Some families need an au
pair to be able to drive a car. This often involves taking children to school and
collecting them. The family may allow the au pair to use the car to go to language
courses and for social reasons.
The Agency provides information that an au pair has a
driving licence and indicates the length of time there has been driving experience.
But please bear in mind:
* no other country from
which au pairs come drives on the left
* ask specifically if your
proposed au pair is willing to drive in the UK
* the standard of test required to
obtain a driving licence varies from one country to another – always allow sufficient
practice and satisfy yourself that your au pair is a competent and safe driver on British
roads |
Practice first
Ensure that there is supervised practice for at least a few weeks at the start of the
placement
– to familiarise the au pair driver with
British road sense, road signs and tactics (for instance the roundabout is unknown in some
countries), with local parking regulations, and with local road geography
– to ensure that children are carried safely |
Insurance
An au pair is usually both young and has little
experience of driving in Britain.
Insurance companies will charge heavily for comprehensive cover.
| It is recommended that you agree the use of a relatively
low value car. If so, you can insure at the minimum level (Third Party).
Insurance would normally be best as an Additional Driver on your own adult driver
policy. Complete the proposal form yourself to avoid any misunderstanding.
Ensure that your insurance proposal has been accepted and the premium paid before asking
your au pair to use the car. |
| Make sure your au pair knows the procedure in the event of
any accident. It is a good idea to have an accident reporting form in the car, with
a pen. It is inevitably stressful, and an au pair who has become involved in any accident
is likely to need sustained support from the host family. |
Driving licence
UK law allows a valid foreign driving licence to be used here for a
period of 12 months after the most recent entry into the UK. The foreign driving
licence must not expire during the period. If an au pair stays in the UK
continuously for over one year it is expected that a UK driving test will then be taken to
obtain a UK driving licence. |
