EXPERT AU PAIR AGENCY RATINGS AND REVIEWS
We review and compare au pair agencies in the United States by conducting customer reviews and staff research. Find out which agencies are the best and the worst performers.
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What is an Au Pair?
Au Pair means "on par" or equal. Young women ranging in age from 18-26 are international visitors who arrive in the United States on a J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa. Au pairs hope to acquire a better understanding of the cultural aspects of our American life, improve their English, take college courses and travel, while living with an American family and caring for their children.
Cost Effective Childcare
As Childcare costs soar, au pair agencies are capitalizing on the international young woman's dream of coming to America for a cultural experience and the chance to improve her English, and the hope of dramatically improving her life and career opportunities.
Au pair agencies are highly affordable - significantly less expensive than both daycare and nannies. Au pair agencies promise to provide quality, well-screened au pairs who will care for children up to 10 hours a day and not more than 45 hours a week.
We help you to determine which agencies deliver what they promise; which agencies have great customer service; which agency has the best screened au pairs; the best drivers, and which agencies to avoid.
Broaden your international savvy with our inside scoop on different "cultural personalities" - and we tell you what to really expect when your au pair arrives at your doorstep.
Visit our website today: www.aupairclearinghouse.com
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Is Your Au Pair Suffering from Culture Shock or Depression?
Article:
Is Your Au Pair Suffering From Culture Shock or Depression?
by Edina Stone
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Culture Shock is a phenomenon that occurs when a foreigner enters a new culture and experiences unpleasant adjustment symptoms that can range from problems sleeping, mental fatigue, a delay or refusal to speak the new culture's language, a desire to return home and feelings of hopelessness. Au pairs experience culture shock in varying degrees when they arrive. Most of them adjust quickly and are excited to meet the challenges of her new culture and all that is has to offer. A significant number of au pairs never adjust and they usually return home soon after their arrival due to a number of reasons.
Recognizing cultural shock and the symptoms will help reduce the problems that may arise between your au pair and your family. If you understand how difficult it is for these young girls to adjust to a new country and a strange and different culture, you can be proactive in minimizing the disruption it can have on your family and for your au pair.
Be patient and give her the time to adjust. Talk to her about culture shock – bring it out in the open for discussion. Ask your counselor what she plans to do for your au pair in getting her connected to other au pairs in the area, thus creating a social network and support group that greatly assists with difficulty assimilating to American culture. In a few weeks, your au pair should be adjusting well within normal parameters.
However, many au pairs have significant difficulties adjusting to their new surroundings and may react with frustration, confusion and intense homesickness. These difficulties may present as minor physical complaints: stomach aches, headaches, minor colds and eating problems (either overeating as a way to comfort themselves or a lack of appetite and refusal to eat new and different foods). Other symptoms include anxiety and feelings of disorientation, uncertainty and intense loneliness, which can often lead to depression. These symptoms can often be combined with an intense dislike with certain aspects of the new culture. Your au pair may complain to others about your family, her room, the food, your the children and about the United States in general. She may call her parents multiple times a day to complain and feel them out about coming home. Culture shock normally occurs several weeks after the au pair arrives, but it may develop in the first week, when the initial excitement wears off and she realizes she will have to deal with a new environment for a long time.
Difficulties in assimilating can be disruptive and troubling for both you and your au pair. You may feel surprised that your bubbly and gregarious au pair is now hostile, silent and refuses to come to the dinner table. You may find she is hoarding food in her room and she is experiencing sudden weight changes or becomes lethargic. If your au pair continues to show signs of extreme cultural shock, you need to call your agency and the local counselor. Many times inexperienced counselors or managers will tell you to wait, that these symptoms are normal and that in a month or two everything should be just fine. Waiting for 2-3 months for your unhappy, and possibly depressed, au pair to recover may be a recipe for disaster.
How do you know when the culture shock your au pair is experiencing is serious enough for a professional intervention? First, look for signs of depression accompanied by feelings of hopelessness – when these two elements are presented together your au pair may need professional help. Studies have shown that when feelings of depression are accompanied by feelings of hopelessness the incidence of suicidal thinking increases. http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/130/4/455.
If her biological parents are telling her she has to stay and finish out the program, and you and the counselor are telling her the same thing, and there is no relief of her symptoms, she very well may develop a depressive disorder. Some of the symptoms of depression are: a lack of interest in things that once were pleasurable; sleep problems; unusual eating patterns; sadness, crying, physical and mental fatigue and the inability to concentrate and function normally at work or in social situations. Please visit this link for more information on depression: http://www.webmd.com/learning-manage-depression/symptoms-causes. If you recognize these symptoms in your au pair you should call your agency at once for assistance.
Tip Alert: If your au pair agency takes a "wait and see" attitude but you feel your au pair's ability to function is undermined by the symptoms of culture shock that may have worsened into a depression, do not hesitate to call and discuss your au pair's adjustment difficulties with your physician. If the agency and/or counselor will not do anything, bring your au pair to the doctor yourself. Au pairs have medical insurance and this visit should be covered. It is important to get your au pair help if you think she is suffering from depression and not just cultural shock but the only person who can make an accurate diagnosis is a medical doctor or a psychiatrist. Don't try to play therapist, instead, have her evaluated for your peace of mind and for the safety of your children and for the au pair herself. She may be unable to express her feelings and she may need help and not be able to ask for it. She is in your care, so make sure you treat her the way you would your own
Is Your Au Pair Suffering From Culture Shock or Depression?
by Edina Stone
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Culture Shock is a phenomenon that occurs when a foreigner enters a new culture and experiences unpleasant adjustment symptoms that can range from problems sleeping, mental fatigue, a delay or refusal to speak the new culture's language, a desire to return home and feelings of hopelessness. Au pairs experience culture shock in varying degrees when they arrive. Most of them adjust quickly and are excited to meet the challenges of her new culture and all that is has to offer. A significant number of au pairs never adjust and they usually return home soon after their arrival due to a number of reasons.
Recognizing cultural shock and the symptoms will help reduce the problems that may arise between your au pair and your family. If you understand how difficult it is for these young girls to adjust to a new country and a strange and different culture, you can be proactive in minimizing the disruption it can have on your family and for your au pair.
Be patient and give her the time to adjust. Talk to her about culture shock – bring it out in the open for discussion. Ask your counselor what she plans to do for your au pair in getting her connected to other au pairs in the area, thus creating a social network and support group that greatly assists with difficulty assimilating to American culture. In a few weeks, your au pair should be adjusting well within normal parameters.
However, many au pairs have significant difficulties adjusting to their new surroundings and may react with frustration, confusion and intense homesickness. These difficulties may present as minor physical complaints: stomach aches, headaches, minor colds and eating problems (either overeating as a way to comfort themselves or a lack of appetite and refusal to eat new and different foods). Other symptoms include anxiety and feelings of disorientation, uncertainty and intense loneliness, which can often lead to depression. These symptoms can often be combined with an intense dislike with certain aspects of the new culture. Your au pair may complain to others about your family, her room, the food, your the children and about the United States in general. She may call her parents multiple times a day to complain and feel them out about coming home. Culture shock normally occurs several weeks after the au pair arrives, but it may develop in the first week, when the initial excitement wears off and she realizes she will have to deal with a new environment for a long time.
Difficulties in assimilating can be disruptive and troubling for both you and your au pair. You may feel surprised that your bubbly and gregarious au pair is now hostile, silent and refuses to come to the dinner table. You may find she is hoarding food in her room and she is experiencing sudden weight changes or becomes lethargic. If your au pair continues to show signs of extreme cultural shock, you need to call your agency and the local counselor. Many times inexperienced counselors or managers will tell you to wait, that these symptoms are normal and that in a month or two everything should be just fine. Waiting for 2-3 months for your unhappy, and possibly depressed, au pair to recover may be a recipe for disaster.
How do you know when the culture shock your au pair is experiencing is serious enough for a professional intervention? First, look for signs of depression accompanied by feelings of hopelessness – when these two elements are presented together your au pair may need professional help. Studies have shown that when feelings of depression are accompanied by feelings of hopelessness the incidence of suicidal thinking increases. http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/130/4/455.
If her biological parents are telling her she has to stay and finish out the program, and you and the counselor are telling her the same thing, and there is no relief of her symptoms, she very well may develop a depressive disorder. Some of the symptoms of depression are: a lack of interest in things that once were pleasurable; sleep problems; unusual eating patterns; sadness, crying, physical and mental fatigue and the inability to concentrate and function normally at work or in social situations. Please visit this link for more information on depression: http://www.webmd.com/learning-manage-depression/symptoms-causes. If you recognize these symptoms in your au pair you should call your agency at once for assistance.
Tip Alert: If your au pair agency takes a "wait and see" attitude but you feel your au pair's ability to function is undermined by the symptoms of culture shock that may have worsened into a depression, do not hesitate to call and discuss your au pair's adjustment difficulties with your physician. If the agency and/or counselor will not do anything, bring your au pair to the doctor yourself. Au pairs have medical insurance and this visit should be covered. It is important to get your au pair help if you think she is suffering from depression and not just cultural shock but the only person who can make an accurate diagnosis is a medical doctor or a psychiatrist. Don't try to play therapist, instead, have her evaluated for your peace of mind and for the safety of your children and for the au pair herself. She may be unable to express her feelings and she may need help and not be able to ask for it. She is in your care, so make sure you treat her the way you would your own
Friday, October 30, 2009
Au Pair Program Discounts!
We find and post all current program discounts for you, the host parent!
Fall & Winter Program Discounts by leading Au Pair Agencies
Don't Break the Family Budget - Check out these Discounts Instead!
goAUPAIR - During the month of November, families can view available Au Pairs with no commitment and no contracts. goAUPAIR is also waiving all airfare surcharges up to $500, plus no application fee means a total savings of up to $750. Families must apply by November 30, 2009 and match by December 31, 2009. Click here now to read the details: http://www.goaupair.com/
Au Pair in America - Special Promotion! Save $350 and lock in 2009 program fees when you sign up before Novemeber 30, 2009. Check out the details at: http://www.aupairinamerica.com/fees/discounts.asp
Au Pair International - They welcome repeat host families, who are switching from another program, with the same loyalty reward as their own. With this, you can save up to $2,000 depending on which agency you switched from. Click: http://www.aupairint.com/index.php option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=
Eur Au Pair – This agency is offering repeat host families, as well as new host families, savings of $900. Contact them now for details: http://www.euraupair.com/
Chi Au Pair USA – You can lock in their 2009 program fees for 2010 if you sign up before the new year: http://www.chiaupairusa.org/news.asp
Fall & Winter Program Discounts by leading Au Pair Agencies
Don't Break the Family Budget - Check out these Discounts Instead!
goAUPAIR - During the month of November, families can view available Au Pairs with no commitment and no contracts. goAUPAIR is also waiving all airfare surcharges up to $500, plus no application fee means a total savings of up to $750. Families must apply by November 30, 2009 and match by December 31, 2009. Click here now to read the details: http://www.goaupair.com/
Au Pair in America - Special Promotion! Save $350 and lock in 2009 program fees when you sign up before Novemeber 30, 2009. Check out the details at: http://www.aupairinamerica.com/fees/discounts.asp
Au Pair International - They welcome repeat host families, who are switching from another program, with the same loyalty reward as their own. With this, you can save up to $2,000 depending on which agency you switched from. Click: http://www.aupairint.com/index.php option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=
Eur Au Pair – This agency is offering repeat host families, as well as new host families, savings of $900. Contact them now for details: http://www.euraupair.com/
Chi Au Pair USA – You can lock in their 2009 program fees for 2010 if you sign up before the new year: http://www.chiaupairusa.org/news.asp
goAUPAIR responds to Swine Flu Concerns
Au Pairs Help Fight Against Seasonal & H1N1 Flu Strains
by goAUPAIR.com October 2009
As the flu season settles upon us, many daycare and child care centers across the country are bracing for possibly one of the worst flu seasons in history. With the seasonal and the H1N1 flu viruses (Swine Flu) children are at a particularly high risk for getting infected.
"Since the virus has emerged, we've seen a number of groups that are at higher risk for complications from H1N1, and these include children under five and, especially, children younger than two," says Bill Hall, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services. Daycare centers, school and other child care providers are expected to be hit especially hard this flu season.
As parents look for ways to help their children avoid contracting either strain of the flu, the area of child care is getting a lot of attention. Of the many choices for child care, having live in child care from an Au Pair is one of the safest ways to help your children avoid getting the flu.
One of the great advantages of having an Au Pair is that your children are cared for in your home, minimizing the exposure to germs and sicknesses. In daycare or childcare centers, your children are constantly exposed to other children who may be sick and even if they are not sick, they may be carriers of the germs and flu viruses.
In addition to children who are ill, toys, food and the daycare centers themselves are not always sanitary. Many young children love to bit and suck on everything they play with, leaving countless germs on each toy. The with flu season, daycare centers quickly turn to flu virus incubators.
To avoid sending your children to germ invested center, hoping that by some miracle they won't get sick, consider and Au Pair. Hosting an Au Pair gives families the peace of mind that their children will be cared for in a clean and sanitary environment, free of other children's germs. Because your Au Pair only takes care of your children, they can help keep them clean by helping wash their hands, by disinfecting toys, play surfaces and preparing germ free food.
Time Magazine recently posted a great article about how daycare centers are bracing for the flu season.
Read goAUPAIR’s blog post about how to avoid getting the flu or H1N1 virus and for more information to help keep your kids safe during this flu season.
SOURCE: http://www.goaupair.com/blog/default.aspx
by goAUPAIR.com October 2009
As the flu season settles upon us, many daycare and child care centers across the country are bracing for possibly one of the worst flu seasons in history. With the seasonal and the H1N1 flu viruses (Swine Flu) children are at a particularly high risk for getting infected.
"Since the virus has emerged, we've seen a number of groups that are at higher risk for complications from H1N1, and these include children under five and, especially, children younger than two," says Bill Hall, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services. Daycare centers, school and other child care providers are expected to be hit especially hard this flu season.
As parents look for ways to help their children avoid contracting either strain of the flu, the area of child care is getting a lot of attention. Of the many choices for child care, having live in child care from an Au Pair is one of the safest ways to help your children avoid getting the flu.
One of the great advantages of having an Au Pair is that your children are cared for in your home, minimizing the exposure to germs and sicknesses. In daycare or childcare centers, your children are constantly exposed to other children who may be sick and even if they are not sick, they may be carriers of the germs and flu viruses.
In addition to children who are ill, toys, food and the daycare centers themselves are not always sanitary. Many young children love to bit and suck on everything they play with, leaving countless germs on each toy. The with flu season, daycare centers quickly turn to flu virus incubators.
To avoid sending your children to germ invested center, hoping that by some miracle they won't get sick, consider and Au Pair. Hosting an Au Pair gives families the peace of mind that their children will be cared for in a clean and sanitary environment, free of other children's germs. Because your Au Pair only takes care of your children, they can help keep them clean by helping wash their hands, by disinfecting toys, play surfaces and preparing germ free food.
Time Magazine recently posted a great article about how daycare centers are bracing for the flu season.
Read goAUPAIR’s blog post about how to avoid getting the flu or H1N1 virus and for more information to help keep your kids safe during this flu season.
SOURCE: http://www.goaupair.com/blog/default.aspx
What Is Your Au Pair Agency Doing About the Swine Flu
We have been posting warnings about the swine flu and how it will affect your au pair. Today, Reuters published an article (from the Center of Disease Control, CDC) with new statistics that indicate half of those hospitalized with the new H1N1 virus are under 25, a clear illustration that the pandemic is affecting the young disproportionately. Au pairs range in age from 18 - 25, the same group that the CDC is concerned about.
They said "reports from 27 U.S. states show 53 percent of people sick enough to be hospitalized with H1N1 flu are under the age of 25, with only 7 percent of hospitalizations among people 65 and older."
"This is really, really different from what we see with seasonal flu," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told reporters. "With seasonal flu, about 60 percent of hospitalizations occur in people 65 and over.
She stressed the report was incomplete but said if anything, it was underestimating the extent of the pandemic. An analysis of 292 deaths from 28 states showed that younger people than usual are also dying, she said."
About 24% of deaths from the Swine Flu are among this age group, young people under the age of 25.
If your au pair contracts the swine flu, will she pass it on to the family, and your young children? Should au pair agencies share their concern as well by informing host parents on their swine flu policies during this flu season? We don't see anything posted on the au pair agency websites that is current and that deals with the present flu season.
We would like to hear from au pair agencies about how they are handling this health crisis. Please call you agency today to find out what they are doing (or not) and please post your information here, on the www.aupairclearinghouse.com au pair consumer website.
They said "reports from 27 U.S. states show 53 percent of people sick enough to be hospitalized with H1N1 flu are under the age of 25, with only 7 percent of hospitalizations among people 65 and older."
"This is really, really different from what we see with seasonal flu," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told reporters. "With seasonal flu, about 60 percent of hospitalizations occur in people 65 and over.
She stressed the report was incomplete but said if anything, it was underestimating the extent of the pandemic. An analysis of 292 deaths from 28 states showed that younger people than usual are also dying, she said."
About 24% of deaths from the Swine Flu are among this age group, young people under the age of 25.
If your au pair contracts the swine flu, will she pass it on to the family, and your young children? Should au pair agencies share their concern as well by informing host parents on their swine flu policies during this flu season? We don't see anything posted on the au pair agency websites that is current and that deals with the present flu season.
We would like to hear from au pair agencies about how they are handling this health crisis. Please call you agency today to find out what they are doing (or not) and please post your information here, on the www.aupairclearinghouse.com au pair consumer website.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Cultural Care Gets Sued - Again - 2009!
Hello readers,
Well, it seems that Cultural Care is back making headlines with another law suit involving sexual abuse and pornographic activity. This is a very troubling news story and one that can not be easily swept under the rug. This is not the first time Cultural Care has been sued by host parents!
If you recall, in 2008, Cultural Care was sued by a host family for 5 million dollars in a civil suit when their au pair took pornographic photos of their 5 year old daughter, and soon after that, one of their au pairs from Slovakia came forward and accused her host father of sexual assualt (criminal trial against Mr. Bhatti is still pending).
Regarding this latest story, a Lockport mother is suing Cultural Care after their au pair allegedly sexually abused her young boy. To read the entire story, see Cultural Care Gets Sued Again.
According to the complaint, the mother hired Cultural Care, in October of 2007, to find her an au pair and she was told an au pair named Julian from Columbia was available. The complaint states that defendant Dorte Strobel, an executive from Cultural Care, told plaintiff that if she did not pay the fee that evening and pick up Julian from his host family, "he would be returned to Columbia and the search process for another au pair could take several months."
The complaint further states that Strobel told the plaintiff that Julian's "previous placement did not work out" and that his prior host family's telephone number would be provided, but was not.
Shortly after his arrival in the home, the host mother complained about the au pair, telling the defendant, Ms. Strobel, Julian was having parties and drinking and smoking against the host mom's wishes.
In November, when the host mom asked her LCC and the agency's Program Director, Maureen McDonnell, to remove Julian, Ms. McDonnell refused.
The host mom, probably concerned that she would not receive a refund (Cultural Care takes a large deposit, and when things go wrong, are often reluctant to pay the refund) relented.
Host parents complain about the difficulty of getting a refund from this agency, here on this website, on our host parents' customer satisfaction surveys and on other websites on the internet.
Tragically, between November and December of 2007, the au pair hit the young son, sexually abused him and took nude photos of him (all of this is stated in the formal complaint).
Perhaps I was right the first time, maybe Cultural Care is getting too big for their britches, and they are growing too fast and, in their aggressive bid to be number one and take market share from the other au pair agencies in the USA, they have bitten off too much to chew.
Children are getting hurt and that is not okay.
Abused children suffer all their lives with the scars of abuse: the breach of trust in adults, the betrayal, the physical pain and the shame.
We are sorry for the mother and her child. We can only hope that Cultural Care begins to really screen their au pairs, stop their sales war with other agencies, and listen to their families - if a mother wants an au pair removed, remove him!
Mothers do know best!
Well, it seems that Cultural Care is back making headlines with another law suit involving sexual abuse and pornographic activity. This is a very troubling news story and one that can not be easily swept under the rug. This is not the first time Cultural Care has been sued by host parents!
If you recall, in 2008, Cultural Care was sued by a host family for 5 million dollars in a civil suit when their au pair took pornographic photos of their 5 year old daughter, and soon after that, one of their au pairs from Slovakia came forward and accused her host father of sexual assualt (criminal trial against Mr. Bhatti is still pending).
Regarding this latest story, a Lockport mother is suing Cultural Care after their au pair allegedly sexually abused her young boy. To read the entire story, see Cultural Care Gets Sued Again.
According to the complaint, the mother hired Cultural Care, in October of 2007, to find her an au pair and she was told an au pair named Julian from Columbia was available. The complaint states that defendant Dorte Strobel, an executive from Cultural Care, told plaintiff that if she did not pay the fee that evening and pick up Julian from his host family, "he would be returned to Columbia and the search process for another au pair could take several months."
The complaint further states that Strobel told the plaintiff that Julian's "previous placement did not work out" and that his prior host family's telephone number would be provided, but was not.
Shortly after his arrival in the home, the host mother complained about the au pair, telling the defendant, Ms. Strobel, Julian was having parties and drinking and smoking against the host mom's wishes.
In November, when the host mom asked her LCC and the agency's Program Director, Maureen McDonnell, to remove Julian, Ms. McDonnell refused.
The host mom, probably concerned that she would not receive a refund (Cultural Care takes a large deposit, and when things go wrong, are often reluctant to pay the refund) relented.
Host parents complain about the difficulty of getting a refund from this agency, here on this website, on our host parents' customer satisfaction surveys and on other websites on the internet.
Tragically, between November and December of 2007, the au pair hit the young son, sexually abused him and took nude photos of him (all of this is stated in the formal complaint).
Perhaps I was right the first time, maybe Cultural Care is getting too big for their britches, and they are growing too fast and, in their aggressive bid to be number one and take market share from the other au pair agencies in the USA, they have bitten off too much to chew.
Children are getting hurt and that is not okay.
Abused children suffer all their lives with the scars of abuse: the breach of trust in adults, the betrayal, the physical pain and the shame.
We are sorry for the mother and her child. We can only hope that Cultural Care begins to really screen their au pairs, stop their sales war with other agencies, and listen to their families - if a mother wants an au pair removed, remove him!
Mothers do know best!
Cultural Care Sued last Year
Guilford CT Family Sues Cultural Care For 5 Million Dollars Charging Breach of Contract, Fraud and Negligence - 2008
Host Family Sues Agency - Au Pair Took Pornographic Pictures of Young Daughter
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 others, 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.
According to Ms. Jordan, Cultural Care VP, this case was dismissed.
View a video on this story on
YouTube
Host Family Sues Agency - Au Pair Took Pornographic Pictures of Young Daughter
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 others, 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.
According to Ms. Jordan, Cultural Care VP, this case was dismissed.
View a video on this story on
YouTube
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