What makes Cultural Care Au Pair unique? If you ask our host families and au pairs, they’ll likely tell you the same thing—we’re known for our comprehensive, personalized support through every phase of the hosting process. From registering for the program, to matching with your perfect au pair, to maintaining a happy, healthy relationship with your children’s new caregiver, Cultural Care staff and LCCs are available to answer questions, share advice and resolve issues.
Our representatives are dedicated to taking a complicated process and making it simple. We understand the ins and outs of the au pair program better than anyone, and with our help, you can experience all the benefits of the au pair program without any hassle or confusion. We offer global support services 24/7 and make sure you’re connected with a Local Childcare Consultant (LCC) whose role it is to support both you and your au pair. Together, with every member of your Cultural Care support team, you’re promised a safe, secure and seamless experience.
To help understand what each phase of the au pair process looks like from a support standpoint, we asked representatives from our support teams to share what they do, what makes Cultural Care’s support network so outstanding, and much more.
Madeleine Chouanard: Matching Specialist
I work as a Matching Specialist at Cultural Care, and my role typically encompasses the time from when a host family registers for the program to when their au pair arrives at their home. Matching Specialists like myself do a little bit of everything – we act as a consultant for host families as they interview potential candidates; we participate as a team in their search, often offering up professional opinions and firsthand experiences to help guide our families towards their best option, and we do our best to set host families and au pairs up for a successful year.
As a Matching Specialist, I want to get to know our host families as well as possible over the phone – that way, we can ensure that when they make a match, it’s the best possible fit for them personally. When I’m looking in the system, I’m not just looking for any au pair – I’m looking for your family’s au pair. My role is really intended to act primarily as a resource for host families – I feel like I’m supporting my families best when we’re talking through the candidates that they are most excited about.
What makes Cultural Care so great is that we’re not looking to make any old match or to simply “make the sale” – we really care about you and finding you an au pair that will suit your needs.
Kelsie Christiansen: Account Services Manager
I work as an Account Manager at Cultural Care and I would say that one of the most important responsibilities of this position is supporting and connecting au pairs, host parents and LCCs. When someone calls our office, an Account Manager is the person who answers. We try our best to provide the best customer experience; whether that is by providing quick and efficient answers for customers or connecting them with whoever can best assist them. With this position being so central to all areas of Cultural Care, we have the answers to all types of questions, including but not limited to travel, finances, matching and extending! We are closely connected to Placement, Customer Relations teams, and LCCs. Another very important role of an Account Manager is to work closely with LCCs to ensure all host families are compliant with the U.S. Department of State regulations.
Each Account Manager is responsible for specific regions of the US, accounting for about 1,000 host families and about 70 LCCs. We are host families’ first point of contact when handling sensitive situations and are able to provide support and guidance about next steps.
Account Managers work as a team to make things run as smoothly as possible. We work our hardest to make sure that any possible problems are resolved efficiently. What makes Cultural Care stand above other au pair agencies is our constant quest to learn, grow and change. Account Managers strive to make cultural exchange the most memorable experience!
Jeannine LeBeau: Customer Relations Manager
As a Customer Relations Manager, I work with host families and au pairs in situations that may be beyond the control of the LCC – like the rematch process, any health or safety issue, and program termination. When host families and au pairs experience a serious issue throughout their year, I am here to offer support and guidance. My role is to address your concerns and ensure you have a great experience on our program. Most of the people who work for Cultural Care have at one point in their lives been involved with cultural exchange, which allows them to have a personal interest in making sure the host family and au pair experience is successful for every family. I have hosted more than nine au pairs to care for my two daughters– so I know firsthand the benefits of the program, along with the challenges. We know great host families are made, not born, so we want to help them succeed on the program and learn how to get the most out of the program. If you ask anyone who works at Cultural Care how they feel about the au pair program, they will tell you that we really DO care and want to make sure everyone has an amazing experience.
Jennifer Yoel: Local Childcare Consultant (LCC)
As an LCC, it is my responsibility to ensure that both host families and au pairs understand the au pair program to the fullest extent, follow the Department of State rules and manage appropriate expectations throughout their year. I get to play the role of matchmaker and spend a significant amount of my time working with families to find them an au pair match that is fitting to their needs and expectations.
My focus is on making this program exceed host family expectations. As a former host mom and veteran LCC, I know how life changing this program can be! The first step is to be thorough during the initial Host Family Interview. I need to understand why the host family needs childcare and how they are going to integrate cultural exchange into their home. Through regular meetings and check-ins, I make sure the family knows they have my head and my heart!
Cultural Care is so supportive – and the sheer size of our staff allows for smaller group sizes and a greater customer experience. In addition to each host family and au pair having a designated LCC and Program Director, CCAP offers a 24-hour hotline for emergencies. This is not an agency that simply matches au pairs with families. They provide life-changing experiences they provide life-changing experiences and I’m so pleased to be able to play a distinctive role in the lives of au pairs and host families in my area.
