Work abroad in Gaetano's family for 3-12 Months starting from Apr 2024 as an Au Pair to take care of 2 children of 0 - 1 year old & 1 - 5 years old in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna Italy

Work Hours and Vacation:
The Au pair will be expected to work 36 hours a week divided into 6 hours a day with 1 day off per week (Sunday). On sick days or periods in which the Host Family may need more support the Au pair may be asked to work extra hours which may be accumulated as paid vacation. The Au pair is entitled to 1 week of unpaid vacation every three months.

Au Pair Duties:
• Preparing meals for children when host family is out, and clean kitchen after mealtimes, including vacuuming after mealtimes and mopping once daily)
• Washing older child’s clothes and hanging them to dry every day as well as folding them and putting them away once dry.
• Maintaining play area clean and organized, putting away toys at the end of the day and wiping down playmat/vacuuming floor around and under playmat.
• Occasionally picking up older child from nursery in the afternoons upon previous agreement
• Tidy up bathroom and changing area after bath time.
• Occasionally carry out bath time and bedtime routine.
• Design age-appropriate activities and games for older child
• Changing baby diapers, preparing bottles for feeding, putting baby to sleep.
• Take care of children during the day when he is home from the nursery due to illness

Our Expectations:

When an Au pair comes to stay with us, it is important for her to remember that she is not just a houseguest or a nanny but an effective member of our household. She eats with us, shares space with us, uses resources and produces waste (for lack of better words!)– just like the rest of us. It’s hard work keeping a household running smoothly, and there are always things that need to be done to keep the living space as clean and clutter-free as possible and make sure that everyone’s needs are met. For this reason, the Au pair will be expected to partake in some additional chores, just like she may have been expected to do at home while living with her family. During her workday, the Au pair needs to assess where she is most needed and be proactive in undertaking the various tasks that are necessary for family cohesiveness. Some of the tasks that need to be done regularly are:
- Help empty and fill the dishwasher (Alberto loves to help out with this!)
- Wipe down kitchen counter and tabletops after mealtimes
- Vacuum bathroom, changing area, kitchen/living room, bathroom, staircase and
downstairs corridor
- Mop above areas
- Take out the trash when full
- Empty nappy bin when full
- Collect fruit and vegetables from garden

These are all tasks that the host family undertakes each day and are usually divided among the adults in the family, Au Pair included. While there will be specific moments in each day dedicated to some of these tasks (i.e Vacuuming and mopping at the end of the day, clearing table and wiping down countertops after meals), we expect the Au pair to be collaborative and take initiative in carrying out the rest of these essential tasks during moments in her day when she isn’t occupied with caregiving duties (i.e. when children are napping, host parents are occupied with the children, etc).

We are looking for a young lady who is emotionally mature, considerate, and proactive. We have had A LOT of experience hosting Au Pairs for the last 3 years, and it has been a learning experience for us. We have had the privilege of meeting some AMAZING young women, with whom we still remain in contact and have enriched our lives, and that of our children during their stay with us. And we have also hosted a couple of young ladies who, despite the fact have received the same information (contract, info pack, verbal instructions and demonstrations) were not very helpful, putting us in some very uncomfortable situations. We need a person who is willing and able to take the role of another adult in the household, not that of a teenage daughter who needs to be constantly corrected and reminded about what needs to be done, or who we need to clean up after (we already have a toddler and a baby!) If you are considering our family, we ask that you personally interrogate yourself, and make an assessment of your ability and willingness to enter into such a family dynamic before you make your decision.


For more information on Au Pair duties, Host Family expectations and a complete work-schedule breakdown the Au Pair may consult the " Family Au Pair Guidebook" and "Au Pair Hosting Agreement" which will be provided once the Au Pair has passed the second round of the selection process. The Host Family will be happy to answer any questions or concerns that the Au Pair may have during any stage of the selection process.

Interview Process:

1) After initial contact and established interest by both parties, the host family will share a link to a questionnaire that the prospective Au Pair must answer.

2) Interview: after reading the Au pair’s response to the questionnaire, the host family will decide whether or not to proceed with an interview. During the interview, the host family will share the Au Pair Agreement and Guidebook and go over essential highlights contained in each document.

3) Signing of the Au Pair agreement, discussion of travel plans, bureaucratic details for stay in Italy.