Young woman playing with two children on the floor
Parent & Child

Hosting an Au-pair : Requirements & process

Hosting an Au-pair at home means not only relief in everyday family life, but also cultural exchange at eye level.  

Michelle Mihm, Au-Pair Product Manager & Specialist Consultant for Care in Private Households at pme Familienservice, explains what requirements must be met, what the process looks like and what prospective host families should look out for when choosing an au pair. at pme Familienservice.

What does it mean to host an Au-pair in Germany? 

Hosting an Au-pair means welcoming a new family member - usually a young person who comes from a different culture and first has to get used to life in Germany.  

During the stay, the Au-pair takes onlight care and household tasks, while in return receiving accommodation, food and pocket money. For the host family, this means above all investing time, patience and openness in order to make the Au-pair 's start in a new country easier. At the same time, an Au-pair enriches everyday family life through cultural exchange and new perspectives 

"An Au-pair should be seen as a younger sister or brother who is integrated into everyday family life and with whom you grow together," says Michelle Mihm, Product Manager Au-Pair & Specialist Consultant for Care in Private Households.

Can anyone host an Au-pair ? 

In principle, anyone who meets the necessary requirements can take on an Au-pair . These include a suitable living situation, the care of a child and certain legal conditions. Anyone who meets these criteria can benefit from the many advantages that an Au-pair brings to the family.

What are the requirements for hosting an Au-pair in Germany? 

For a family to be able to host an Au-pair in Germany, a number of requirements must be met: 

  • There must be at least one child under the age of 18 in the family. 
  • The Au-pair must have their own furnished, lockable and heated room of at least 8 square meters. 
  • The colloquial language in the family should be German. 
  • At least one parent must have German citizenship. 
  • The family covers the costs of accommodation, food, pocket money and insurance as well as a subsidy for the language course. 
  • The host parents enable participation in the language course and other courses and leisure activities offered by the pme Familienservice. 
  • The Au-pair is entitled to 4 weeks paid vacation (or 2 days per month pro rata) for a 12-month stay.

How much does it cost to host an Au-pair in Germany?

If a family takes in an Au-pair in Germany, the cost of living increases accordingly. This is because there is another adult living in the household.   

The costs that families should consider when taking in an Au-pair are made up of various items: 

  • Pocket money: at least 280 euros per month 
  • Accident, health and liability insurance: around 50 euros per month 
  • German course: approx. 70 euros per month 
  • Costs for board and lodging, including during the au pair's free time or illness: around 250 to 300 euros per month 

How long can an Au-pair stay in Germany? 

An Au-pair can stay in Germany for a minimum of 4 months and a maximum of 12 months . The length of stay is agreed individually and can be adjusted according to the needs and possibilities of the family and the au pair. 

How do I find an Au-pair? 

At pme Familienservice , we place au pairs with selected families throughout Germany and support both au pairs and host families throughout their stay. We attach great importance to careful selection and continuous support from our experienced local staff. 

In addition to pme Familienservice as an Au-pair in Germany, there are also other platforms that place au pairs. 

"Many families find their Au-pair independently and then come to us for further support. We offer consultations in advance and explain what to look out for when Au-pair on your own. It is important to know that au pairs must be between 18 and 26 years old. While some platforms don't always check the age exactly, we make sure that all requirements are met." - Michelle Mihm

pme Familienservice is the leading Au-pair

pme Familienservice is one of the leading Au-pair in Germany and is an official member of the international Au-pair IAPA and the German Au-Pair. The pme Familienservice Familienservice are also certified by the Gütegemeinschaft Au-pair e.V. with the RAL quality mark. 

Challenges that families and au pairs may face

Hosting an au pair in Germany enriches everyday family life with new perspectives and cultural experiences. But it also brings challenges. 

Many au pairs who come to Germany often experience a culture shock, and language barriers can make the start a little bumpy. This phase requires a lot of patience, understanding and loving support. For the families, this means investing time in intensive training and good organization.  

This intensive initial period pays off, as the Au-pair gradually becomes a great relief and enriches everyday family life with new perspectives and experiences. 

The pme Familienservice is there to support families and au pairs throughout their stay, e.g. with tips against homesickness, assistance with language problems and help with health issues.

We look after au pairs during their entire stay! 

Our au pairs are well looked after during their stay. We offer WhatsApp groups, a Facebook group, regular meetings and a 24-hour emergency hotline just for au pairs. This means they are well connected and supported at all times. 

All information for au pairs in Germany. 

How long does it take to get an Au-pair in Germany? 

The time it takes for an au pair to arrive in Germany can vary greatly. The appointment for the visa at the embassy depends on the country of origin and can range from 8 weeks to 8 to 10 months. There are often au pairs who already have an appointment so that the decision can be made within 2 to 4 weeks. Overall, the process can take between 2 and 10 months, depending on the country of origin and the political situation.

Is the process also supported with your own au pairs? 

Yes, we also support families exclusively with the visa process. Here, too, we conduct preliminary consultations with the families who would like to look for an Au-pair on their own and then support them in the further process.

Which countries do the au pairs come from? 

Our au pairs currently come mainly from India, Madagascar, Indonesia, South America and Armenia. Countries such as Australia, America or New Zealand are hardly represented, as no visa is required for au pairs there.

Au-pair with pme Familienservice

pme Familienservice is your strong partner for safe and qualified Au-pair in Germany. With over 30 years of experience in Au-pair, pme Familienservice offers families and au pairs comprehensive information, qualified advice and reliable support throughout their stay. 

Placement is free of charge for au pairs.

zero What is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

A helping hand to get employees over a cliff
Leadership & HR

What is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

Mental stress, conflicts at work, debts, family disputes: EAP employee counseling supports employees with private and professional problems. This promotes health and motivation, reduces absenteeism and takes the pressure off managers. A win-win situation for employees and employers.

What is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

An Employee Assistance Program supports employees in professional, private and health crises and challenges - in most cases through external employee counseling.

An EAP is suitable for companies of all shapes and sizes and is generally part of occupational health management, as it increases the health, motivation and satisfaction of employees. EAPs are available 24/7 via a hotline and a trained team of experts. The counseling topics range from psychological stress to family difficulties and addiction problems.

Arrange an EAP consultation!

Employee Assistance Programs provide a confidential and accessible platform where employees can receive professional help without worrying about consequences for their careers. The EAP counselors advise and support their clients anonymously and confidentially. The employer should not learn anything about the content of the counseling or the names of the employees.

Some companies combine internal company social counseling with the EAP services of external employee counseling.

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Topics of an Employee Assistance Program?

The range of services offered by EAP providers in the DACH region varies. Many offer a "classic" EAP with psychological counseling on health, professional and personal issues.

Other service providers extend this service to include initial legal advice, arranging childcare solutions, income and budget advice, help in the home and garden and more.

EAP counseling for psychosocial issues.

  • Conflicts in the workplace
  • Crisis intervention, e.g. in the event of suicide
  • Dealing with grief, death and loss
  • Stress, burnout, depression, anxiety disorders
  • Conflicts in partnership and family
  • Educational issues
  • Addiction and dependencies, e.g. alcohol
  • Domestic violence
  • Financial worries and over-indebtedness
  • Questions and advice on care tasks and financing care

EAP advice on leadership and team issues:

  • Communication and conflicts (in a team or with a manager)
  • Time and self-management
  • Mindful Leadership
  • Change management
  • New as a manager
  • Leadership style, agile leadership
  • Mindful Leadership
  • Women in leadership
  • Dealing with death in the workplace

Example of EAP employee counseling: divorce, debt, absenteeism

 

Ms. Altershoven recently separated from her partner. They have a child together and have bought a house that is not paid off. The debts for the house are pressing and Mrs. Altershoven doesn't know how she is going to pay for it alone. Dealing with their three-year-old daughter is also still difficult for the newly separated parents.

All this puts a strain on Ms. Altershoven and she sleeps badly. She is a shift manager in a construction company. Because she is exhausted, she makes mistakes more and more often. Her boss also notices this and draws the attention of her long-standing and reliable employee to the EAP counseling service

The income and budget counselors show her potential savings and where she can apply for financial support. The specialist advisors on the EAP hotline are ready to listen to the psychological stresses that are weighing on Ms. Altershoven: the separation, the feeling of being alone with everything. Together, they develop solution-oriented methods to help her cope better with the daily challenges.

The aim of every EAP consultation: helping people to help themselves

The aim of all EAP counseling is to help employees to help themselves. This means that counseling is not only aimed at solving short-term problems, but also at helping clients to develop long-term coping strategies in order to overcome future challenges on their own.

Advantages and benefits: Why is an Employee Assistance Program worthwhile?

Who is an Employee Assistance Program suitable for?

The aim and purpose of an Employee Assistance Program is to support employees in times of personal and professional crisis and to help them before "minor" problems become major ones and result in chronic stress disorder, for example.

EAP counseling is not a substitute for therapy. However, it can be a good transition until a place in therapy is found. On average, the waiting time until therapy begins is five to six months. This is a very long time for people with mental illnesses. Long waiting times also increase the risk of mental illnesses worsening, prolonging or recurring. In addition, the longer the waiting time, the higher the proportion of people who give up looking for therapy.

The EAP specialist advisors do not issue sick notes or prescriptions. They also do not make diagnoses. If stress is identified that cannot be resolved through the counselling service, a qualified referral is made to specialized network partners of the EAP provider. Some EAP providers also provide support in the search for therapy places or a place in a psychiatric ward.

Managers receive professional support with difficult management issues - e.g. in dealing with mentally stressed or conspicuous employees or with personal development in their management role - as well as with their own questions from a professional or private context.


Advantages of Employee Assistance Programs for companies

However, EAP employee counseling not only offers numerous benefits to employees, but also to companies:

1. less absenteeism: Studies show that EAPs help to reduce absenteeism due to health problems or personal crises.

2. increased productivity: By helping employees to overcome personal or professional problems, EAP counseling contributes to increased productivity.

3. improved employee retention: Companies that take care of their employees' well-being promote better retention and loyalty.

4. cost savings: By reducing absenteeism and improving work performance, companies can save costs in the long term.

5 Employer branding: Do you look after the interests of your employees? Congratulations! According to studies, this is pretty well received and helps with recruiting new employees.

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Download whitepaper EAP study

What does an Employee Assistance Program cost?

The employer offers their employees the EAP service and, ideally, informs them about its use via the intranet, newsletter and/or company social media.

The service is free of charge for employees and managers and, if necessary, their relatives.

How does an EAP employee counseling session work?

The EAP counseling process is designed to provide employees with fast, confidential and effective support. By combining immediate counseling, long-term therapy options and resource referrals, employees can receive help in a variety of life situations, which in turn contributes to a healthier and more productive work environment.

EAP employee counseling typically proceeds as follows:

1. contact: Contact is often made via a hotline, e-mail or an online portal provided by the employer.

2. initial interview: In the initial meeting, the advisor first clarifies the employee's current situation: What are the reasons? Is there an acute crisis? What is the aim of the counseling? This meeting serves to establish a relationship of trust and to gain an overview of the employee's challenges. In addition, the counsellor can assess whether further help such as psychotherapy, clinics or specialized counselling centres is required and, if necessary, provide support in finding a referral.

3. counseling process/counseling sessions: After the initial meeting, the first steps towards a solution are implemented in the counseling process. This plan can comprise several sessions, usually 3 to 6, depending on the employee's needs. The focus is on developing solutions and using existing resources. The counselor supports the employee in planning and implementing concrete steps.

The sessions can take place over the phone, in person or online.

4. follow-up and support: The EAP counselor usually also provides follow-up and ongoing support to ensure that the employee is making progress and effectively using the resources provided. This may include additional counseling sessions, referrals to other service providers or support in implementing coping strategies.

5. conclusion: The counseling process usually ends when the employee has achieved the goals set or when the counselor and the employee jointly decide that no further support is required. Even after the formal counseling process has ended, the employee can often continue to access EAP services if new problems arise.

For quality assurance purposes, employees are given the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on the advisory process after the end of the advisory process using the customer evaluation.


 

Implementation and use of Employee Assistance Program

Implementing a successful Employee Assistance Program requires clear communication, employee training and regular evaluation.
Companies should ensure that their employees are aware of the existence of the program and know how to access the services offered.

Possible means of communication for information are

  • Information stands
  • Articles and notes on the company intranet
  • Onepager
  • Social media, videos
  • Newsletter

Arrange an EAP consultation!

Quality features of EAP providers

Choosing a good EAP provider is critical to the success of the program and employee satisfaction. Here are some quality features you can look out for when making your choice:

1. experience and reputation: Look for EAP providers with proven experience and a positive reputation in the industry. Check their track record and look for reviews or recommendations from other companies that have used their services.

2. qualification of the advisors: Make sure that the EAP provider's counselors are qualified and experienced. They should have a psychosocial degree in psychology, social work (or comparable) and specialize in topics such as stress management, addiction prevention, conflict resolution, family counseling, etc.

3. diversity of services: A good EAP provider offers a wide range of services to meet the diverse needs of employees, including psychosocial counseling, addiction counseling, financial counseling, legal counseling, childcare, career counseling, etc.

4. accessibility and availability: The EAP provider should offer easily accessible services, either through telephone hotlines, online chats, face-to-face counseling sessions or a combination of these methods. Employees should be able to get support quickly and easily when they need it.

5 Confidentiality and data protection: Ensure that the EAP provider has strict confidentiality policies and data protection provisions to protect the privacy of employees. Counseling sessions should be confidential and employees should feel safe to speak openly about their problems without fear of negative consequences.

6. customer service and support: Look for an EAP provider that offers excellent customer service and support. They should be able to respond quickly to requests, understand the customer's needs and offer customized solutions that meet the company's requirements.

Quality feature: Qualifications of the EAP consultants

When selecting an EAP provider, employers should definitely pay attention to the qualifications and employment relationship of the counselors.

Some providers only require their EAP counselors to have coaching training. With others, the counselors must have a psychosocial degree and further training and are usually permanently employed. This facilitates quality assurance in counseling.

Conclusion: The importance of Employee Assistance Programs/employee assisstance

At a time when challenges in the workplace and in employees' personal lives have become more diverse, Employee Assistance Programs play a crucial role. Not only do they provide much-needed support for individual crises , but they also help promote a positive work environment, higher productivity and long-term cost savings for organizations. By supporting employees during difficult times, EAPs create a win-win situation for everyone involved.

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