LONDON - Negotiations over Britain's withdrawal from the European Union have barely started, but some British families are already feeling the bite as the number of au pairs coming from across Europe declines.

"Brexit had an impact, without any question," said Rebecca Haworth-Wood, president of the British Au Pair Agencies Association.

"I estimate that au pair applications for the UK are at least 50 percent down compared with this time last year" after Britain voted to leave the EU.