Au pair Italy

Au Pair Italy: A Life Experience

Au pair Italy: job description
Generally an au pair in Italy, but also everywhere around the world, is a girl who go live with a family and plays with the children, helps around the house, and helps with picking the kids up and dropping them off from various activities. Not a complex job description. As an English speaking au pair in Italy  your primary role is to take care of the children, and above all interact with them in English. Food and accommodation in the family home are provided for free. Housekeeping duties are minimal, although an au pair in Italy is usually required to do the duties associated with the children needs, such as making the children's beds, washing and ironing, and cooking dinner from time to time. You should not be roped into heavy housework. Babysitting is obviously one of the roles of the au pair, but this should not exceed two nights a week.

Au pair Italy: hours
If you're going to work as an au pair in Italy, it is important to clarify at the very beginning the exact amount of hours you are expected to work, so that your 'free time' is clearly defined. This can be difficult to establish because, as you quickly learn, when you live under one roof with a family, you soon become sister, babysitter, nanny and general house-helper. However, with most families, daytime hours are your free time (maybe 10.00 – 2.00), since the children are at school, and in addition you also are entitled to one-two days off a week. Again, the most advisable option is to negotiate this with the family from day one.

Au pair Italy: how to find a job
If you intend to work as an au pair in Italy, you can either try to  have a job lined-up before you leave your own country, or try to get one once in Italy. Especially if you don't speak the language, finding your au pair job in Italy online prior to your departure, can be rather relaxing and has several advantages. In this case, the family that will be employing you,  has usually to pay for your return airfare and travel insurance, allowing you to save enormously on costs and hassle. The downside is that, in most cases, you will not have met the family beforehand and therefore know very little about them, so it is a gamble. One thing you could do, is to try and contact the family's previous nannies, they will answer honestly to your questions, and give an insight on the job. The most widely used sources for finding a job as an au pair in Italy from your home country are Internet sites, such as Goabroad.com, Greataupairs.com, or Easyaupair.com. In case you decide to get your job as an au pair in Italy,  after your arrival, or you don't get along fine with the family you've chosen, you can always try with local agencies, here some useful links. If you want to be an au pair in Rome you can check Euroma, or Intermediate Online. If you are in Bologna Au Pair International can be your choice, whereas if you are in Florence you can try with Au pair Florence and last but not least those who are in Turin can turn to Celtic Childcare. Enjoy the fulfilling experience of being an au pair in Italy!