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Employment within childcare can be broken into three categories au pair, nanny and mother's help. AU PAIRS - are expected to learn a foreign language while living with a family and are expected to work around 30 hours per week. NANNY - May have some formal training and are expected to take full charge of the children. MOTHER'S HELP - You will be expected to undertake general housework and/or cooking as well as looking after the children. Although a female dominated area the number of families and agency willing to entertain a male au pair is slowly increasing. DUTIES Before accepting a position especially if it involves cooking you should establish what standard your employer has in mind. Most duties revolve around the children taking them to and from school etc., and its a good idea to have some knowledge of first aid. The agency will ask you if you are prepared to look after newborn, infants etc., so your preferences should be made known early on. Once you have arrived, it is important to clarify immediately what your hours and duties will be, which day you will be paid and how much notice either party must give if they wish to terminate the arrangement. No matter how carefully you try to determine your duties there is still plenty of scope for different interpretations of how the arrangement should work. Usually though au pairs are expected to work around five hours a day, five days per week plus a couple of evenings babysitting. The employer must provide a private room and full board, health insurance and opportunities to learn the language. The standard length of stay is for one academic year (September to June). PROS AND CONS The success of the relationship between the au pair and the family depends more than usual on whether the individuals hit it off. If you do not have such a friendly arrangement with you family, you may feel lonely and cut off in a foreign country. Although you have your own room you may find yourself being treated as one of the family, which is not a bad thing but it could leave you with a lack of privacy.