Au Pair Childcare for Your Family

Year-long local support

One benefit of hosting through the largest au pair organization is the network of people working year-round on your behalf to maximize the success of your program experience. One of those people will be your local childcare coordinator (LCC). She or he is a Cultural Care Au Pair representative who lives in your community and provides on-the-ground support to area families and au pairs. Not only is she or he there to support you, but your LCC also serves as a mentor to your au pair throughout the year. Unlike other agencies, Cultural Care’s extensive network of local childcare coordinators enables us to create a robust community of au pairs making transition to life in the U.S. even easier for your au pair.

Your local childcare coordinator (LCC) has many responsibilities to your family during the year including:

• Interview your family in your home
• Conduct an initial orientation with your au pair and family
• Hold monthly meetings for your au pair including seasonal safety units
• Maintain monthly contact with your family
• Provide advice on local educational opportunities
• Invite you to two host family events per year
• Give support and advice as needed
• Conduct a mediation in the case of a dispute
• Act as a liaison between you, your au pair, your placement manager and program director 

Au Pair Answer Mom what a Cultural Care Au Pair Local Childcare Coordinator does to support host families and au pairs during their year together.

New families who register from January 19, 2012 through January 24, 2012, will receive a $75 application fee waiver and a $750 program fee discount when welcoming an au pair by July 31, 2012.

Contact me via email at sabine.campbell@lcc.culturalcare.com for the promo code.

Start matching with our au pair candidates for free and save hundreds at the same time!

Cultural Care Au Pair Training School

Upon arrival to the U.S., Cultural Care au pairs attend an exclusive, four-day training program focused on child development and safety. Our unique Au Pair Training School offers instruction from dedicated and experienced educators in a classroom setting. Small class sizes allow teachers to give au pairs one-to-one attention. Additionally, allowing au pairs to adjust to their first days in the U.S. in a comfortable, collegiate environment.

Training School Staff 

Cultural Care has four full-time staff members who work and live on campus to ensure that au pairs feel welcome and well supported during those exciting first days of their au pair adventure.

Training School Teachers

Depending on the number of au pairs at the Training School during a given week, we have between three and ten teachers who are all excited to welcome the au pairs to the U.S. and prepare them for their important roles as caregivers.

The Cultural Care Au Pair staff developed the curriculum for the four-day program in collaboration with The Children’s Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Curriculum and Classes
Topics covered in classes include:

• Health and Safety in the Home
• Food & Nutrition
• Common Childhood Illnesses
• Safety and Emergency Education
• Effective Communication
• Au Pairs as Role Models
• Ages & Stages: Birth to Teenage Years
• Age-appropriate Materials and Activities
• Building Self-esteem in Children
• Behavior Management

Workshops

In addition to their time in the classroom, au pairs attend group workshops. In the communication workshop, teachers and au pairs discuss cultural differences in communication and effective problem solving skills necessary for a successful year.

Au pairs also attend an international sing-along and a personal safety workshop, led by a New York police officer.

Watch our Au Pair Training School video

Our Training School video will give you an inside look at all that goes on during the week on St. John’s campus.

December savings: register for free and save $150!

New families who register from December 7, 2011 through December 31, 2011, will receive a $75 application fee waiver and a $150 program fee discount when welcoming an au pair by July 31, 2012.

Contact me via email at sabine.campbell@lcc.culturalcare.com for more details and the PROMO code for this offer.

Start matching with our au pair candidates today!

Offers cannot be applied retroactively and may not be combined with any other program fee discounts (excluding host family referral bonuses). Program fee discounts may only be applied to program terms of 30 weeks or more. To take advantage of these discounts, apply now.

Are you looking for just the right thing to put under the tree for your au pair? We asked some host parents to share their ideas for au pair gift-giving this holiday season and this is what they came up with…

1. Personalized gifts with kids photos
Chicago Mom on aupairmom.com says: “Urban Outfitters had blank snow globes last year where you could slip in two pictures-one on each side-so for a Christmas gift, I slipped in a picture of our house decorated for the holidays (of the outside, complete with the fallen snow and bows and lights), and a picture of the kids on the other side. [Our au pair] loved this (snow globes seemed the rage with her and the other au pairs - they don’t have many of these in Bolivia I guess).” You can also choose to create a photo book or frame her favorite photo.

2. Tickets to a local game or show
Lots of au pairs would love to experience a local game or show but won’t spend the money themselves to get there. Two tickets from you (so she can take a friend) is usually much appreciated. Says one host mom online: “We live in the NYC area, so we always splurge and give our au pairs two tickets to a Broadway show. Everybody loves this. I got the idea from a very experienced host mother with whom I work.”

3. Gift cards
While not very personal, gift cards are certainly practical and appreciated by au pairs who would love to do more shopping. “I either give a spa gift certificate or an iTunes gift card,” writes Annette McGloin, veteran host mom and Cultural Care staff member, when asked about her gift-giving traditions. Starbucks, Gap and iTunes are also safe bets.

4. Popular book series
A host parent who doesn’t want to be named (in case her au pair is reading!) will introduce her au pair to the Twilight Saga Collection this year. She says her former au pairs have appreciated young adult books because it helps them improve their English comprehension skills at the same time. Two other good ones to consider: the Hunger Games and the Lorien Legacies Series.

5. Warm winter gear
Au pairs who live with host families that get cold weather are rarely outfitted with the proper gear to keep them warm. Jenny Berryman Horne, a host mom from MA says, “We gave our au pair gloves and a scarf last year since she was from a warm country and needed them. We may do this again, too, as a stocking stuffer.” Ines Cortes, another host mom in MA shares, “Our gift to her will be something she has wanted but found too expensive: a down winter coat. She suffered a bit last winter, and knowing our son
Julian, she will be outside quite a bit and needs to be warm.” For hats, boot cuffs and cowls, I like what Kitty Dune on Etsy has to offer. I also love this hat from Prana (so cozy!) and the new gloves from Agloves that work with touchscreen cell phones. Lastly, this 100% down coat by DKNY is on sale.

6. Slippers/pajamas
Since sizing and taste is more forgiving in the case of sleepwear, it’s often a safer gift for au pairs. Susan Robinson, our Au Pair Answer Mom agrees: “Anyone can use another pair of pjs!” These slippers from Urban Outfitters are very cool and inexpensive, and pajamas from Aerie are notoriously soft and in-style.

7. An extra suitcase
If you’re after a gift that you know your au pair will use, it doesn’t get any more practical than an extra suitcase or duffle. She’s going to need it to get all of her stuff back home at the end of the year! This rolling duffle by LLBean is a great option.

8. Jewelry
It might normally be risky to give au pair jewelry, but Alex and Ani bracelets are a sure thing. They are inexpensive, made out of recycled materials and all the rage right now with young women. The best part is that each bracelet has a different symbol or expression like: Statue of Liberty, “Thank you”, “Pursue happiness”, lucky clover.

9. Travel guides
Is your au pair planning a trip somewhere fun? A travel guide book is a great gift option. Says Samantha Janney-a host mom and Cultural Care staff member-”We have typically given our au pairs a guide book for a trip they’re planning and they love it.” Lonely Planet and Frommer’s books are good choices.

10. Stocking and/or ornament
If everyone in your household has a stocking, your au pair should absolutely have one, too! (Just listen to what AuPairMom has to say about this.) Ornaments are also a popular gift according to Cultural Care Au Pair’s online community. Personalized stockings from Pottery Barn seem to be popular, and this personalized ornament is adorable.
Hopefully this post will give all of you host parents out there some things to consider for au pair gifts this holiday season!