It is very important that all au pairs and host families understand this.  An au pair must complete the educational requirement and show proof of completion.  Please read the following and understand that they are serious requirements direct from the U.S. Department of State:

• An Au Pair who is in his/her first year or extending for 12 or 9 months, must complete either 6 credits or 72 hours at an accredited institution.  If an Au Pair is extending for 6 months, they must complete 3 credits or 36 hours.  At the end of their year, they must get an official transcript (or letter if class was an audit) from the school and fax, mail or email a copy of this to the Cultural Care office in Boston.  
• They must show their LCC (me) the transcript as well so I can approve their flight and deposit release.  I cannot sign the release without seeing the proof.
• Once the proof has been received by the office in Boston, they will schedule the Au Pair’s return flight to their home Country
• If an Au Pair does not send this in, they will be locked out of their on line account and will not have access to their flight itinerary until proper documentation is received.

If an Au Pair is wishing to extend the following must happen:

• The education component MUST be completed by the end of the Au Pair’s 11^th month.  I would highly recommend that they have it completed by the middle of the 11^th month to be on the safe side
• All proof of completion (official transcript or letter on school letterhead) must be received by the Boston office no later than the end of the 11^th month.  If we do not have this, the Au Pair cannot extend.  

If an Au Pair does not complete the educational component he/she will lose his/her flight home and any deposit paid in the home Country.  Au pairs who do not pursue their educational requirement are also at risk of being removed from the program since they are not compliant with the regulations of their visa.  All Au Pair’s are issued a J1 visa which is a student visa.  If they do not attend school they are in violation of their visa and due to State Department regulations, will be sent home.

August Meeting will be an Adventure Meeting to the Channel Islands, August 16.

Blue and Humpback Whale Watching Tours, June - August
Two species of endangered whales, the blue and the humpback, find refuge in the nutrient rich waters of the Channel Islands National Park and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

We’ll take a boat out to Santa Cruz Island and have a Guided Tour of this unspoiled natural preserve: Santa Cruz Island General Information
Santa Cruz Island is located about 20 miles from the mainland coast, and travel time from Ventura Harbor on one of our swift catamarans is only one hour to east Santa Cruz Island Scorpion Anchorage, or one hour and twenty minutes to Mid Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor.  Being the largest Channel Island, Santa Cruz is also the most diverse with interesting geological features including two mountain ranges, many canyons and a rugged shoreline.  At least 600 plant species, well over 120 species of land birds including the endemic Island scrub jay, and a vast expanse of wilderness area exist for the curious to explore by land or sea. 

You’ll love this trip.  Save up so you can enjoy the day!

Save the date!

Host families and au pairs.  Save July 26 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

We’ll have a wonderful time at our Swedish Midsummers-American Barbecue/Pool Party, graciously hosted by the Chiate family in Calabasas.  More information will be posted later so stay tuned

A traditional Midsummer

I really think this article and this news report explain our new Peace of Mind Guarantee quite well.  Take a look at this:

http://buzz.culturalcare.com/post/118603031/cultural-care-au-pair-on-abc-news

One important correction, however - Cultural Care has always had a very fair refund policy that is continuing.  It’s just that the new Peace of Mind Guarantee lets you keep your au pair and get a refund if you choose!  Wow!

Host Families - I know you have different questions at different times.  Now we have an additional resource for you!

Au Pair Answer Mom is now on YouTube! In addition to our office staff and me, your Local Childcare Coordinator (LCC), there is someone else who can help answer questions about hosting an au pair and that’s Au Pair Answer Mom.

The Au Pair Answer Mom shares her own thoughts on some of the most common questions about hosting a Cultural Care au pair through short video clips. Be sure to check out Cultural Care Au Pair’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/culturalcare for answers to the most common questions.

Have a question you’d like answered? Email aupairanswermom@culturalcare.com with your question!

Sunday June 14 at 5 p.m.

Lazer Star!  Let’s have some fun playing Lazer Tag!

$7 per game or $15 for unlimited Lazer Tag games PLUS arcade games.  Meeting at 5 p.m. at Lazer Star, 1775 Daily Dr. Camarillo, CA 93010

http://www.lazerstar.org/index.html

SATURDAY OR SUNDAY - JULY 25 OR 26 - Save the Date for a Swedish Midsummer Party!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 22 - to be announced

Our Peace of Mind Guarantee protects our host families in three ways:

1. Price guarantee - we know that families are most concerned about the quality of our program but in these uncertain times, affordability is also an important factor. We have committed to keeping our prices stable for the entirety of 2009. While other au pair agencies are increasing prices, you know that with Cultural Care you have a price guarantee. Cultural Care Au Pair continues to deliver the highest quality program at the most affordable price.
2. Program continuation guarantee - we understand that if a parent suffers an involuntary job loss, the main priority of that parent will be to secure a new job. Throughout this process, the family will need reliable childcare. In addition, it is always Cultural Care Au Pair’s goal to maintain the stability of the au pair/host family relationship. For these reasons, we will offer those families who suffer an involuntary job loss the opportunity to receive the standard contractual refund and to keep their au pair until the end of her program term.
3. Financial safeguard guarantee - in the event that a family is forced to make the decision to withdraw from the program as a result of an involuntary job loss, Cultural Care will refund the unused portion of their program fees. Cultural Care will then make every reasonable effort to replace the au pair with a new family so she may complete her program term.

Peace of Mind is essential these days and while other agencies may offer one or two of the above options, only Cultural Care protects you in all three of these important ways.

EXTENSION FOR 2ND YEAR
 
Au Pair wants to extend for a 2nd year WITH THE SAME FAMILY  then the extension paperwork needs to be submitted  60 days prior to the end of the au pair’s first year.
Au Pair wants to extend for a 2nd year WITH A DIFFERENT FAMILY then the extension paperwork needs to be submitted  75 days prior to the end of the au pair’s first year.
 
Extension options:  The au pair can extend for 6 months, 9 months OR 12 months
 
 
EDUCATION DEADLINE
If an au pair is extending, they need to submit their education completion WITH the extension paperwork above and MUST MEET THE DEADLINE OF THE 60 OR  75 DAY RULE.
*If the au pair has NOT completed her education at the time of the extension paper work, he or she MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF ENROLLMENT AT THAT TIME AND MUST HAVE THEIR EDUCATION COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE 11TH MONTH.
 
*Note:  If an au pair’s 11th month ends on a Saturday or Sunday,  all documentation and proof must be submitted by the Thursday prior to that date.  Example:  If the au pair’s 11th month ends on Saturday October 9th, then all materials need to be in to the office no later than Thursday October 7th.

All Au Pairs are welcomed to my home patio to a ‘brookside’ meeting.  We’ll have some snacks and some time to share with each other.  We’ll also cover our Summer Safety meeting in advance of the wonderful summer we’re heading for!

Please come from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 17.  My address is 2931 Shadow Brook Lane, Westlake Village, CA 91361.  When you get to my address, go past my home and park in guest parking.  Walk up the path you see at the parking lot and go to the right.  It’s the secon patio on the path!

See you then!

Au pairs have the opportunity to extend their program term through the extension program for 6, 9, or 12 additional months.  In order to extend, an au pair must be in good standing with the program including completion of the required educational requirement:

Not less than 6 semester hours (or their equivalent) of academic credit at a post secondary accredited institution - 22 C.F.R. Part 62.31 K (1)    

The Department of State regulations state that au pairs have 12 months to complete their educational component.  However, Cultural Care is required to submit to the Department of State all extension requests 30 days prior to the end of the au pair’s first year.  Based on recent clarification from the Department, all au pairs who plan to extend their program term 6, 9, or 12 months must now have their educational component COMPLETE by this deadline.  This means that extending au pairs will NOT be able to complete or take any classes in the 12^th month of their first year in order to fulfill their educational requirement.  All classes must begin and conclude prior to the end of the au pair’s 11^th month. 

Cultural Care Au Pair will now require verbal or written confirmation from au pairs wishing to extend that his/her course has been or will be completed by the end of their 11^th month in order to submit the extension application to the Department of State for approval. Final confirmation must be in the form of a certificate, transcript or letter from the school showing that the required credits have been obtained and this must be submitted to Cultural Care before the end of the 12^th month.  Please note that final approval of any extension application is subject to the sole discretion of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs and cannot be guaranteed by Cultural Care.   

We have been informed that further clarification on the educational component is forthcoming from the Department of State and we will share that information with you as soon as it is made available

We encourage au pairs to take steps to explore educational opportunities in their communities immediately upon arrival to the U.S.  The educational component is an important part of their program experience as well as a condition of their visa.  Fulfilling the requirement as early in the year as possible will help to keep au pairs in compliance and will leave open the possibility for participation in the extension program without complication. 

Please be reminded that au pairs who are not planning to extend their program term are, of course, required to complete their educational component and noncompliance with this requirement will result in forfeit of deposit and return flight.