Safety · Au pairs and families
When a placement isn't working
How to raise a problem before it becomes an ending, what fair notice looks like, and how a rematch actually works.
6 min read · Updated January 2026
Fix it before you end it
Ask for twenty minutes, at a time when the children are not in the room. Bring one specific example, not a list of grievances. Say what you'd like instead. Most placement problems are hours creeping up, unclear duties, or someone feeling unappreciated — all fixable in one conversation.
What fair notice looks like
Two weeks is the norm and should be in the agreement. Families keep paying pocket money and providing the room through the notice period. Au pairs keep working the agreed hours. Neither side should be discussing it with the children before the adults have agreed the plan.
Rematching
Most national au pair visas are tied to the country, not the specific family, so a rematch is usually possible — but there is often a deadline to register the new family with the authorities. Check that first, then reactivate your profile and be honest and brief about why you're looking.
When to leave immediately
If you feel unsafe, if your passport is being withheld, if you are being asked to work far beyond the agreed hours with no remedy, or if anyone in the household is behaving inappropriately — leave, then sort out the logistics. Contact your embassy and the platform's support team.
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