Become a host family
Become an a pair
Au pair agency: host an au pair or become one with complete peace of mind
Since 2019, Butrfly has supported host families in France and young people from around the world. Our job comes down to one simple promise: making the au pair program safe, clear and human, from the first conversation to the journey home.
2019
by your side since
1,500+
families supported
2,000
young au pairs placed
4.7/5
Trustpilot rating
The agency’s role
Why go through a specialist agency
Finding the right person on your own often takes months. You have to sift through ads, check intentions, understand the administrative rules, and nothing guarantees the match will last. Our team does that work for you, whether you want to host an au pair or become one.
Verified profiles
Every application is checked before anyone is introduced to you, following the steps of our method. You talk to serious people whose project has already been validated, not to anonymous ads.
The rules explained upfront
Contract, paperwork, health cover: we explain every rule before you commit, without jargon, so you know exactly what you are getting into.
A dedicated contact
A question, something unexpected? A member of the team stays reachable all year, for families and candidates alike.
Who we are
We live this program every day
Butrfly brings together former au pairs, host families and expats who have come back from all corners of the globe. That hands-on experience changes everything: we know the right questions, the classic pitfalls and the small things that make an adventure go well.
It is also why our team has earned, year after year, the trust of more than 1,500 families, 2,000 young au pairs and our partners.
Our values
- Kindness at every step of the way
- Transparency on costs and rules
- Reliability, from the first conversation to the return
- Human support, never just another form
Our destinations
Where to go as an au pair
The program can be lived in France or abroad, depending on your project and budget. Each destination has its own age and duration requirements, which we go through together before you choose.
🇺🇸
Twelve months in a tightly supervised framework, with an education credit. The benchmark for improving your English.
J-1 visa, ages 18-26
🇦🇺
A flexible pace and total immersion, for those who want to combine work and discovery.
Working Holiday, ages 18-30
🇳🇿
A natural setting and a warm welcome, with the option to take classes on site.
Working Holiday, ages 18-30
🇫🇷
From Paris to the regions, living with a host family is the ideal way in for a first time.
EU citizens: no visa, from age 18
For families
Welcome an au pair into your home
Hosting an au pair means finding a balance between work and family life. Our family support packages cover the search as well as the paperwork. Present day to day, an au pair quickly becomes a point of reference for the children, an older sister or brother who opens the home to another culture.
- Flexible childcare, at home
- Language exposure for the children
- Real help on weekdays and weekends alike
- Support from A to Z
For young people
Go abroad while you’re young
It is the most accessible way to live a real adventure far from home. Housing, meals and a stipend are covered: the trip costs far less than a standard stay, and you pick up a new language fast.
English across the Atlantic, immersion in Europe for a first time: our services for young au pairs secure your departure, and every experience strengthens a CV and creates bonds that last.
- Be between 18 and 30, depending on the destination
- Around thirty hours of childcare a week
- Housing, meals and a stipend provided
- Free time for classes and projects
The practical side
Costs and procedures: what you need to know
The program follows precise rules that change from one country to another. Here are the points families and young people ask us about most often, from the budget to plan for to the administrative formalities.
The budget
The price depends on the package chosen, from independent search to full support. On top of that come the pocket money paid to the young person and health cover, which is compulsory everywhere.
Duration
From a few months to a full year, sometimes renewable. It varies with the destination and the type of stay chosen.
Paperwork
Formalities change from country to country. We guide every candidate through their visa and insurance, from the application to the green light from the authorities.
Become an au pair or a host family with BUTRFLY
1
Create your profile for free
and complete it to 100%
2
Choose your package
from our support services
3
Get in touch
with the profiles that interest you
4
Confirm the “match”
by accepting the family or au pair you want
5
Start the experience
and do it all again
They trusted us
What the families we support say
Rated 4.7/5 on Trustpilot, over 240 reviews. Reviews translated from French.
★★★★★
“Since last August we have been hosting an au pair recruited through Butrfly. Delighted with the support we received for the paperwork. The experience has really changed our family’s daily life.”
Victoria Maes
10 March 2025
★★★★★
“After a gruelling search on our own, we went through Butrfly, who introduced us to relevant profiles. We have just welcomed our first au pair at last.”
Sophie
22 April 2025
★★★★★
“I contacted the team for help with the declarations. What a welcome: listening, attention and support. I was desperate and I found an answer.”
Le Marec
21 March 2025
Good to know
Frequently asked questions about au pair agencies
The price depends on the package, from independent search to full support. On top of these fees come the pocket money paid to the young person and health cover. At Butrfly, every item is detailed before any commitment.
From a few months to a full year depending on the destination, sometimes renewable, for example twelve months under the J-1 visa in the United States.
Yes, outside the European Union: a J-1 visa for the United States, a Working Holiday Visa for Australia and New Zealand, and suitable insurance. We guide every candidate through the process.
On your own, you handle the search, the vetting of profiles and the formalities by yourself. An agency secures the placement, validates the profiles and frames the contract.
Mainly the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, France included, from Paris to the regions. Each country has its own age and duration requirements.
A dedicated contact stays reachable at all times, for families and young people alike, to handle the unexpected and secure the experience.
Our partners
