Safety and security at AuPairWorld: Our top priority
Safety and security for our users are absolute top priorities for us at AuPairWorld – from the first moment of searching on the website to the final moment of saying goodbye after a happy and successful au pair stay.
Keeping you safe at AuPairWorld: What we do
Safety Standards
The AuPairWorld website operates with SSL encryption. This guarantees the privacy of communication between your browser and our web servers, preventing unauthorized access by third parties. At the same time, the element "https" will show you that you are surfing the original pages of AuPairWorld and not a fake website.
Profile Protection
In keeping with our security and privacy standards, we delete profiles that have been inactive for several months. The contact data of users are not shown in the profiles and are not given to any third parties. Only logged-on au pairs and Premium Membership families can see complete profiles.
Profile Checks
Profiles are checked for completeness and plausibility – through automatic processes and individually by our highly experienced and qualified staff. In many cases we ask our users for a proof of identity for verification purposes.
Fraud Protection
We keep a close eye on user behaviour. In doubtful cases, we contact our users directly and request further information. We make use of various auditing and review techniques and are continuously developing and enhancing these features.
Individual Support
Our Support Team staff members not only review profiles on the website but are also personally available to assist our users. Questions and concerns are handled quickly and individually by email.
Comprehensive Information
We provide carefully researched information about au pairing and the au pair stay in the most important host countries around the wrold. This also includes information about general aspects of being an au pair or hosting an au pair in your family.
What you can do to keep yourself safe:
- Ask your au pair or host family for identification and/or a police clearance certificate.
- Ask for references from former host families and au-pairs.
- Also ask for contact details from previous au-pairs or host families and get in touch with them.
- Never send money in advance to people you do not know!
Preparation is a key part of security
Preparation for a successful au pair stay starts right at the beginning of your online search - whether for a host family or an au pair. That also means having a sharp eye for possible online scams and recognising them quickly. After the right au pair or host family has been found, the next step for everyone's safety is engaging in lots of communication so that both sides are well informed about all aspects of the the upcoming stay. This is the best basis for a happy, successful and mutually satisfying au pair experience.
Keeping safe before and during the au pair stay
For au pairs
What's the best way to ensure a great au pair experience? Get to know your host family as well as you can in advance. That means – skyping, telephoning and exchanging emails. Sharing information and clarifying expectations gives you and your host family the best basis for a successful au pair stay.
For host families
Hosting an au pair is enrichment for your family in many respects. But it also requires some adjustment. Your family and the au pair will need some time to get used to the new situation. With a good exchange of information in advance and some patience at the beginning, the au pair stay is sure to be a great experience.
More on safety and security at AuPairWorld
It's not always possible to take all eventualities into account. But if you're well informed, many problems can be prevented or dealt with more effectively. With that in mind: Know your rights as an au pair!
Our Support Team...
... is available to handle any questions you may have about safety and security. You can report any profiles to us that seem strange or make you feel uncertain or contact us directly and let us know your concerns.
We provide individual support by email in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.
We are always pleased when we can help our users.
Contact AuPairWorld
FAQs on safety and security
- Is AuPairWorld safe?
- How are au pairs and host families checked?
- How do I know whether the au pairs and host families at AuPairWorld are real?
- Can everybody see my profile?
- How to organise an au pair stay after Corona?
Is AuPairWorld safe?
Yes! We use automated and manual security checks to review user behavior, verify profiles, and detect suspicious activity. In some cases, we request proof of identity.
How are au pairs and host families checked?
Our team continuously checks profiles for accuracy and authenticity. Users must follow our basic idea of au pairing, and inactive profiles or profiles which do not meet our plausability criteria are removed.
However, it’s essential that you personally verify compatibility with your future au pair or host family through video calls. We provide detailed information on program requirements by country and key topics to discuss—such as pocket money, au pair contracts, and expectations—to help you make an informed decision. Contact us if you have any questions or are facing difficulties.
How do I know whether the au pairs and host families at AuPairWorld are real?
We’ve built security measures over the years, including profile verification. Still, always take precautions—speak directly with your matches and trust your instincts. If something feels off, stop contact and report it to us.
Can everybody see my profile?
No. Only logged-in users can see full names, additional photos, and texts. Contact details are never shared publicly. Premium host families can see au pairs’ full names, and au pairs can see host family names after logging in.
All other users of the website only see abbreviated versions of names in profiles. The same restrictions apply for any references.
Photos and texts can thus be uploaded into your profile without privacy concerns. Only the first profile photo is viewable for all users. All the other photos in the profile can only be seen by logged-in users. Similarly, only the first few lines of the first profile text is viewable by all users. The complete first text as well as the other two texts will only seen by other logged-in users. We recommend, of course, that you take advantage of the full resources of your profile and complete all three texts and present your wishes as an au pair or family by sharing photos and other information. An incomplete profile is simply not very attractive for other logged-in users. And you can be sure that this information will only be seen by other logged-in AuPairWorld users looking for a matching aupair or family.
Profile information is secured within the AuPairWorld environment. Your contact data will never be shown to other users at AuPairWorld nor will this data be given to third parties*. It is always your decision when and with whom you choose to exchange contact data via the AuPairWorld messaging system.
*Exceptions specified in AuPairWorld's Privacy Policy
How to organise an au pair stay after Corona?
Even though we have survived the pandemic, there are still some precautions that should be taken before an au pair stay in order to have the best possible experience with au pairing and to make it easier for you to deal with possible corona symptoms. We have summarised some of our tips:
Communicate different points of view
- Before the start of the stay, rules on masks, visitors, activities, social distancing, travel plans and other topics should be openly communicated and agreed upon.
- The host family should inform the au pair about local rules.
- Regular communication and open exchange promote trust between the parties.
- Different families and au pairs have different ideas about how much risk is acceptable and how risks should be managed. Different risk tolerances should be discussed in advance to avoid possible disagreements.
Discuss certain safety arrangements
- Questions about mask rules and testing criteria in case of symptoms are important.
- Both should get tested before the start of the stay to ensure a safe start.
- A clear plan should be developed for information sharing and possible testing in case someone in the family shows symptoms.
- Information about vaccinations should be shared in advance and whether the vaccination status is okay for both parties.
In addition, we recommend that you inform yourselves in advance about any travel restrictions.
