Monday Interview: Beryl Glass, director of International Helping Hands Agency

The director of a business which places au pairs with families said the enterprise has continued to experience robust demand for its services, despite Brexit.

Beryl Glass, from Leeds, founded International Helping Hands Agency back in 1992.

She explained she became a business woman “by chance” while bringing up her three children and deciding to recruit some part-time help to enable her to expand her music teaching.

She initially ran a nanny agency for four years, but a query from a client asking her to find an au pair led her to launch her present business.

She said: “My clients range from train drivers to actors and include people from many walks of life, including doctors, dentists, nurses, pilots and cabin crew, members of the police force, members of the forces, chefs, teachers, business owners, paramedics, lawyers, DJs and professional sportsmen.

“For all these people and many other busy families whose partners work long hours or different shifts, having someone responsible and reliable to look after the children and to help around the home is a real life-saver.”

Glass, who was previously a teacher of French and Music and head of the Modern Languages Department at a large London school, said Brexit had been a challenge for her business adding that after early fears at the time of the referendum the situation had settled down.

“I’ve remained positive throughout,” she said. “Demand is holding up well and over the years it has even increased, partly because of more and more women going back to work after or between having children.

“Having an au pair is a flexible arrangement and many of my clients don’t have regular nine to five jobs – they can’t find a nanny to work the kind of hours they need, which is why having an au pair instead is what works for them.

“The placements usually last six months to a year and most of the au pair applicants are students needing to learn English.

“When I first started the business most of the au pair applicants were from Eastern Europe. But now there’s been a complete turnaround and they are coming from Western Europe – mainly from France, Spain and Germany, and also the Czech Republic.

“I try to look after both my clients and my au pairs.  I make sure from the start of the relationship that everyone is happy and settled together in the home.

“I get real satisfaction out of earning my living through helping families overcome practical problems and achieve a balance in their lives. And the au pairs benefit from the experience of being here, learning the language, making friends and being part of British family life.”

“It’s such a rewarding business to be in and I’ve learned so much about other cultures. I don’t advertise much because mostly it’s done through word of mouth.

“But you can never stand still as a business, I’m always looking to the future.”