Posted by: Amy Bryan on March 17, 2010
Cultural Care wants to hear what you have to say! Twice a year, we launch our Host Family Customer Satisfaction Surveys and YOUR feedback has been instrumental in making many changes to help families have a more positive experience with Cultural Care Au Pair. For example, we’ve implemented some of the following changes based on past survey results:
* Repeat Rewards for our loyal, repeat families
* ”Peace of Mind” guarantee
* 3 Ways to Match: Search & Select, Consultative Matching & our traditional one-to-one matching
* Pricing has remained steady for the past two years
* More flexible payment schedules and a lower initial deposit.
Monday, March 15th marked the launch of our Spring 2010 Satisfaction Survey. All Cultural Care host families who are actively hosting an au pair will receive a survey via email. We had a record-breaking 52% response rate this past fall and we look forward to even more feedback from our host families this time.
1. The email families receive with the invitation to complete the survey comes from “Cultural Care Au Pair” with sender email address no-reply@culturalcare.com.
2. The subject header for the email invitation is “Cultural Care Au Pair - Customer Satisfaction Survey”.
If you do not receive the survey in your in box, please also check your spam folder.
Not only do we value your feedback to help our organization continue to be the Number One au pair agency in the industry, but I also personally value your feedback on how I am performing as your LCC. The survey gives me an opportunity to review what you have to say and make improvements to the support I provide to both your family AND your au pair.
I look forward to seeing what you have to say! Here are the results from our Fall 2009 survey, as well as testimonials from host families on my performance as an LCC from our past surveys.
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Posted by: Amy Bryan on March 17, 2010
While filling out census forms for the 2010 census, some host families have been asking us whether or not they should count their au pair as a household member.
Cultural Care recommends that host families check off the box for live-in babysitters and others in the home who may not be members of the family to count their au pair. This box can be found in the first section, where it asks about household members.
If you have any further questions, you can go to the census website.
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Posted by: Amy Bryan on March 2, 2010
As part of Cultural Care Au Pair’s mission to break down barriers of culture and language through educational exchange, a group of local childcare coordinators and staff recently visited South Africa to see firsthand the difference the donations from the Cultural Care community have made through our charitable organization Kids First.
Since it’s inception in 2004, Kids First has supported many worldwide organizations that work with at-risk youth. From the daycare center in Brazil to the school library in New Orleans to an orphanage in Russia, Kids First has supported a wide range of global organizations. Our most recent work at an orphanage and daycare center in a poverty-stricken township outside Capetown, South Africa is another great example of the work we are doing worldwide.
Cultural Care staff and LCCs had an opportunity to visit several projects funded through CHOSA, an organization that Kids First supports. CHOSA provides support to programs that work with at-risk children and their families to provide nutrition, medication, clothing, food, shelter and an education.
During the service visit, those who participated had a chance to visit the Ubuhle Babantwana Care Center, which helps 150 children, some of whom are HIV positive. Donations received from au pairs, host families and Cultural Care LCCs and staff have provided funds for the building of a new structure for the infants and toddlers in the center. The group from Cultural Care Au Pair had an opportunity to see the new structure, meet the inspirational director and dedicated teachers and had some time to play with the children.
In addition, the group visited the Ilitha-Labantwana Place of Safety, the Philani Child Health and Nutrition Project, the Emasithandane Children’s Project and the Baphumulele Children’s Home. The Cultural Care team is now bringing their experience back to the U.S. to raise awareness, and additional funds for even more projects that Kids First supports.
“Our Kids First trip to Cape Town was truly amazing and inspiring,” says Local Childcare Coordinator Trudy Mar. “The work, effort, love and sacrifice the women heading up these projects give to all of the kids goes well beyond what most of us could imagine. If one little body sleeps better, eats better and smiles more, we’ve helped to change their future and make the world a better place. Every dollar we raise for Kids First definitely does make a difference.”
For information about how you can make a contribution to Kids First, or raise awareness for the programs it supports, visit this link or the Kids First tab at the top of this page. You can also contact me directly.
Our local au pairs can help by participating in our May regional event, the Au Pair Amazing Race. A portion fo the $5 registration fee will be donated to Kids First.
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Posted by: Amy Bryan on March 2, 2010
The spring season represents new beginnings - which makes now a great time to secure your childcare by hosting a Cultural Care au pair. You are entitled to a $350 program fee discount when you apply - using promo code PCSPR2010 by March 31, 2010. Your weekly cost is just $330-or $7.30/hr (per family, not per child).*
Cultural Care Au Pair, America’s leading au pair agency, has hundreds of qualified candidates ready for immediate placement, so you can start matching today!
In addition to the largest pool of qualified au pairs, we offer:
- Three ways to match with potential candidates
- A “Peace of Mind Guarantee” - your family’s financial safeguard
- A Placement Manager to help you find just the right au pair for your family
- A Local Childcare Coordinator in your area to provide year-long support
Check out hundreds of available candidates on culturalcare.com/availableaupairs or visit aupairvideos.com to view au pair’s own video profiles.
*To qualify for Spring Savings, you must be new to Cultural Care Au Pair, apply between March 1 and March 31, 2010 and welcome an au pair into your home by October 22, 2010. Average weekly/hourly cost is calculated including the Spring Savings discount. Total savings cannot exceed $650.
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Posted by: Amy Bryan on January 22, 2010
The results from the 2009 Host Family Survey are in … and the consensus is that our host families are overwhelmingly happy! To share a few of the stats:
- 96% of host families are satisfied with the quality of childcare that their au pair provides
- 95% are satisfied with the support provided by their Local Childcare Coordinator
- 97% are pleased with the choice they made to use the services of Cultural Care Au Pair
- 96% would recommend the services of Cultural Care Au Pair to other families
Thank you to our current host families for participating and for helping us to further improve our program! Host family feedback gathered through our customer satisfaction survey has contributed to several changes at Cultural Care Au Pair including an improved host family and au pair matching process, increased new and repeat host family discounts, new payment plan options, and better online and phone support for host families. In addition, host families are able to provide direct feedback to senior management at face to face meetings held throughout the country, and they may participate in an online forum (www.community.culturalcare.com) created just for program participants.
We’re thrilled with these results, which are certified by independent survey company Discovery Surveys, Inc. In fact, our participation rate (52% of active host families this time around) and the results themselves have improved each of the four times we have administered the surveys (spring and fall of 2008 and spring and fall of 2009). For more detailed survey information, visit our website.
I would also like to add that I, your local LCC, have received positivity ratings of 100% on each of the four surveys. We’ve also seen an increase in participation each time, so I do sincerely thank you for your positive feedback! If at any time during your year, you have any further feedback, suggestions or concerns about the service I provide, please contact me directly or my manager, Program Director Robin Hannum.
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Posted by: Amy Bryan on January 21, 2010
At Cultural Care Au Pair and our parent company EF Education First, we believe in connecting people as citizens of the world, and breaking down barriers of language, culture and geography. Never is that mission more important than in a time of crisis. In order to reach out to the people of Haiti, EF Education First will match up to $100,000 of employee, student and customer donations made through the American Red Cross. We believe this is our responsibility as a company, as educators and as global citizens. We hope you will join us in our effort to aid the millions of Haitians who need our support. Together, we can make a difference.
If you would like to make a donation, please click or paste the following link in your browser:
http://american.redcross.org/efeducationfirst-emp
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Posted by: Amy Bryan on January 21, 2010
Our January au pair meeting will begin this Sunday, 24 January at 10 am! It will be held at my house, so please email me if you need my address and/or directions for how to get here! If you have been here before, please offer to carpool with some of our new au pairs, especially if you live near each other. If you need help finding a ride, let me know and I will help you! 
Our guest speaker will be an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) who will be conducting a CPR refresher for the au pairs, thanks to our connections in the New Castle County police department!
Please arrive on time or early, as our guest would like to begin on time! We will start at 10 am, so please make every effort to be prompt!
Coffee, tea, juice and donuts will be provided
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Posted by: Amy Bryan on January 21, 2010
Cultural Care Au Pair offers 3 Ways to Match
Cultural Care Au Pair host families now have the ability to review even more applications and au pair profiles with our new 3 Ways to Match, a program feature that let’s host families select the style of matching that best suits their needs. Host families can now search through multiple candidates on their own timeframe, set an appointment for a consultative matching session or work one-on-one with a placement manager who carefully selects possible matches. Best of all, our 3 Ways to Match allows you to enjoy the benefits of all three matching styles to help you find the right au pair for your family.
To get started
Whether you’re a new family to Cultural Care Au Pair or have already hosted an au pair, our 3 Ways to Match makes it easy for you to begin reviewing au pair candidates right away. Simply fill out your new or repeat application. Once it’s processed, you can log into your account and begin matching. Here’s how it works:
Personalized, exclusive matching
Enjoy the benefits of our trademark one-on-one matching. Your placement manager will select carefully screened applications for you to review based on your family’s unique needs. Each au pair is exclusively reserved for your family’s review, which means no two families are contacting the same reserved au pair candidate at the same time.
Consultative matching
Review our pool of au pair candidates in real time by setting up a consultative matching appointment by phone with your placement manager. This highly effective method allows you to carve out time with your placement manager to review available candidates who are not being reviewed by other families. At the end of the appointment, you have the opportunity to have up to three candidates maximum reserved for your family exclusively.
Search & Select
An enhancement to our current profile review system, this new feature offers families the ability to build a list of au pair profiles available for review. Families can narrow the search field and request, for example, a driver, a second year au pair or someone available now. If you find a candidate of interest to you, you may add the au pair to your list and notify your placement manager of your interest by clicking the Notify Placement Manager button. Your placement manager will review your suggested matches and place up to three of those matches into your host family account for further review of their full application.
Sample & Save - try our 3 “Ways to Match” risk free
Now for a limited time only, host families who apply to Cultural Care Au Pair will have the opportunity to try our 3 Ways to Match FREE. New families who submit an application through January 31st, 2010 and take an au pair into their home by October 22, 2010 will have the $75 application fee waived, in addition to our $275 au pair selection fee waived. In addition, families applying will also receive a $500 discount off the program fee - a total savings of $850!
There’s never been a better time to begin your search for an au pair. For more information about our 3 Ways to Match or our limited-time-only $850 discount, contact me.
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Posted by: Amy Bryan on January 18, 2010
It can be difficult to keep young children entertained for a whole day while Mom and Dad are at work. You’ve played games, colored, sang songs, had lunch and a nap, but what else can you do to fill all that time during the day? Your fellow au pairs are probably wondering the same thing, so why not set up a play date?
On the “Au Pair Contact List,” I’ve included the ages and genders of everyone’s host kids to aid in setting up age-appropriate play dates. But what to do once you’ve set up a time? Hopefully, you will find the following helpful! This article comes from the website about.com. I have made a few edits to make it appropriate to au pairs.
Play dates are a great way for your children to practice their social skills and gain confidence in their relational abilities. An added bonus is that regular play dates can also give you a break! If you’re wondering exactly how to get started scheduling play dates with your children’s friends, just follow these easy steps:
Think Ahead to Next Time
If you feel the play date went well and you’d like to do it again, let the parent know. You could say, “This went so well, I was wondering if you’d like to do it again. Maybe we can even swap play dates on a regular basis.”
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Posted by: Amy Bryan on January 18, 2010
Brandywine Valley Open House
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Free General Admission will be offered at several area Museums Saturday January 23rd- including
* Brandywine River Museum
* Delaware Art Museum 
* Delaware Museum of Natural History
* Winterthur Museum & country Estate
if you are not working this Saturday- this is a great treat to see American culture for FREE! for more information, directions, exhibits, and hours, visit:
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