Getting an au pair is more affordable than ever

Our host families spoke, and we listened. The economy had an impact on everyone last year. Many families faced new financial challenges, but in the end, they still needed flexible, affordable childcare. As a result, Cultural Care Au Pair has created several new payment options that help lower the initial cost for welcoming an au pair into their home in the New Year. Along with this exciting new change, we are also keeping our prices the same for the second year in a row!

Now new families applying to Cultural Care Au Pair will have even more payment options available. Not only have we reduced our application fee, we have created several new payment plans for new and repeat families. As a result, they can continue to enjoy all the benefits they have enjoyed from Cultural Care Au Pair in the past - and even more!

Lower application fee, lowered payment plan options
How does it work? Now new families applying to the program will pay a $75 non-refundable application fee -a savings over our previous $350 application fee. Upon finding the right au pair, a $275 selection fee will be due so the au pair can finalize arrangements to come to the U.S. Offering this new payment structure not only helps secure the au pair for the family, it allows the visa process to begin moving forward.

In addition, families now have even more flexibility when it comes to making payments. On our regular payment plan, families now have the ability to pay the program fee 30 days prior to the au pair’s arrival, instead of upon selection of an au pair. This is great for families who select an au pair early, as it provides them with additional time to pay their program fee.

In addition, our Extended Payment Plan option now lowers the initial deposit to $2,395, plus a $200 payment plan enrollment fee. Families have the option of making a payment in three easy installments or they can log into their host family account at their convenience and pay weekly, bi-weekly or monthly - whatever works best for the family, as long as it’s within the Extended Payment Plan timeframe. Repeat and extension families enjoy all these flexible payment benefits as well, with the additional benefit of a waived application fee!

Along with keeping prices the same in 2010, and creating several new, lower payment plan options, we are also decreasing the cost for enrolling in our Extended Payment Plan, making it even easier to afford an au pair in the New Year. For more information about how to utilize these new options, contact me, your local childcare coordinator, and I will be happy to provide you with additional details about Cultural Care Au Pair’s exciting new payment options for 2010!

 

Please check out the video link below to see an example of how Cultural Care gives back…

watch?v=uO7AOy8vcJU

Over 75 Cultural Care staff members recently visited one of our three Kids First partners: St. Mary’s Academy in New Orleans, LA. Our mission? To help establish their elementary school library. We did everything from cataloguing new books to decorating the walls, to hooking up their computers. Our favorite part of the day was the opportunity to read our favorite children’s books to the students. Thanks to our staff, local childcare coordinators (LCCs), host families and au pairs who have hosted and supported the Kids First fundraisers that have funded these efforts!

 

The current weekly au pair stipend is $195.75 per week. The calculation used to determine the au pair stipend amount is a combination of the federal minimum wage as well as a room and board allowance.  The exact calculation used to determine the weekly stipend is as follows:

Minimum wage amount x 45 hours - 40% (room and board allowance) = au pair stipend amount

All Cultural Care Au Pair literature and agreements stipulate that host families comply with all regulations, therefore, adherence to these changes is required of all program participants. 

 

 

   If you haven’t applied for a social security

number, please do so. It is free to apply and easy.

 The link to the application and the office are on

my website. 

 

 

New Educational Componet Rule:

As participants in the Cultural Care Au Pair program, it is our obligation to update you with the necessary information for continued compliance with the U.S. Department of State regulations. As you know, au pairs have the opportunity to extend their program term through the extension program for 6, 9, or 12 additional months. In order to extend, an au pair must be in good standing with the program including completion of the required educational requirement:

Not less than 6 semester hours (or their equivalent) of academic credit at a post secondary accredited institution - 22 C.F.R. Part 62.31 K (1)

The Department of State regulations state that au pairs have 12 months to complete their educational component. However, Cultural Care is required to submit to the Department of State all extension requests 30 days prior to the end of the au pair’s first year. Based on recent clarification from the Department, all au pairs who plan to extend their program term 6, 9, or 12 months must now have their educational component COMPLETE by this deadline. This means that extending au pairs will NOT be able to complete or take any classes in the 12th month of their first year in order to fulfill their educational requirement. All classes must begin and conclude prior to the end of the au pair’s 11th month.

Cultural Care Au Pair will now require verbal or written confirmation from au pairs wishing to extend that his/her course has been or will be completed by the end of their 11th month in order to submit the extension application to the Department of State for approval. Final confirmation must be in the form of a certificate, transcript or letter from the school showing that the required credits have been obtained and this must be submitted to Cultural Care before the end of the 12th month. Please note that final approval of any extension application is subject to the sole discretion of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs and cannot be guaranteed by Cultural Care.

We have been informed that further clarification on the educational component is forthcoming from the Department of State and we will share that information with you as soon as it is made available

We encourage au pairs to take steps to explore educational opportunities in their communities immediately upon arrival to the U.S. The educational component is an important part of their program experience as well as a condition of their visa. Fulfilling the requirement as early in the year as possible will help to keep au pairs in compliance and will leave open the possibility for participation in the extension program without complication.

Please be reminded that au pairs who are not planning to extend their program term are, of course, also required to complete their educational component and noncompliance with this requirement will result in forfeit of deposit and return flight.

 

Cultural Care Au Pair Wins Au Pair of the Year Award!!

Cultural Care Au Pair would like to share some very exciting news! For the second year in a row, a Cultural Care au pair was chosen as the Au Pair of the Year! Francisco Ricardo Silva de Araújo of Brazil was recently chosen among 50,000 au pairs around the world to receive the “Au Pair of the Year” award for 2009. This honor is a testament not only to this young man’s daily efforts to keep his host child happy and safe, but to all Cultural Care au pairs who take on the challenge of coming to the U.S. to care for our children.

Each year, the International Au Pair Association (IAPA) asks host families around the world to nominate outstanding au pairs. We’re proud to say that Cultural Care Au Pair host parents submitted nearly 100 of those nominations. (To meet more of the nominees, visit our blog, “The Buzz.”) Not only were we overwhelmed by the response to our call for nominees, we were deeply moved by all the examples of caring and devotion in our host families’ nominations.