BUSYBEE AU PAIR NEWS & EVENTS
Wednesday 3rd April 2013:
BAPAA THAMES RIVER BOAT CRUISE - SUNDAY 12th MAY 2013
All day excursion for just £10
Come and Join 100's of other BAPAA placed Au Pairs on a private boat trip to Greenwich.
Friday 15th MARCH 2013:
IAPA WETM-IAC 2014 CONFERENCE WILL BE IN LONDON
Jamie Pullum is currently attending the annual WETM-IAC event in Rome
FEBRUARY 2013:
DO YOU NEED CHILDCARE NOW UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR? SPECIALOFFER FOR ALL BOOKINGS NOW
Check out our Special Offer for childcare till the end of the school year
From 27th February - 8th March we are offering a £35 discount for all confirmed bookings of Au pairs to cover you through until the end of the Summer. Please contact us now for more information and quote BB35M-JA
BUSYBEE AU PAIRS ARE ATTENDING THE WETM - IAC INTERNATIONAL AU PAIR ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE:
JANUARY 2013:
DO PARENTS FACE A CHILDCARE CRISIS RIGHT NOW?
This month there has been plenty of talk in the National Press and within the Government about the Uk's current Childcare regime. Plenty of Families can become confused. Many also struggle with the rising costs of Nursery placements.
Nursery staffing ratios for 2 year old are to increase?
Have you considered hiring an Au Pair to care for your little ones within your home? Talk to us today about how you may benefit from hosting an Au Pair.
DECEMBER 2012:
BUSYBEE AU PAIRS ARE NOW ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER:
BusyBee have now finally taken steps to use social media using Facebook and Twitter. We do welcome both Host Families and Aupairs to follow us.
You can find us on Facebook by the following link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Busybee-Au-Pairs/232096083589260
You can find us on Twitter by the following link: https://twitter.com/BusyBeeAuPairs
OFFICIAL AU PAIR DEFINATION STATUS FOR THE UK NOW ON gov.uk website:
In recent months, the Government have replaced the direct.gov website with the new gov.uk website.
On the new website, you can read up on the true definition of an Au Pair and the Employment Law status of an Aupair.
Au Pairs live in with a Host Family and are exempt from the national minimum wage. They are unlikely to be classed as a worker or an employee. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/au-pairs-employment-law
NOVEMBER 2012:
BAPAA - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD AT INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS HOUSE; LONDON
This year, the British Au Pair Agencies Association will hold their AGM on 8th November at ISH - London. The meeting is open for all BAPAA member agencies.
As a BAPAA member agency, BusyBee Au Pairs will be in attendance, represented by Jamie Pullum is also on the executive Board committee.
OCTOBER 2012:
BUSYBEE AU PAIRS NOW HAS AN APPRENTICE!!
As from Monday 15th October, BusyBee Au Pairs are pleased to announce our new member of staff - Rebecca Ferris. Rebecca has joined our Aupair agency through the National Apprenticeship Scheme and will look forward to liaising with both our Host families and Au Pairs through all our means of contact. By phone, email, Facebook and Twitter.
BusyBee Au Pairs welcome Rebecca on board and will look forward to supporting her through this great scheme.
JUNE 2012:
REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO PARTICIPATE IN TIER 5 - YOUTH MOBILITY SCHEME:
[Source: Uk Border Agency]
Young people in South Korea will soon be eligible to apply for a visa under the UK's youth mobility scheme.
The announcement comes after the UK and South Korean governments agreed to allow 1,000 young South Koreans each year to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years and the same number of young Britons to come to South Korea.
For further information on this please visit: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/june/14-yms
MARCH 2012:
IAPA AGM IN BUDAPEST; HUNGARY
IAPA - International Au Pair Association and WYSE are holding their annual gerneral meeting and conference in Budapest; Hungary between the 14-16th March.
BusyBee Au Pairs as members of IAPA will be in attendance. Both Jamie Pullum and Klaudia Barta will attend.
BAPAA BOAT TRIP DATE ANNOUNCED
This years annual Boat Trip will be on Sunday 13th May. All Au Pairs placed with Host families through BAPAA member agencies are most welcome.
We here at BusyBee will be contacting all Au Pairs this month by email and post with instructions on how to book tickets.
DECEMBER 2011:
YOUTH MOBILITY SCHEME UPDATE: TIAWAN IS NOW ADDED TO TIER 5:
As of 1 January 2012, Tiawan will be a new member country to the current list of Countries and Territtories that participate in the UK Youth Mobility Scheme. This is under Tier 5 of the points based visa system.
Countries that are already partipicating in this scheme curently are: Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco and New Zealand.
The Youth Mobility Scheme is for young people aged between 18-30 from the above mentioned participating countries, who want to come and experience life in the UK. Every year, the UK Government allocate a number of places for this scheme for each partipcating country. This is a reciprocal agreement between the UK and these Countries and there is the same number of places for Uk Nationals to also experience another country.
MARCH 2011:
BAPAA BOAT TRIP TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
During the course of this month, we will be contacting your Au Pairs by post and email with an invitation for your Au Pairs,booked through our agency to offer them the chance to join us and other BAPAA Au Pairs in May for a Thames River Boat cruise and tourist visit to Greenwich.
BUSYBEE AU PAIRS ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE ATTENDING THE ANUAL IAPA WETM CONFERENCE IN BRUSSELS
This month, Jamie Pullum will be in Brussels to meet up with existing partner agencies that we work for placing aupairs to continue strenghening already great working relationships and to be updated on Industry news and other markets.
NOVEMBER 2010:
WE CAN NOW OFFER AU PAIRS THE NEWLY UPDATED BAPAA FRIEND FINDER SITE; www.aupairfriends.com
The BAPAA that we are proud to be member of, and that Jamie Pullum is on the Executive Board for have now laucnhed the new Au Pair Friends website.
The members area is exclusively available to aupairs that have been placed by BAPAA member agencies, including oursleves.
This website is such a valuable benefit to both the Au Pair and to the Host Family. It is a safe way for Au Pairs to make that most important first contact in making other Au Pair Friends!
The website in general also has great useful information for both Host Families and Au Pairs, so please do feel free to look around it at:
www.aupairfriends.com
SEPTEMBER 2010:
AUPAIRS ARE PROBABLY ENTITLED TO WORKERS RIGHTS HOLIDAYS
From September, it is now a requirement for BAPAA agencies to inform their families as follows:
AU PAIRS PROBABLY ENTITLED TO 4 WEEKS PAID HOLIDAY
Due to a recent Employment Tribunal, the British Au Pair Agencies Association have sought legal advice regarding Au Pairs and the their relation to the Working Time Directive.
BAPAA is now firmly of the opinion that an au pair is in the UK under a “cultural exchange programme” but will be subject to UK rules and regulations relating to working time. BAPAA have been advised that Au Pairs are very likely to be covered by this directive and an Au Pair will be entitled to the statutory minimum holiday entitlement of 20 days per year (1.66 days per month pro-rata if the placement is shorter than a year) plus 8 days Bank/Public holidays.
On the basis of this legal advice I feel it necessary to advise all my families to offer 1 weeks paid holiday for every 3 months of stay as standard and avoid possible issues that may result in the worst case scenario, an Employment Tribunal! This is of course on a pro-rata basis.
Based on the fact that your placement may have been confirmed with an invitation letter stating only the old holiday enttilement before this new ruling - its entirely up to you whether you want to stick to your original 1 week for every 6 months or amend to the new guidelines - but as a BAPAA registered agency I am duty bound to inform you of the above ruling.
BAPAA is fully aware that conditions vary from family to family. Many families are already extremely generous and give extra benefits to their au pair. Some may feel that their generosity is beyond the general expectation of a “cultural exchange programme” and as such may be reluctant to give extra holiday time.
BAPAA merely seeks however to make families aware that there could be a potential problem from a disgruntled au pair and wishes to protect itself from any legal dispute where we might be seen to be giving incorrect advice. As a member of BAPAA - I have to pass on this information!
Ultimately it is you as a family’s decision as to how much you choose to agree to but at least you will now be aware of the situation
If as a host family you are unsure and need advice with your current Au pair, please do contact us.
APRIL 2010
BAPAA working with U.K. Government to Clarify Regulations for Au Pair industry
Historically, the role of an 'Au Pair' was a specific category within U.K. Immigration Regulations and the Home Office published Guidelines for Au Pairs, which included: age criteria, hours of work and accommodation requirements. At this time, Au Pairs were not governed by employment regulations. In November 2008 the Au Pair category was removed from the UK Immigration Regulations.
Most Au Pairs now come to the U.K. from countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) under the European Freedom of Movement Directive and do not have to meet any specific immigration requirements to be an Au Pair (note that there are still specific Immigration Requirements for Bulgarian and Romanian Au Pairs).
Following the removal of the 'Au Pair' category from the Immigration Regulations in November 2008, the relevance of other UK Laws to Au Pairs needs clarification e.g. do the Working Time Regulations (WTR) apply to Au Pairs?
BAPAA is working closely with the Department for Business Innovation and Skills “BIS” (the Government Department responsible for the Working Time Regulations) and the Department for Children School and Families “DCSF” (the Government Department responsible for the Vetting and Barring Scheme) to develop clear, consistent guidance on the relevance, (if any) of the WTR or other legislation, the subsequent role of an Au Pair and the responsibilities of their host families.
The purpose of this News Release is to advise current and prospective families that the clarification work is actively in progress and before BAPAA receives the official clarification from Government, families may encounter different interpretations on matters such as working hours and holiday entitlement, from different Au Pair Agencies, on the internet and through various other bodies. Please note that in the absence of any definitive guidelines, these are interpretations only.
BAPAA recognises this situation is not satisfactory, however it will only be resolved when the clarification guidance has been issued and we are working with the UK Government on this.
MARCH 2010:
AU PAIRS GRANTED SPECIAL EXEMPTION FROM ISA REGISTRATION
Sandra Landau – Chair of the British Au Pair Agencies Association will be formally announcing this important UK Government decision at the International Au Pair Association Annual conference in MIAMI, USA on Thursday 18 March 2010. Au Pairs will be exempt from the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) through a clarification of the term ‘family relationship’
The British Au Pair Agencies Association (BAPAA) has been notified directly of this Government decision by Baroness Delyth Morgan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families, following talks BAPAA has been holding with her Department.
Some of the concerns raised by BAPAA that have resulted in the Government decision to give Au Pairs special exemption from the ISA scheme:
• All BAPAA Member Agencies are already required by our code of conduct to provide a clear overseas police check from the Au Pair’s home country before placement in the UK.
• The registration process would have made it impossible for a foreign Au Pair to register in advance of joining his/her host family and would result in delays in the placement procedure that could negatively affect the family’s childcare arrangements.
• As Au Pairs are exempt from National Minimum Wage regulations, and earn pocket money in the region of £70 per week, the £64 VBS registration fee would have been unaffordable.
• The process of an Au Pair registering with the ISA would have been cumbersome, causing time delays which could have adversely affected his/her placement prospects and the resultant inconvenience to those host families waiting for the process to be completed.
ISA registration was meant to be compulsory for all Au Pairs placed in the UK.
However the Government is not able to police overseas owned Au Pair placement sites on the Internet. This created an anomaly and the Government’s decision to waive the compulsory registration of Au Pairs has resolved this issue as far as Au Pairs recruited through UK Au Pair Agencies is concerned. It is hoped this will discourage the public from recruiting Au Pairs from websites controlled from outside the UK, where usually few or no checks have been carried out.
BAPAA is the voice of the Au Pair industry in the UK and wishes to thank the Department for Children, Schools and Families for their understanding of our concerns.
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