the concept of the Aupair originated in Europe after World War II. Before the war, an abundant supply of domestic servants had been available to look after the children of middle and upper class families, but changes in social attitudes, and increases in wages and taxes after the war, made the old system inaccessible to most middle class parents. At the same time, social change increased the number of middle class girls who needed to earn their own living, and rising educational aspirations for girls made experiencing foreign cultures and learning foreign languages more common aspirations. However, due to the stigma attached to being a "servant", an essentially working class status which even working class people were repudiating, this potential supply for domestic labour could only be utilised if a new non-servant role was created. Thus the Aupair, who was supposed to be treated as a member of the family rather than a servant, and was not required to wear a uniform.http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/TheNationalMinimumWage/DG_175114)http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ni/intro/basics.htm#1).