On arrival 

Give your au pair a little time to settle in, and become used to you and your family.

Offer them a chance to make a brief call home to let their family know that they have arrived safely.

Be patient! Don't forget that the au pair is a long way from home, possibly for the first time in their life.

Ongoing

Ensure that the required tasks and expectations are clear and understood - again, some patience is required here.  A written schedule/timetable has been found to work well: it ensures everyone understands each other.  (We have a pro-forma agreement that we can send to you, following placement of one of our candidates with you.)

Talk to the au pair.  Remember that they have come to the country to learn the language, so it is important that they have the chance to communicate.  (If you speak slowly and clearly, your au pair's understanding will soon increase.)

Make sure the house rules are clear and understood.

Make the au pair feel that s/he is welcome to share in the social life of the family - as if s/he is a member of it.  (Failure to do this may lead to homesickness and ultimately result in the au pair wishing to return home.)