of an Au Pair and the responsibilities of their host families.
The purpose of this News Release is to advise current and prospective families that the clarification work is actively in progress and before BAPAA receives the official clarification from Government, families may encounter different interpretations on matters such as working hours and holiday entitlement, from different Au Pair Agencies, on the internet and through various other bodies. Please note that in the absence of any definitive guidelines, these are interpretations only.
BAPAA recognises this situation is not satisfactory, however it will only be resolved when the clarification guidance has been issued and we are working with the UK Government on this.
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BAPAA PRESS RELEASE - 18th March 2010
Contact - Rebecca Haworth-Wood - British Au Pair Agencies Association
Telephone – Daytime – 01984 632422
Evening – 01984 639565
Mobile – 07850 501460
AU PAIRS GRANTED SPECIAL EXEMPTION FROM ISA REGISTRATION
Sandra Landau – Chair of the British Au Pair Agencies Association will be formally announcing this important UK Government decision at the International Au Pair Association Annual conference in MIAMI, USA on Thursday 18 April 2010. Au Pairs will be exempt from the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) through a clarification of the term ‘family relationship’
The British Au Pair Agencies Association (BAPAA) has been notified directly of this Government decision by Baroness Delyth Morgan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families, following talks BAPAA has been holding with her Department.
Some of the concerns raised by BAPAA that have resulted in the Government decision to give Au Pairs special exemption from the ISA scheme:
• All BAPAA Member Agencies are already required by our code of conduct to provide a clear overseas police check from the Au Pair’s home country before placement in the UK.
• The registration process would have made it impossible for a foreign Au Pair to register in advance of joining his/her host family and would result in delays in the placement procedure that could negatively affect the family’s childcare arrangements.
• As Au Pairs are exempt from National Minimum Wage regulations, and earn pocket money in the region of £70 per week, the £64 VBS registration fee would have been unaffordable.
• The process of an Au Pair registering with the ISA would have been cumbersome, causing time delays which could have adversely affected his/her placement prospects and the resultant inconvenience to those host families waiting for the process to be completed.
ISA registration was meant to be compulsory for all Au Pairs placed in the UK.
However the Government is not able to police overseas owned Au Pair placement sites on the Internet. This created an anomaly and the Government’s decision to waive the compulsory registration of Au Pairs has resolved this issue as far as Au Pairs recruited through UK Au Pair Agencies is concerned. It is hoped this will discourage the public from recruiting Au Pairs from websites controlled from outside the UK, where usually few or no checks have been carried out.
BAPAA is the voice of the Au Pair industry in the UK and wishes to thank the Department for Children, Schools and Families for their understanding of our concerns.
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BAPAA BOAT TRIP 2010 - date announced
The 2010 BAPAA Boat Trip for BAPAA au pairs and their friends will take place on Sunday 16th May 2010. Come and join the BAPAA Au Pair Club on a private boat trip to Greenwich - have a brilliant day out and the chance to meet many other au pairs. Leaving Festival Pier at 11 am, the boat will travel past famous bridges and historic buildings along the river from Central London, with many exciting views of Westminster including the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye, and then head downstream through the city to the Thames Barrier, Greenwich and back again, arriving back at Festival Pier at 5pm.
Tickets cost £10 for BAPAA au pairs and £12 for friends (non-BAPAA). Contact your BAPAA agency for details.
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BAPAA BOAT TRIP 2009 - Photo Competition Winner
Congratulations to Svenja Hurter who won this year's BAPAA Boat Trip photo competition with this great photo of Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.
Thanks to everyone who sent us their photos - it was hard to pick a winner and we will be putting more of them on the website soon.
We're already planning the next BAPAA Boat Trip in May 2010 - so watch this space for the latest information!
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BAPAA Discounted Trips with International Friends in 2010
BAPAA au pairs - contact your UK agency or email info@bapaa.org.uk to find out about discounted day trips and weekend tours with International Friends - go to their website at www.internationalfriends.co.uk for more details.
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Au Pair of the Year awarded at City Hall in Vienna
Published by Ozgur Tore - credit to ftnnews.com
IAPA - the International Au Pair Association has announced the winner of the Au Pair of the Year, 24-year old, Ricardo Silva de Araujo of Brazil . He was placed with a family in the United States .
Now in its sixth year, the annual award presented by IAPA goes to an Au Pair that embodies the spirit of cultural exchange. Families from around the world that have received an Au Pair from one of IAPA’s 140 plus member agencies can nominate candidates for the award. A panel of IAPA representatives then selects three finalists from the hundreds of entries, with a winner chosen from these.
“As is the case every year, we had a very difficult time selecting just one winner from the many, many deserving entries we received. Ricardo was so special for his openness, sharing and commitment to his host family and their son Taylor,” said Jack Hompes, IAPA chairman.
Cultural Care Au Pair, an organisation based in the USA placed Ricardo with the Boyer family. The family’s now 17-year son, Taylor is multi-handicapped, having suffered an allergic reaction to an immunization as a six month old. He is unable to speak, has difficulty walking and experiences seizures. In Ricardo’s words however, “he may not able to talk, but he is able to feel. His feelings are pure as an angel and his smile when happy, is the best way to say thank you.”
Upon Ricardo’s arrival with the Boyer family that was in the midst of preparing for their daughter’s upcoming wedding, Ricardo was amazed by the incredible patience and support the family showed him during this stressful time. There was much Ricardo had to learn in order to help properly care for Taylor and the family’s support made the enormous transition to a new culture, new language and learning new skills much easier.
Talking about his time with the family, Ricardo says, “I learned the real meaning of love, patience and respect. Real love does not come in phrases like: “I love you,” this is easy to say but difficult to feel.
Taylor’s disability is not an obstacle for his happiness, this has made me feel good. I love Taylor and know he loves me back. I can feel it.”
Ricardo concludes, ”I came to America as an au pair, I will leave a better human being.”
For his achievement, Ricardo Silva de Araujo received a commemorative plaque and prize from IAPA, in addition to an all expense paid trip to Vienna to receive the award.
The award is presented as part of the IAPA Annual Conference and in conjunction with the Work Experience Travel Market.
About the International Au Pair Association (IAPA)
The International Au Pair Association (IAPA) was established in 1994 by cultural exchange organisations seeking to improve and protect the rights of au pairs and host families around the world. The association has been responsible for the creation of internationally recognised guidelines for au pairs and exchange programmes with its 140 plus member organisations agreeing to abide by the IAPA Code of Conduct: signifying competence, fair dealing and high integrity.
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International Au Pair Association Annual Conference in Vienna
March 2009
The IAPA Annual Conference is the Association’s most important yearly event and is attended by many British au pair agencies, providing its members with a forum to discuss the challenges and solutions for the community, and the opportunity to trade and conduct business amongst members and invited outside organisations. Additionally, the conference hosts the presentation of the Au Pair of the Year award.
Taking advantage of the business and trade muscle of the Work Experience Travel Market, the event enables IAPA members and attending au pair organisations looking to diversify into other aspects of work experience, the opportunity to meet and conduct business with 300 plus specialists in work and travel programmes.
The Work Experience Travel Market and IAPA Annual Conference are organised by The WYSE Work Abroad Association and the International Au Pair Association, IAPA.
The Work Experience Travel Market and IAPA Annual Conference bring together the world’s leading organisations in the work experience, au pair and cultural exchange markets, some 215 organisations representing more than 45 countries under one roof. It provides an exceptionally targeted opportunity to establish and strengthen sector-focused partnerships, gain industry intelligence and tap into emerging global markets.
Apart from a chance to meet partner agencies on an individual basis, the Work Experience Travel Market and the IAPA Annual Conference seminar programme presents topics ranging from industry and sector specific concerns to tools of the trade educational workshops and discussions.
Delivered by leading industry experts and invited guests, the seminars target the unique challenges and needs of the work experience, au pair and cultural exchange markets.
Navigating Through the Au Pair Regulatory Landscape
Au pairing is one of the most closely regulated and publically visible sectors in the cultural exchange marketplace. Governments with good intentions continually seek to enhance the rules and regulations that govern the community. Unfortunately, policies introduced may sometimes overlook the practical needs of host families and Au Pair agencies. At the same time, the media, always on the hunt for the latest Au Pair misfortune, often fail to remember that the majority of placements by far are properly matched, and the participants thrilled with the experience. Today’s Au Pair organisations need to be able to stay abreast and adapt to ever-changing regulatory demands and to increased scrutiny by the media as well.
As the world’s leading global association for au pairing, IAPA seeks to keep its members informed of legislative changes throughout the marketplace and play an active role in influencing these changes. Through its work with National Au Pair Associations and Pan-European Associations like ECAPS (European Committee on Au Pair Standards), IAPA lobbies on behalf of the community to establish and lift the standards for au pairing around the world and communicate its unique benefits to the international media. Building on the strength of its seminar presented at the IAPA Conference 2008, this year’s session in Vienna will once again feature prominent government authorities and key industry stakeholders examining the trends, national standards, and current rules and regulations in the industry.
At the seminar, agencies will discover where the market is moving; which ideas and developments governments are considering and/or implementing, and how standards and regulations can and will affect the au pair programmes. We will learn how agencies around the world are collaborating with each other and with government to meet market challenges through the implementation of comprehensive standards and regulations.
The market is constantly changing. Navigating successfully through these changes and taking full advantage of the opportunities that changing regulatory measures provide will help to not only improve the industry but the au pair experience as well.
(Source: IAPA)
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Summer Au Pairs
It is about this time each year that parents begin to ask the same question, "What will the kids be doing for the summer?" For parents who have busy schedules, it can be challenging to meet summer child care needs for school-aged children. Some parents mix and match from assorted options: a week with the grandparents, a week at day camp, two weeks of activities through the town's recreation department. By the time it's all over, parents need a holiday from summer holiday. Many families discover the benefits of a summer au pair to help out during the holidays. An au pair is usually a young adult from a foreign country who is there to care for children. We are spreading the word about the Summer Au Pair programme through members of the British Au Pair Agencies Association.
"With a summer au pair, parents can relax and take comfort in knowing that their child is going to have a great summer with someone they can trust."
Au pair candidates are screened for appropriate child care experience, English language ability and education. Candidates go through a rigorous application process, which includes interview, personal references and background checks such as Medical and Police reports. Only the best can travel!
Once an au pair is accepted into the programme, the candidate is matched with a potential host family. A host family also completes an application, in which family members describe themselves, their lifestyle, their children and child care needs. A family may also indicate preferences, such as a male or female,
or a specific foreign language.
Any families interested in hosting a summer au pair should apply with a BAPAA agency to find a vetted and instructed candidate and continuous support.
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Discount for au pairs at Eurocentres London Language Schools
BAPAA has secured a £20 discount on the cost of Eurocentres' 12-week part-time English courses, at their two London language schools in Victoria and Lee Green. They run courses at all levels and offer excellent facilities. Their students come from all over the world and it is a great place to make friends AND improve your English.
The new term begins on 14th September 2010, and the discount voucher for courses started before 30th September 2010, is available to download now - see below.
For more information go to the Eurocentres Language Schools website at www.eurocentres.com
Click here to download discount voucher.
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BAPAA launches its Au Pair Handbook - "Welcome to the UK"
BAPAA is pleased to offer a copy of "Welcome to the UK - The Au Pair Handbook"
at a special on-line price of £4.00, plus 85p postage and packing (RRP £5.99). Please email info@bapaa.org.uk to order your copy - payment can either be made by cheque made out to BAPAA, or by Paypal (please go to www.paypal.co.uk and make your payment for £4.85 to finance@bapaa.org.uk quoting the delivery address, if you wish to pay by this method).
This 48-page booklet has been compiled by Sandra Landau, Chairperson of the Association, as a useful tool for newly arrived au pairs. It is an informative reference guide for au pairs and host families offering practical advice and guidance to ensure a successful, memorable and safe stay in the UK.
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