Cassandra and Clarke Robinson

Cultural Care Au Pairs Learn Self Defense

Posted by: crobinson on January 31, 2010

National statistics say that close to 1 in 4 people are violently attacked in the United States. On January 31st, over 30 Cultural Care Au Pairs teamed up with United Studios of Self Defense in Foster City to learn basics in self defense. These au pairs represented over 15 different countries and are currently caring for the children of host families from San Mateo County. The au pairs were taught by Chief Instructor, Regina Pinpin that safety and awareness is more than 75% of self defense. In the 2-hour workshop, the au pairs were taught and practiced a variety of solutions to escape an attack.

The training was a part of Cultural Care Au Pair’s commitment to on-going training with their Continuing Education Program (CEP). As a U.S, Department of State regulated program, Cultural Care au pair’s receive safety and childcare education throughout their year-long stay in the U.S. When the au pairs arrive in the U.S. they begin their training with a week of intensive courses at the Cultural Care Au Pair school in New York and quarterly, Local Childcare Coordinators provide complementary safety workshops.

Along with the great personal safety experience, the au pairs were provided with safety tips to teach the children they provide care for in our community.

Safety tips for children:

• I know my full name, address, including zip code, and phone number, including area code.
• I know how to use a pay phone
• If I get lost in a store, I will find someone who works in the store for help.
• If anyone bothers me while going to/from school, I get away from that person and tell a parent or teacher right away. A grown up should never ask a child fro help, they should ask another grown up.
• I never take shortcuts from school, I always follow the route that my parents know
• I never accept a ride from anyone, even someone I know – unless my parents have given me permission.
• If someone tries to take me somewhere, I get away quickly and yell – “This person is trying to take me away – or this is not my Mother/Father.”

Haiti Disaster Relief

Posted by: crobinson on January 20, 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

Cultural Care Au Pair survey results keep getting better!

Posted by: crobinson on January 16, 2010

This past Fall, Cultural Care Au Pair launched another customer satisfaction survey to our host families…and the consensus is that they are overwhelmingly happy! To share few of the stats:

• 96% of host families are satisfied with the quality of childcare that their au pair provide
• 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:

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 results, go to our corporate website.

Thank you to our current host families for partcipating and for helping us to further improve our program!

Finding the perfect au pair made easy

Posted by: crobinson on January 16, 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 from January 14th to January 19th, 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 today at (650) 515-9713.

Getting an Au Pair is More Affordable Than Ever

Posted by: crobinson on January 8, 2010

Our host families spoke, and we listened. The economy had an impact on everyone last year. Many families faced new financial challenges, but in the end, they still needed flexible, affordable childcare. As a result, Cultural Care Au Pair has created several new payment options that help lower the initial cost for welcoming an au pair into their home in the New Year. Along with this exciting new change, we are also keeping our prices the same for the second year in a row!

Now new families applying to Cultural Care Au Pair will have even more payment options available. Not only have we reduced our application fee, we have created several new payment plans for new and repeat families. As a result, they can continue to enjoy all the benefits they have enjoyed from Cultural Care Au Pair in the past - and even more!

Lower application fee, lowered payment plan options
How does it work? Now new families applying to the program will pay a $75 non-refundable application fee -a savings over our previous $350 application fee. Upon finding the right au pair, a $275 selection fee will be due so the au pair can finalize arrangements to come to the U.S. Offering this new payment structure not only helps secure the au pair for the family, it allows the visa process to begin moving forward.

In addition, families now have even more flexibility when it comes to making payments. On our regular payment plan, families now have the ability to pay the program fee 30 days prior to the au pair’s arrival, instead of upon selection of an au pair. This is great for families who select an au pair early, as it provides them with additional time to pay their program fee.

In addition, our Extended Payment Plan option now lowers the initial deposit to $2,395, plus a $200 payment plan enrollment fee. Families have the option of making a payment in three easy installments or they can log into their host family account at their convenience and pay weekly, bi-weekly or monthly - whatever works best for the family, as long as it’s within the Extended Payment Plan timeframe. Repeat and extension families enjoy all these flexible payment benefits as well, with the additional benefit of a waived application fee!

Along with keeping prices the same in 2010, and creating several new, lower payment plan options, we are also decreasing the cost for enrolling in our Extended Payment Plan, making it even easier to afford an au pair in the New Year.

For more information about how to utilize these new options, contact me, your local childcare coordinator, and I will be happy to provide you with additional details about Cultural Care Au Pair’s exciting new payment options for 2010!