"Do not use this company."

Do not use this company.

"Nur aufs Geld aus"

Ich kann Cultural Care leider nicht empfehlen. In Deutschland verlief alles noch relativ schnell und unkompliziert, aber als ich dann in den USA angekommen bin, fing der Ärger an. Meine LCC (Local Care Coordinator) war unfreundlich und hat mich sogar beleidigt, anstatt mich zu unterstützen. Ich musste zweimal ins Rematch, und beim dritten Versuch gab es dann noch Probleme mit der CC-App, was die ganze Situation noch schwieriger gemacht hat. Die Familien, die durch Cultural Care vermittelt werden, werden nicht ausreichend geprüft. Ich hatte dort leider keine gute Zeit. Man merkt den Kindern an, dass sie Probleme haben, ständig ein neues Au-pair zu bekommen. Es scheint, als ob diese ständigen Wechsel sehr belastend für alle Beteiligten sind. Dazu kommt, dass man eine Menge Geld für eine Agentur zahlt, die dann offensichtlich mehr auf der Seite der Familien steht, anstatt sich wirklich um das Wohl der Au-pairs zu kümmern.

"A profound chronicle of my au pair endeavor."

My au pair experience has been an exhilarating and profoundly enriching odyssey, marked by cultural immersion, personal evaluation and the cultivation of enduring connections. Residing with a host family provided an unparalleled opportunity to assimilate into a new way of life while honing indispensable skills in childcare, cross-cultural communication, and adaptability. From forging indelible bonds with the children to embarking on enthralling explorations, every facet of this transformative journey has left an indelible mark, shaping me both personally and professionally in ways beyond measure. I am super grateful for this program for the journey and experience it has awarded me.

The agency could improve by offering more support to au pairs especially since most au pairs are always afraid of their LCC's because they are either too friendly with their host families or they are generally just not the type of people one can easily open up to. Being in a different country alone is already hard the last thing that au pairs need is added stress or being too afraid to open up in fear of being sent home before completing their au pair year. Having impartial individuals on the ground, those who are not always in favor of host families but are genuinely committed to resolving issues would be a better approach. This would definitely encourage more au pairs to speak up about their concerns, knowing they have fair and supportive advocates to turn to.

The two weeks vacation is also another issue that could be resolved, both two weeks should be chosen by the au pair and not split into "one week chosen by host family and other by au pair". Au pairs should be able to have full control on their two weeks vacation as they mostly have little to no time to themselves during the week and most weekends, it is only fair that they are awarded their two weeks vacation with no control whatsoever.

In conclusion, my au pair journey has been an invaluable experience that not only allowed me to grow personally but also broadened my understanding of different cultures and perspectives. it has helped me develop more patience, responsibility and communication skills, all of which will benefit me in my future endeavors. this journey has reinforced my passion for working children and affirmed my desire to pursue a career that fosters meaningful connections and growth and I'm deeply grateful to Cultural Care for for facilitating the connection between the USA and South Africa, making it possible for me to experience this cultural exchange in it's entirety.

"Wonderful experience as a host family"

Wonderful experience as a host family. They have the largest network of au pairs. The matching specialists rematch network is great. They are also super quick on requests and communication. The specialists really help finding needs for both family and right au pair

"I think that the program needs to check… LCCs and hot families"

I think that the program needs to check more the au pairs about how the host family are treating them and how the LCCs help the au pair. Some host families take advantage of the au pairs and when we try to say something to the LCCs, they don't really help.

"The new app is terrible for creating…"

The new app is terrible for creating cohesive profile. There are less ways to distinguish one au pairs from another based on the profiles. Furthermore one video from the au pairs does not give you a sense of who they are. The boxes are limited to few characters so it’s hard to distinguish yourself in these “small” fields for answers within the app.

The chat function that replaced the old connection request has improved some aspects of the au pair search in that it is faster to get responses from au pairs. So the turnover time to talk to new candidates is quicker and the process is more efficient.

The video function of the app is terrible and I often used what’s app instead once the connection was accepted and the conversation started.

"I have had a great experience with cultural care "

I have had a great experience with cultural care. They always help me out and answer all my questions I have about anything.

"DO NOT USE THIS AGENCY"

I would leave 0 stars if possible. THE ABSOLUTE WORST Au pair agency. DO NOT USE! This agency should be shut down. Disgusted by my experience with Cultural Care Au Pair. To say this company is negligent and unprofessional is an understatement. They put my child's safety at risk, and their total lack of care for my concerns is appalling.

The au pair assigned to us was completely incompetent when it came to basic child safety. She had played cruel pranks on the kids, left my kids somewhere without consent of myself or my husband, and drove the car without the kids buckled resulting in the kids getting hurt!

When I raised these issues to Cultural Care, they were defending the au pairs actions, allowing her to stay with the program- and downright dismissive towards us. It was clear they couldn't care less about my children's well-being or safety. The communication was terrible, and every time I tried to get answers or escalate the situation, I was met with excuses or just flat-out ignored.

The lack of professionalism from the agency and the au pair is beyond unacceptable. It felt like they were just collecting a paycheck without any regard for the responsibility they had to my family. I wouldn't trust this agency to care for a pet, let alone a child. DO NOT make the mistake of using Cultural Care Au Pair--this is a company that cares more about profits than providing quality care.

"Because in my case my LCC is always…"

Because in my case my LCC is always present for everything I need. The family has been excellent too.

"My aupair experience in the US …"

At first my experience was not great for 2 months, the food was different, the place , weather, people etc. And the family i was with the first time they didn't even understand and try to send me back home funny enough to say but I rematch with them and I ended up with a great family who understood and taught me some of the stuff I didn't understand or knew, they are the greatest family, I even extended with them and the kids 2 little girls we get along so well, we do stuff and celebrate some of the holidays together, they really made me feel like am part of the family . I really appreciate cultural care for helping me with my rematch process they made me feel safe and i also got the support i needed, also my LLC she is the best LLC i got she really helped us feel at home and not stranded or helpless . I got to enjoy the rest of my stay here in US, i will really recommend anyone who love kids and also want to explore the US , it is really a great place. I will say be open minded when you come here