Finding the right au pair match is a critical component to a successful experience. Over the past four years, we have made many improvements to our au pair selection process—the most significant of which is our "3 ways to match" offering:

1. Our Search & Select option allows you to search through au pair profiles independently online and express interest in individual candidates.
   
2. With personalized, exclusive matching, your placement manager chooses candidates on your behalf.
3. For a more collaborative approach, you can schedule a consultative matching appointment during which you review multiple candidates at once over the phone with your placement manager.

In 2011, Cultural Care Au Pair added better search functionality and added a video component to the Search & Select option. Check out our the new Search and Select functionality on our website.

For 2012, Cultural Care lowered our selection fee by $100, giving families the opportunity to secure their au pair match for less. The Extended Payment Plan will continue to give families the option of spreading payment out over time—an attractive option in this economic climate. Learn more about the 2012 Program Cost breakdown and Payment Options.

Repeat Family Rewards just keeps getting better and better! New this year, repeat families welcoming a new au pair from overseas are eligible for a standing discount of $525. And, the early matching bonus has increased by $100 to $350 when families submit their application by the early deadline. Together with the $75 application fee waiver and overseas connection service—a $150 value—families can save up to $1,100—$100 more than last year.

For families who choose to extend with their current au pair, the savings are even greater. When extending for 12 months, repeat families can save up to $2,150—$150 more than last year. Read more about the Repeat Family Rewards Program on our website.

In an effort to provide our program participants with more detailed information regarding specific aspects of our program, Cultural Care Au Pair launched several "showcase" sites. To learn more, visit our showcase sites today:

Host Family Survey website: View the results of the most recent host family surveys

Au Pair Training School website: Our Au Pair Training School website provides a comprehensive overview of the 4-day training at St. John's University campus in Oakdale, NY.

Kids First website: Kids First, Cultural Care Au Pair's not-profit program, helps childcare in need around the world.

Au Pair of the Year website: In order to honor the outstanding au pairs who travel to the U.S. each year to care for American children, the International Au Pair Association (IAPA) selects one au pair each year as the “Au Pair of the Year”. Cultural Care au pairs have earned this title two years in a row (2008 and 2009) and have won many regional awards since.
 

Many families considering the au pair program have lots of questions about hosting an au pair. Au Pair Answer Mom can help answer those questions! Au Pair Answer Mom is Susan Robinson, Vice President of Communications and host mom to 9 au pairs from all over the world. She answers some of the most common questions about au pairs through short video clips that can be viewed on our website, www.aupairanswermom.com and YouTube channel: YouTube.com/culturalcare. 

Many of our program participants are looking for ways to connect with other au pairs and host families in their area, share their experiences and get advice or the latest program information. To provide our participants with ways to to do just that, Cultural Care has introduced several online communities and tools:

The Buzz (Blog): In addition to your local childcare coordinator and our attentive office staff, you are also connected to the resources of the entire Cultural Care Au Pair global family through our blog, "The Buzz", full of creative ideas and program updates.

GetSatisfaction.com: provides visitors with the opportunity to seek advice from other host families and au pairs, share useful tips, make a suggestion, report a problem or give praise. Join the discussions on our community site.

Twitter: Follow us on Twitter!

• Cultural Care, keeps the public informed about general program updates and helpful advice for a successful au pair program experience. Follow Cultural Care on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CulturalCare
• Susan Robinson, Vice President of Communications and Au Pair Answer Mom who shares answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about hosting an au pair. Follow Susan on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuPairAnswerMom
• Kids First, is a philanthropic division of Cultural Care Au Pair. Our mission is to make a difference in the lives of children in the U.S. and all around the world. Follow Kids First on Twitter: http://twitter.com/KidsFirstTweets. Become a fan of Kids First: http://www.facebook.com/Kids1st