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Childcare International Style
Is Au Pair Care Right for Your Family?
By Tracy B. McGinnis
"The biggest benefit other than the obvious flexibility of a live-in [caretaker] is that you are guaranteed at least one full year of childcare – in some cases two if you want to renew," adds Dearing. "Many nannies so often quit at the first sign of trouble within the home or their relationship with the family. The au pairs we work with are sincerely interested in legally spending a year in the U.S., living in an American home and working on their education. They have committed to the year and are very willing to work with families to fit in."
One of the biggest concerns families have when it comes to considering au pair care is sharing their home with another person. "Parents worry about what will happen if something doesn't work out with their au pair," says Kaplan. "Au Pair Care assists families in re-matching with a replacement au pair."
In addition to replacements, sponsor agencies provide families and au pairs national and local support systems to help everyone acclimate to the new environment and resolve problems that arise.
After families have chosen an au pair, the U.S. Department of State regulations require agencies to provide orientation, childcare development training, safety instruction and a minimum of 24 hours of child development instruction. Some agencies also provide CPR and fire safety training.
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Is Au Pair Care Right for Your Family? by tmaskew on 11/05/2009 01:08PM
We have been with Cultural Care Au Pair through 4 au pairs and absolutely love the program and the benefits that the cultural exchange brings to our kids and the whole family. We do not plan to go back to outside child care.