Concept and Conditions
The concept of the au pair originated in Europe after World War II. Before the war, an abundant supply of domestic servants had been available to look after the children of middle and upper-class families, but changes in social attitudes, and increases in wages and taxes after the war, made the old system inaccessible to most middle class parents. At the same time, social change increased the number of middle class girls who needed to earn their own living, and rising educational aspirations for girls made experiencing foreign cultures and learning foreign languages more common aspirations. However, due to the stigma attached to being a "servant", an essentially working class status which even working-class people were repudiating, this potential supply for domestic labour could only be utilised if a new non-servant role was created. Thus the au pair, who was supposed to be treated as a member of the family rather than a servant, and should not be required to wear a uniform.
An au pair receives an allowance, and a private room. The usual practice is that au pairs eat with the family most of the time, and join in some of the usual family activities such as outings and trips. However, host families normally expect to have some private time to themselves, particularly in the evenings. During this time, an au pair might retire to his or her room to watch television, study, or go out with friends. Provision is often made for the au pair to have time for studying, especially of the language of the host country. The Council of Europe recommends that au pairs be issued standard contracts with their family.
Some au pairs are now male, but females remain the overwhelming majority. Many governments impose limits as to how many hours an au pair is allowed to work. Tasks can include taking children to and from school, taking children to after-school activities, cooking, cleaning, ironing, and babysitting. Each placement varies depending on the host family.
In many developing countries, an abundant supply of local domestic labour is still available, so there is little or no demand for au pairs.
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