I know what you are thinking! This headline cannot be true. If you have an au pair who
drives your car, you may already be shaking your head in disbelief. I was!
Research based on 10 million user quotes from the UK's leading price comparison site, moneysupermarket.com, indicates that bus drivers are the most likely to be at fault in a car crash with general practioners, psychologists, speech therapists, barristers (lawyers) and surgeons in the top 7 categories to be involved in a "car crash that was their fault"(and in that order).
Those most LEAST likely to have to have a "car crash that was their fault" were engravers, horse dealers, zoologists, butlers and au pairs! Au pairs came in with 1.41% least likely to be in a car crash compared to bus drivers who were listed most likely with 16.30% of the people in the UK reporting these crashes to their auto insurers.
Peter Gerrard, head of insurance research at moneysupermarket.com, stated he worrys that "it is the healthcare professionals who seem to be releasing work-related stress when behind the wheel" noting that doctors, speech therapists, surgeons and psychologists are all among the professions most prone to crash.
How can one explain these statistics as they relate to au pairs? These are surprising numbers given the stereotype of the au pair who has trouble driving or gets into accidents more frequently than older nannies do.
Perhaps it is a cultural difference, since the study took place in the UK and au pairs are used to driving on the left hand side of the road. Many au pairs, particulary from South Africa and the UK, are not used to driving on the right hand side and this adds to their confusion and increases their chance of crashing while in America.
Or maybe au pairs as a group drive better than American host families give them credit?
It certainly is something to consider.
What do you think and what has your experience been with your au pairs driving here in the U.S.? Send us your comments!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Au Pair in America Expands its Programs to Ten New Markets
Au Pair in America (http://www.aupairinamerica.com/), the nation’s first au pair program, just expanded its program to 10 new markets across the country.
Press Release, January 26, 2009, from IBT PR Center:
Au Pair in America has expanded its services to Albuquerque/Santa Fe, N.M.; Aspen/Vail/Glenwood Springs, Colo.; Greenville/Spartanburg, S.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Pittsburgh, Penn.; Reno, Nev.; Sacramento/Stockton, Calif.; and Santa Barbara/Santa Maria, Calif.
“We are thrilled to now offer many more families the superior child care and global connections that have come to characterize the Au Pair in America program for the past 22 years,” said Ruth Ferry, senior vice president and director of Au Pair in America, adding, “We secure our au pairs from more than 60 countries and have placed over 80,000 with American host families in 40 states.
“As a result of the current economy, we are hearing from more and more families who are now dual-earning households that suddenly need child care which is both flexible and affordable,” said Ferry. “Our program meets those needs and offers host families a variety of programs to suit their specific requirements.”
Au Pair in America offers flexible live-in child care, an enriching cultural exchange for the entire family, reliable, trustworthy professionals providing support throughout the exchange and the chance to extend the au pair’s stay to two years. The nation’s first au pair program, provides several program options to meet the varied needs of American families and a Web community with a vast array of helpful information. Since 1986, Au Pair in America has placed more than 80,000 au pairs in 40 states. Headquartered in Stamford, Conn., Au Pair in America maintains offices in five countries and has a network of more than 600 employees worldwide.
Families who would like to learn more about Au Pair in America should call (800) 928-7247 or visit http://www.aupairinamerica.com/.
Press Release, January 26, 2009, from IBT PR Center:
Au Pair in America has expanded its services to Albuquerque/Santa Fe, N.M.; Aspen/Vail/Glenwood Springs, Colo.; Greenville/Spartanburg, S.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Pittsburgh, Penn.; Reno, Nev.; Sacramento/Stockton, Calif.; and Santa Barbara/Santa Maria, Calif.
“We are thrilled to now offer many more families the superior child care and global connections that have come to characterize the Au Pair in America program for the past 22 years,” said Ruth Ferry, senior vice president and director of Au Pair in America, adding, “We secure our au pairs from more than 60 countries and have placed over 80,000 with American host families in 40 states.
“As a result of the current economy, we are hearing from more and more families who are now dual-earning households that suddenly need child care which is both flexible and affordable,” said Ferry. “Our program meets those needs and offers host families a variety of programs to suit their specific requirements.”
Au Pair in America offers flexible live-in child care, an enriching cultural exchange for the entire family, reliable, trustworthy professionals providing support throughout the exchange and the chance to extend the au pair’s stay to two years. The nation’s first au pair program, provides several program options to meet the varied needs of American families and a Web community with a vast array of helpful information. Since 1986, Au Pair in America has placed more than 80,000 au pairs in 40 states. Headquartered in Stamford, Conn., Au Pair in America maintains offices in five countries and has a network of more than 600 employees worldwide.
Families who would like to learn more about Au Pair in America should call (800) 928-7247 or visit http://www.aupairinamerica.com/.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
AuPairCare Teams up with Build-A-Bear Stores for Charity
Syracuse, NY, January 26, 2009 AuPairCare agency is teaming up with Build-A-Bear Workshops stores across the nation to hold their Share-A-Bear campaign for au pairs. The Share-A-Bear campaign invites au pairs to give back to their local communities by making a bear and donating it to a local charity.
In the ithacajournal.com article, AuPairCare vice president Heidi Woehl says this is the first time the agency has launched a nationwide charity campaign. "AuPairCare is present in many of the same areas as Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and their mission of creating a place where 'best friends meet' is very much in-line with the role an au pair can play in the life of a child and host family. We are very excited about this partnership and the opportunity for our au pairs who make a different in the lives of the children they care for and to extend the spirit of international friendship through these bears to other children in their area."
Syracuse area au pairs will hold their charity event on Feb. 7 at Carousel Center's Build-A-Bear Workshop. The au pairs are also creating individual cards, in their own language, wishing the children who will receive the bears good wishes.
These "international bears" will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Pittsburgh, PA.
We applaud AuPairCare's charity campaign and what a fun way to donate something special to needy children! AuPairCare has successfully placed over 30,000 au pairs across the U.S. from over 40 countries.
We rated them as our #2 au pair industry leader for 2009 - see full article under Let's Talk Au Pair Agencies "Top Ten Au Pair Industry Leaders" at wwwaupairclearinghouse.com.
Nice job AuPairCare!
In the ithacajournal.com article, AuPairCare vice president Heidi Woehl says this is the first time the agency has launched a nationwide charity campaign. "AuPairCare is present in many of the same areas as Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and their mission of creating a place where 'best friends meet' is very much in-line with the role an au pair can play in the life of a child and host family. We are very excited about this partnership and the opportunity for our au pairs who make a different in the lives of the children they care for and to extend the spirit of international friendship through these bears to other children in their area."
Syracuse area au pairs will hold their charity event on Feb. 7 at Carousel Center's Build-A-Bear Workshop. The au pairs are also creating individual cards, in their own language, wishing the children who will receive the bears good wishes.
These "international bears" will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Pittsburgh, PA.
We applaud AuPairCare's charity campaign and what a fun way to donate something special to needy children! AuPairCare has successfully placed over 30,000 au pairs across the U.S. from over 40 countries.
We rated them as our #2 au pair industry leader for 2009 - see full article under Let's Talk Au Pair Agencies "Top Ten Au Pair Industry Leaders" at wwwaupairclearinghouse.com.
Nice job AuPairCare!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Breaking News - Cultural Care Host Father Secretly Videotaped Au Pairs Using the Bathroom
Over the weekend, the Republican America news reported additional information regarding the sexual assault of a 20 year old au pair by her host father, Muhammad Bhatti (see entire story at my site: aupairclearinghouse.com under Current News: "Cultural Care Au Pair Sexually Assaulted by Host Father") and my blog posted Saturday.
One of the host family's previous au pair, who worked for Bhatti family in 2007, claimed she was using the bathroom when she noticed a black mark on the clock that hung on the bathroom wall. She told police she removed the clock to examine it and found a camera inside. Police went to Bhatti's home and found evidence the clock was used with a camera.
Other au pairs, that were placed in the Bhatti home from 2005-2007 by the Cultural Care Au Pair Agency, told police there was "inappropriate touching, attempted kissing and offers by Bhatti to paint or photograph them in the nude."
Bhatti is free on bond and was ordered to surrender his passport. He is a native of Pakistan and his case was moved to Litchfield County (where the more serious crimes are prosecuted). His case will be continued to February 3, 2009. Charges are rape and using a camera to spy on the familys' au pairs.
One of the host family's previous au pair, who worked for Bhatti family in 2007, claimed she was using the bathroom when she noticed a black mark on the clock that hung on the bathroom wall. She told police she removed the clock to examine it and found a camera inside. Police went to Bhatti's home and found evidence the clock was used with a camera.
Other au pairs, that were placed in the Bhatti home from 2005-2007 by the Cultural Care Au Pair Agency, told police there was "inappropriate touching, attempted kissing and offers by Bhatti to paint or photograph them in the nude."
Bhatti is free on bond and was ordered to surrender his passport. He is a native of Pakistan and his case was moved to Litchfield County (where the more serious crimes are prosecuted). His case will be continued to February 3, 2009. Charges are rape and using a camera to spy on the familys' au pairs.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Cultural Care Au Pair Sexually Assaulted by Host Father - Agency Cover Up Revealed
Cultural Care Au Pair (Cambridge, Mass.), one of the leading au pair agencies in the country, seems to be having a bad time of it this year! First, a host family sues them for 5 million dollars in a civil suit when their au pair took pornographic photos of their 5 year old daughter (see full story at http://www.aupairclearinghouse.com/), and now one of their au pairs has come forward accusing her host father of sexual assault.
To make matters worse, it appears that Cultural Care tried to cover up prior au pairs' histories and complaints against the father accused of sexual assault and who has been a customer with Cultural Care for over three years.
According to a CT newspaper, The Register Citizen (see full story by Tracy Kennedy at registercitizen.com), Muhammed Bhatti, 38, married with one child, was charged with first, second and third degree sexual assault charges in Bantam, CT Superior Court on Friday, January 23, 2009.
His arrest and subsequent charges were based on his au pair's accusation to police that Bhatti said to her he had to "inspect" her before she could swim at a New Milford pool on November 5, 2009. He told his au pair two tests were needed for herpes before she could enter the pool and he allegedly told her to undress and then, by force, administered the "tests" using Vagisil and Q-tips.
When police interviewed Natalie Jordan, senior vice president of Cultural Care, she told police that the agency was not aware of any complaints against Bhatti and the Slovakian au pair was only the second au pair placed in that home. The police may have been sceptical since they issued a court ordered search that forced Cultural Care to turn over all records on the Bhatti family. Police then discovered information contrary to Ms. Jordan's initial statements: there were seven Cultural Care au pairs placed with the Bhatti host family since 2005.
Police were able to contact 4 of the previous au pairs and each one of them reported feeling uncomfortable with Bhatti and reported "specific incidents" that had occurred between them and Bhatti. No information was released regarding what years these incidents took place or if any of these au pair left the home or the program due to these incidents.
Wasn't 7 au pairs in less than 4 years enough of a red flag for this agency to take a harder look at the Bhatti family? In addition, au pairs leaving host family homes (at least 4-5 left the home during the 3 and a half years the family was in the program) are interviewed and asked 'why" and this information is documented and used to evaluate the appropriateness of the home environment. Or, it is supposed to work that way.
Has Cultural Care gotten too big for its own britches?
They have aggressively marketed their services in the past few years, taking large numbers of customers away from the once top industry leader, Au Pair in America, located in Stamford, CT. Perhaps Cultural Care has lost sight of their goals? Besides making money, that is. Au pair agencies have the responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for the girls they recruit and place in American homes and host families are also subjected to criminal background checks, as au pairs are. What happened in this case with the background check? According to the US Department of State, all host families must be American citizens and Bhatti is a native citizen of Pakistan.
More importantly, why did the agency continue to place au pairs in this home after four of the previous au pairs reported incidents with Bhatti that made them feel "uncomfortable?" Obviously the agency knew about these incidents since they tried to hide their files and the history of placements in the Bhatti home from police. Police were only able to contact the previous au pairs (to establish credibility of the reported sexual abuse by the Slovakian au pair) through a court-ordered search.
This disturbing story raises many questions regarding Cultural Care. We understand that these incidents can happen - there is only so much any au pair agency can do besides the family background check and to continue to monitor the home, but to hide key evidence in a sexual assault case? This action can cause many host parents to question the trust they place in the program and it may also affect the thousands of prospective au pairs' decision to sign up with Cultural Care going forward.
We will continue to report on this story as it unfolds in the news and the court. Please send us your comments to this blog or to our website: www.aupairclearinghouse.com
You heard it first at the AuPairClearinghouse Blog National News Center!
To make matters worse, it appears that Cultural Care tried to cover up prior au pairs' histories and complaints against the father accused of sexual assault and who has been a customer with Cultural Care for over three years.
According to a CT newspaper, The Register Citizen (see full story by Tracy Kennedy at registercitizen.com), Muhammed Bhatti, 38, married with one child, was charged with first, second and third degree sexual assault charges in Bantam, CT Superior Court on Friday, January 23, 2009.
His arrest and subsequent charges were based on his au pair's accusation to police that Bhatti said to her he had to "inspect" her before she could swim at a New Milford pool on November 5, 2009. He told his au pair two tests were needed for herpes before she could enter the pool and he allegedly told her to undress and then, by force, administered the "tests" using Vagisil and Q-tips.
After the sexual assault, the au pair left the house and reported the incident to police. The au pair, whose name was not released, never returned to the host family's home. She has since returned to Slovakia but told police she would return to testify, if necessary.
When police interviewed Natalie Jordan, senior vice president of Cultural Care, she told police that the agency was not aware of any complaints against Bhatti and the Slovakian au pair was only the second au pair placed in that home. The police may have been sceptical since they issued a court ordered search that forced Cultural Care to turn over all records on the Bhatti family. Police then discovered information contrary to Ms. Jordan's initial statements: there were seven Cultural Care au pairs placed with the Bhatti host family since 2005.
Police were able to contact 4 of the previous au pairs and each one of them reported feeling uncomfortable with Bhatti and reported "specific incidents" that had occurred between them and Bhatti. No information was released regarding what years these incidents took place or if any of these au pair left the home or the program due to these incidents.
Wasn't 7 au pairs in less than 4 years enough of a red flag for this agency to take a harder look at the Bhatti family? In addition, au pairs leaving host family homes (at least 4-5 left the home during the 3 and a half years the family was in the program) are interviewed and asked 'why" and this information is documented and used to evaluate the appropriateness of the home environment. Or, it is supposed to work that way.
Has Cultural Care gotten too big for its own britches?
They have aggressively marketed their services in the past few years, taking large numbers of customers away from the once top industry leader, Au Pair in America, located in Stamford, CT. Perhaps Cultural Care has lost sight of their goals? Besides making money, that is. Au pair agencies have the responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for the girls they recruit and place in American homes and host families are also subjected to criminal background checks, as au pairs are. What happened in this case with the background check? According to the US Department of State, all host families must be American citizens and Bhatti is a native citizen of Pakistan.
More importantly, why did the agency continue to place au pairs in this home after four of the previous au pairs reported incidents with Bhatti that made them feel "uncomfortable?" Obviously the agency knew about these incidents since they tried to hide their files and the history of placements in the Bhatti home from police. Police were only able to contact the previous au pairs (to establish credibility of the reported sexual abuse by the Slovakian au pair) through a court-ordered search.
This disturbing story raises many questions regarding Cultural Care. We understand that these incidents can happen - there is only so much any au pair agency can do besides the family background check and to continue to monitor the home, but to hide key evidence in a sexual assault case? This action can cause many host parents to question the trust they place in the program and it may also affect the thousands of prospective au pairs' decision to sign up with Cultural Care going forward.
We will continue to report on this story as it unfolds in the news and the court. Please send us your comments to this blog or to our website: www.aupairclearinghouse.com
You heard it first at the AuPairClearinghouse Blog National News Center!
Friday, January 23, 2009
German Au Pairs and Infant Care
Where are all the German au pairs who are infant qualified?
"Infant qualified" au pairs are candidates that have 200 hours or more of experience taking care of infants (under the age of 24 months). When girls apply to an au pair agency with the desire to take care of infants, they must show proof, usually through references from daycare centers or private families, that they cared for infants for at least 200 hours in order to meet the requirements of the Department of State. To meet this qualification, they must provide documentation of having cared for an infant under the age of 24 months and only then can they be "identified" as "Infant Qualified" and placed in a family who has a baby.
German au pairs are in high demand due to their competent driving skills and good English. However, their is a paucity of German "Infant Qualified" au pairs available across all agencies.
Why?
The German government has an excellent maternity leave for German mothers. Women can stay at home with their babies until they are two years old! Because of the progressive German maternity leave, au pairs have very little opportunities to gain infant care experience, either in private homes or in daycare centers.
So, if you are looking for a German au pair to take care of your new baby, look elsewhere.
Thai au pairs typically arrive with "Infant Qualified" status and there is a large number of Thai au pairs available for families with infants. However, Thai au pairs generally have both weak verbal English and driving skills, so there is a trade-off regarding these two areas areas that most parents identify as high on their wish list for an au pair.
If you don't need a driver and you can find a Thai who speaks relatively good English, you will find plenty of candidates for your infant care needs.
"Infant qualified" au pairs are candidates that have 200 hours or more of experience taking care of infants (under the age of 24 months). When girls apply to an au pair agency with the desire to take care of infants, they must show proof, usually through references from daycare centers or private families, that they cared for infants for at least 200 hours in order to meet the requirements of the Department of State. To meet this qualification, they must provide documentation of having cared for an infant under the age of 24 months and only then can they be "identified" as "Infant Qualified" and placed in a family who has a baby.
German au pairs are in high demand due to their competent driving skills and good English. However, their is a paucity of German "Infant Qualified" au pairs available across all agencies.
Why?
The German government has an excellent maternity leave for German mothers. Women can stay at home with their babies until they are two years old! Because of the progressive German maternity leave, au pairs have very little opportunities to gain infant care experience, either in private homes or in daycare centers.
So, if you are looking for a German au pair to take care of your new baby, look elsewhere.
Thai au pairs typically arrive with "Infant Qualified" status and there is a large number of Thai au pairs available for families with infants. However, Thai au pairs generally have both weak verbal English and driving skills, so there is a trade-off regarding these two areas areas that most parents identify as high on their wish list for an au pair.
If you don't need a driver and you can find a Thai who speaks relatively good English, you will find plenty of candidates for your infant care needs.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Psychological Screening of Au Pairs
Yesterday, one of our blogger followers posted a great question: "What kind of psychological screening do au pair agencies use?" Kate writes that her niece is looking for an au pair and she read our blog about the Swiss au pair who took inappropriate photos of the family's 5 year old daughter. One photo was determined to be pornographic, yet no charges were made and the au pair was free to return home. However, the family, who hosted the au pair from Cultural Care, claims their daughter is now psychologically damaged and they are suing the agency for over 5 million dollars. See the entire post "Host Family Sues Au Pair Agency..."
I can understand Kate's concern - parents worry "Will my au pair be of sound mind?" "Does she have mental health issues, like depression, anxiety or an eating disorder?" Parents should know how effective these tests are in pinpointing mental health problems.
First, let's take a look at the issue of psychological screening. If the agency has been designated by the Department of State, then yes, the agency is required to do both a criminal background check and a psychological screening.
The tests the agencies use vary - there is no one test required by the Department of State. All the tests vary along types (some are personality tests, some are cultural adaptabililty inventories) and validity. There are no statistics available to the consumer regarding the results of the psychological scores, for example, how many au pairs pass; how many fail; how many are accepted if they have marginal results and what are the criteria by which the agency accepts or rejects an au pair using these methods? Therein lies the problem - where is the reliability of a U.S. government sanctioned test that has passed muster?
Secondly, not all tests can rule out all mental health issues. Can these psychological profiles flag a potential child abuser? In the case of the Swiss au pair, who took at least one pornographic photo of the child touching her genitals and posted it on a website in Sweden, did the test she apparently "passed" screen for Pedophilia? Who is looking at these tests? Who reads the results and consults with the agencies regarding potential red flags? What are the person's qualifications interpreting test results?
Pedophilia is defined as a psychological disorder in which an adult has a sexual desire only for children. A feature of this disorder is recurrent sexual urges and fantasies about children that leads to child sexual abuse, including child pornography. Most pedophiles take excessive photographs of children and they can be of a sexual nature, or show nudity.
We typically think of males as pedophiles but research indicates that female pedophiles preying on children in their care is much higher than previously thought. Over 6% of pedophiles are women (Natalie O'Brien, NEWS.com.au, & The Australian, March 7, 2006). The study also indicated that female predators were less likely to be charged and prosecuted for crimes against children compared to male predators.
The study noted that female pedophiles typically abuse girls, at twice the rate they abused boys. Male childcare workers and male au pairs face much more discrimination and scrutiny compared to their female counterparts. Au pair agencies and childcare workers clearly should be screening both sexes for potential child abuse!
The good news is that the majority of au pairs coming into the government regulated agencies are not child abusers and the incidence of reported cases are low.
We will continue to discuss this disturbing and timely topic and report related incidents in the news as they unfold. Please send us your comments and thoughts regarding this topic.
We will be posting an article on aupairclearinghouse.com on childcare workers/au pairs and child abuse and how to recognize a pedophile.
I can understand Kate's concern - parents worry "Will my au pair be of sound mind?" "Does she have mental health issues, like depression, anxiety or an eating disorder?" Parents should know how effective these tests are in pinpointing mental health problems.
First, let's take a look at the issue of psychological screening. If the agency has been designated by the Department of State, then yes, the agency is required to do both a criminal background check and a psychological screening.
The tests the agencies use vary - there is no one test required by the Department of State. All the tests vary along types (some are personality tests, some are cultural adaptabililty inventories) and validity. There are no statistics available to the consumer regarding the results of the psychological scores, for example, how many au pairs pass; how many fail; how many are accepted if they have marginal results and what are the criteria by which the agency accepts or rejects an au pair using these methods? Therein lies the problem - where is the reliability of a U.S. government sanctioned test that has passed muster?
Secondly, not all tests can rule out all mental health issues. Can these psychological profiles flag a potential child abuser? In the case of the Swiss au pair, who took at least one pornographic photo of the child touching her genitals and posted it on a website in Sweden, did the test she apparently "passed" screen for Pedophilia? Who is looking at these tests? Who reads the results and consults with the agencies regarding potential red flags? What are the person's qualifications interpreting test results?
Pedophilia is defined as a psychological disorder in which an adult has a sexual desire only for children. A feature of this disorder is recurrent sexual urges and fantasies about children that leads to child sexual abuse, including child pornography. Most pedophiles take excessive photographs of children and they can be of a sexual nature, or show nudity.
We typically think of males as pedophiles but research indicates that female pedophiles preying on children in their care is much higher than previously thought. Over 6% of pedophiles are women (Natalie O'Brien, NEWS.com.au, & The Australian, March 7, 2006). The study also indicated that female predators were less likely to be charged and prosecuted for crimes against children compared to male predators.
The study noted that female pedophiles typically abuse girls, at twice the rate they abused boys. Male childcare workers and male au pairs face much more discrimination and scrutiny compared to their female counterparts. Au pair agencies and childcare workers clearly should be screening both sexes for potential child abuse!
The good news is that the majority of au pairs coming into the government regulated agencies are not child abusers and the incidence of reported cases are low.
We will continue to discuss this disturbing and timely topic and report related incidents in the news as they unfold. Please send us your comments and thoughts regarding this topic.
We will be posting an article on aupairclearinghouse.com on childcare workers/au pairs and child abuse and how to recognize a pedophile.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Bird Flu kills 19 year old Chinese Woman in Bejiing
We have been writing about Chinese Au Pairs and the growing trend of American families hosting au pairs from China. We wanted to alert parents that health officials in China confimed last week that a deadly strain of the bird flu has killed a 19 year old Chinese woman. This is China's first reported death from the disease in a year. Go to our website aupairclearinghouse.com to read the entire article.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Chinese Au Pairs on the Rise
Host families are contacting the Aupairclearinghouse.com for information about au pairs from China. Recruiting from China is a new trend in the au pair industry and the first Chinese au pair was hosted by the Au Pair in America agency in 2004. Since then, over 2000 au pairs from China have been welcomed into American families. Their services are in demand from parents who seek to expose their children to Mandarin and by parents who have an adopted child from China.
Most au pairs are recruited from Beijing, the capital of China. Not all Chinese parents approve of their daughter signing up to become an au pair - there is a bias against "domestic" work and many parents want their Chinese daughters to seek a professional career or attend University instead of caring for children, doing laundry and running errands for host families.
Despite the cultural bias and the weak economy, the number of Chinese au pairs continue to rise. It is exciting to learn about Chinese culture and I look forward to reporting on this trend as it unfolds.
Please visit our website aupairclearinghouse.com to read more about Chinese au pairs.
If anyone has a Chinese au pair, please leave your comments here or at the Clearinghouse.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Edina Stone
Most au pairs are recruited from Beijing, the capital of China. Not all Chinese parents approve of their daughter signing up to become an au pair - there is a bias against "domestic" work and many parents want their Chinese daughters to seek a professional career or attend University instead of caring for children, doing laundry and running errands for host families.
Despite the cultural bias and the weak economy, the number of Chinese au pairs continue to rise. It is exciting to learn about Chinese culture and I look forward to reporting on this trend as it unfolds.
Please visit our website aupairclearinghouse.com to read more about Chinese au pairs.
If anyone has a Chinese au pair, please leave your comments here or at the Clearinghouse.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Edina Stone
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Host Family Sues Au Pair Agency in Federal Court for Negligence and Fraud
A host family from Guilford is suing Cultural Care for $5 million dollars and the civil lawsuit charges the agency with breach of contract, negligence and fraud. They allege that their Swedish au pair took inappropriate photographs of their 5-year-old daughter. The suit claims that the daughter and her family are suffering from "irreversible emotional injury and distress” and seeks damages that include financial cost to the parents associated with finding another au pair, providing medical care for their minor child as well as the costs of litigation.
The civil lawsuit, filed in Federal court, claims that the agency failed to adequately screen, train, supervise and monitor the au pair. When the host mom found the alleged photographs, police took the au pair in for questioning. The photographs showed their child wearing red silk pajamas and her face was covered in heavy make-up. In some of the photos, the girl's top was open, in other photos, the top was off altogether. In one picture, the girl had her hand down her pajama bottoms. This was the only photo that was later interpreted by the police to be pornographic.
Because the law stipulates that there must be at least three pornographic pictures for an arrest - the au pair was released and the agency sent her home to Sweden. No charges were ever filed against the au pair.
We will continue to report on this story as it moves through the courts. Please send your comment to me at this blog.
The civil lawsuit, filed in Federal court, claims that the agency failed to adequately screen, train, supervise and monitor the au pair. When the host mom found the alleged photographs, police took the au pair in for questioning. The photographs showed their child wearing red silk pajamas and her face was covered in heavy make-up. In some of the photos, the girl's top was open, in other photos, the top was off altogether. In one picture, the girl had her hand down her pajama bottoms. This was the only photo that was later interpreted by the police to be pornographic.
Because the law stipulates that there must be at least three pornographic pictures for an arrest - the au pair was released and the agency sent her home to Sweden. No charges were ever filed against the au pair.
We will continue to report on this story as it moves through the courts. Please send your comment to me at this blog.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Are We Really All One World? Au Pairs and Cultural Differences
Germany
The idea of traveling to the United States to become an au pair is a very familiar concept in Germany. These young women are motivated by several factors including a desire to become more independent, to improve their English skills, and to experience American culture. German youth are fascinated with American music, TV programs, Hollywood stars and movies. In addition, young German women know that a year abroad that improves her English is a significant plus on her resume, greatly increasing her job potential once she returns home. Therefore, the au pair program continues to be a highly popular gap year for young women who usually return to Germany to continue at University. Approximately 37% of all au pairs who arrive in the United States are from Western Europe and 23% of that number are from Germany (although in recent years, that trend seems to be declining).
German Culture
- Young people in Germany have much more freedom from their families to socialize and date compared to their American peers. Socializing with friends is very important and German youth go out to pubs from the early age of 16.
- Curfews are not common and there is generally a relaxed and accepting attitude between parents and their adolescent children. You may want to remember that if you have a German au pair.
- German youth are generally open-minded, well mannered and tend to be ambitious regarding their careers.
- Germans take family life very seriously and most German families eat together for all meals, including lunch. Government rules allow all shops and businesses to close each day for from 12 noon to 2 o’clock so the family can come together for lunch.
- Germans are very private people and greatly value their time alone. It would not be unusual for your German au pair to keep her door shut while she is in her room on her time “off” and during these times you should make sure the children are not barging in and bothering her. She may feel this is very rude behavior.
Childcare
- Discipline includes talking to the child, taking candy or snacks away or not allowing the child to have television or video privileges.
- German au pairs tend to be highly organized and responsible and catch on quickly to the family’s routine.
- Corporal punishment is forbidden in Germany.
- Applicants obtain their childcare experience through formal training (in kindergartens, etc.) and babysitting for friends and family.
German parents (either mother or father) typically stay home with their young children at least until they are old enough to attend kindergarten. - Your German au pair will expect the children to treat her with respect and to listen to her and follow the house rules. Unruly or bad behavior is a sign of disrespect and a child who is overly indulged by parents (with toys, sweets, privileges not earned) is considered spoiled behavior and a result of poor or failed parenting.
Driving Skills
- Most German au pairs are excellent drivers. They receive their license at age 18 and the test is much more demanding and time consuming compared to their American peers. Most driving pupils need 20-30 lessons in order to pass the test and there is an hour practical driving test! If any German fails the test more than 3 times, a psychological test is then required by the state.
- Most parents have a car for the teen to practice on and they support their teenagers in getting the license and becoming good, safe drivers. German au pairs are exclusively sought out by host parents for their excellent driving skills
English Skills
- English is a compulsory subject at the age of 10, but many children start as early as kindergarten. As a result, German youth have competent English skills with many having no or a very slight German accent.
- German au pairs are popular with host parents for their English skills. Host parents typically expect them to help the children with homework and German au pairs are generally very competent in this area.
Health
- Germans are typically very healthy. They have good medical and dental insurance.
- Eating disorders are not very common in Germany.
- Most young people in Germany eat meat and lots of vegetables and fresh foods are preferred to fast foods/processed foods.
Religion
- The two most common religions in Germany are Catholic and Protestant
- Most young people in Germany do not practice their religion on a regular basis but will attend weekly church services if the family does.
Other Useful Information
Most German families have at least one computer with access to the internet and most young Germans have their own cell phones; contacting prospective au pairs is relatively easy during the interviewing process. Family members usually speak English and can take messages from you if the au pair is not home. This is good news for you since you will not keep playing phone or internent tag!
Keep in mind German students end their academic year in June and most of the young women apply to arrive in the USA during the summer months but before our school term starts here in the USA (plan to have your German au pair arrive in early or mid August). German au pairs are typically serious students and will expect to sign up for courses immediately upon arrival. German au pairs will expect flexibly from her host parents so she can attend her classes without interruption so please attend to this if you want a happy, well-adjusted au pair.
West Germans are generally more educated, are more experienced drivers and possess better English skills compared to East Germans. Generally, West Germans have less trouble assimilating into American culture and do not generally suffer from culture shock. They genuinely like American culture and look forward to their year abroad. Most importantly: the majority of German au pairs will not extend beyond the 12 months – they will return home to continue their education, start a business or look for a professional job. If you hire German au pairs, be prepared to start looking for a new au pair at the end of the 12 month contract.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Top Ten Mistakes Host Parents Make When Choosing an Au Pair
Host families contact us all the time about their frustration with au pair agencies that basically say all the same things: "our au pairs are carefully screened, responsible and mature young women who can drive, speak English and have experience working with children." The frustration comes later when host parents find that many au pairs arrive in their homes and cannot speak good English, cannot drive and have had little or no experience with children!
It is a disturbing fact that a large percent (approximately 15% - 25%) of au pairs do slip through the screening process and arrive in the USA without the basics: English, driving skills and childcare experience. How does this happen?
Foreign agents who work out of travel agencies abroad are hired by the au pair agencies to recruit and screen au pairs. The agents work on a commission basis and the more au pairs they sign up, the more money they make. Therefore, built right into the screening process, there is a conflict of interest that ultimately affects the quality of the au pairs arriving in the USA. As a host parent, what can you do about this?
Get informed. Be aware of the mistakes host families commonly make during the matching process. You can and should do your own screening in addition to the oft times slapdash screening agents do in order to increase their commission checks.
We review the Top Ten Mistakes Host Families should avoid at our website: aupairclearinghouse.com/aupairclearinghouse.com/ and here are the first three out of the ten:
Mistake #10: Not Reviewing An Agency's Qualifications: if you choose a program only because it is cheap, you are placing your child at risk. Make certain the program you sign up with is registered with the Department of State who monitors and regulates these agencies. Visit our site for a list of the 12 designated au pair agencies.
Mistake #9: Not Taking the Time to Check the Application: Make the most of the applicant's information sent to you by the agency! Make sure the applications from the same agent/country is varied - if each application you receive from the same country/agent reads the same across experience, English skills, impression during interview, etc. this may tell you the agent is not discriminating or reporting factual information - they are plugging each girl who applies to appear "excellent" across all dimensions. This is a red flag that the information you are getting may not be factual!
Mistake #8: Not Reading Between the Lines of the Au Pair's Host Family Letter: Each au pair writes a letter to prospective host parents. The information contained in this letter can be very revealing. Does she express herself well in English; does she express a happy and upbeat personality; does she discuss difficulties at home that may indicate she is running away from family conflict, etc. She should make positive comments about herself, her family and in children in general.
Go to our site to read the entire list of the Top Ten Mistakes and to read more about the above regarding our tips and suggestions, etc.
Good luck to all host parents who are signing up for an au pair in the new year - it can be a great experience or it can be a disaster - it is your choice. Do your homework and get informed.
Happy New Year
It is a disturbing fact that a large percent (approximately 15% - 25%) of au pairs do slip through the screening process and arrive in the USA without the basics: English, driving skills and childcare experience. How does this happen?
Foreign agents who work out of travel agencies abroad are hired by the au pair agencies to recruit and screen au pairs. The agents work on a commission basis and the more au pairs they sign up, the more money they make. Therefore, built right into the screening process, there is a conflict of interest that ultimately affects the quality of the au pairs arriving in the USA. As a host parent, what can you do about this?
Get informed. Be aware of the mistakes host families commonly make during the matching process. You can and should do your own screening in addition to the oft times slapdash screening agents do in order to increase their commission checks.
We review the Top Ten Mistakes Host Families should avoid at our website: aupairclearinghouse.com/aupairclearinghouse.com/ and here are the first three out of the ten:
Mistake #10: Not Reviewing An Agency's Qualifications: if you choose a program only because it is cheap, you are placing your child at risk. Make certain the program you sign up with is registered with the Department of State who monitors and regulates these agencies. Visit our site for a list of the 12 designated au pair agencies.
Mistake #9: Not Taking the Time to Check the Application: Make the most of the applicant's information sent to you by the agency! Make sure the applications from the same agent/country is varied - if each application you receive from the same country/agent reads the same across experience, English skills, impression during interview, etc. this may tell you the agent is not discriminating or reporting factual information - they are plugging each girl who applies to appear "excellent" across all dimensions. This is a red flag that the information you are getting may not be factual!
Mistake #8: Not Reading Between the Lines of the Au Pair's Host Family Letter: Each au pair writes a letter to prospective host parents. The information contained in this letter can be very revealing. Does she express herself well in English; does she express a happy and upbeat personality; does she discuss difficulties at home that may indicate she is running away from family conflict, etc. She should make positive comments about herself, her family and in children in general.
Go to our site to read the entire list of the Top Ten Mistakes and to read more about the above regarding our tips and suggestions, etc.
Good luck to all host parents who are signing up for an au pair in the new year - it can be a great experience or it can be a disaster - it is your choice. Do your homework and get informed.
Happy New Year
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Top Three Au Pair Industry Leaders for 2009
At Aupairclearinghouse.com we posted our Top Three Agency Picks for 2009. We compared agencies across several factors: costs; customer service; matching process; phone service; speed of matching; award winning agencies; Au Pair of the Year Award for 2008; general strengths and weaknesses across all three agencies and special programs (ex., male au pairs; Special Infant Programs; summer programs) and much more.
You will be surprised at the rising costs at one of our agency picks - with total fees for 12 months reaching 20,000 a year starting in January 2009! This may be your agency so you should take a look before you sign a new contract.
We would like to hear from host parents on any of these industry leaders or any other agencies that you think should have made our Top Three - this list could change in the next coming months according to changes in service, costs, etc.
We compare and report on the au pair agencies and give host parents unbiased information so they can make the best choice for their childcare needs.
Happy New Year and best wishes for a safe and rewarding year with your au pair!
Edina Stone
You will be surprised at the rising costs at one of our agency picks - with total fees for 12 months reaching 20,000 a year starting in January 2009! This may be your agency so you should take a look before you sign a new contract.
We would like to hear from host parents on any of these industry leaders or any other agencies that you think should have made our Top Three - this list could change in the next coming months according to changes in service, costs, etc.
We compare and report on the au pair agencies and give host parents unbiased information so they can make the best choice for their childcare needs.
Happy New Year and best wishes for a safe and rewarding year with your au pair!
Edina Stone
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