Before entering into a contract:

• Contact the au pair by phone or email before signing the contract
• Tell the au pair a little about where you live – in the city or in the country
• Tell the au pair what you expect from him/her. For example, let them know if you expect the au pair to drive a car, take care of your pets or other such things

When your au pair arrives in your country:

• Be smiling and accommodating when you meet the au pair
• Take into account the fact that your au pair may suffer from jetlag the first few days
• Understand that your au pair may come from a culture with different traditions, manners and eating habits
• Explain clearly how we live and socialise in Denmark
• Take an interest in your au pair's country of origin and culture
• Explain to your au pair that trust and honesty are cornerstones of a good stay and a good experience
• Introduce your au pair to your family friends, neighbours and anyone else who comes round
• Show your au pair the neighbourhood and show them how to find the library, the supermarket, the doctor and the pharmacy, etc.
• Explain to your au pair where to find public transport and how to use it
• Pin up a note with phone numbers for family members, a few neighbours and emergency services (112)

If the au pair has been with another Danish family:

• Before you enter into a contract: Ask for permission to see the expiration date of your au pair’s residence permit. This will allow you to see the maximum number of months the au pair can stay with you
• You may wish to ask the au pair for permission to contact the previous host family

Finances:

• If the host family is paying for the au pair's travel expenses to Denmark, make an agreement in writing stating whether the amount should be returned if the au pair leaves the host family before the termination of the contract
• Make an agreement about holidays at the start of the contract (read more on the website of the National Directorate of Labour - Arbejdsdirektoratet)
• Agree from the very beginning who will pay for local travel, mobile phone bills and language school fees and to what extent the au pair is allowed to use the telephone
• Pay the monthly allowance through bank transfer – then both parties have documentation

Other topics:

• Involve your au pair in the family from the very beginning by inviting them to family gatherings, birthdays and fun events
• Listen to your au pair and speak to each other politely
• Never yell and never scold anybody. Misunderstandings and mistakes are definitely not intentional
• If your au pair makes a mistake, explain in a quiet and calm way how the situation should have been handled
• Make it clear that your au pair is always welcome to ask you questions – whether about domestic chores or more general questions, for example about Danish culture
• Explain to your au pair that we do not smack children in Denmark. This way of upbringing is still widespread in other cultures
• Write down working hours and tasks in a table so there are no misunderstandings
• Respect your au pair's time off and private life and make sure that the children do the same
• Make an agreement with your au pair about having visitors sleeping overnight
• Make an agreement with your au pair if he/she is allowed to have visitors when you are not at home - and how many
• Make it clear that your au pair is not allowed to carry out chores for other people
• Tell your au pair if there is food in the fridge or other things which are for a special occasion and therefore must not be used
• Remember to unregister your au pair at the National Registration Office when the placement is over. If you have not unregistered a previous au pair at the National Registration Office, an application for a new au pair will, in general, be refused