2011 News Stories
We bring you up-to-date news stories on the au pair industry that affect you, the consumer! We publish consumer news that covers au pair agency press releases; costs increases & discounts; new agency program features; U.S. Department of State regulation changes; court cases & rulings program; and all news stories that highlight au pairs making the headlines.
You heard it first, at AuPairClearinghouse, the Nation's only Consumer Information website that reports daily on the Au Pair industry!
Click on a year below to view news stories:
Au Pair News Stories - December 2011
December 2011 - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week ordered a review of the J-1 student work visa program after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents found the visa was being used for human trafficking. (Associated Press, Dec. 7, 2011)
On November 30, federal agents in New York arrested 25 mafia members from several families forillegally bringing in hundreds of women from Russia and Eastern Europe to the U.S. to dance and strip in New York clubs. (NY1, Nov. 30, 2011)
Homeland Security officials accused some of the suspects of helping the women obtain fraudulent work and travel visas. However, when the women got into the country, they were employed as strippers. (Id.) “Some were recruited as waitresses, some were told straight up what the situation was. Some were recruited from overseas through advertisements in foreign language newspapers throughout Russia and Eastern Europe, some were recruited from Facebook in Russia,” said James Hayes of the Department of Homeland Security. (Id.)
Officials accused five men from Albany, Binghamton, and New Jersey of illegally marrying some of the women so that those women could apply for green cards to stay in the country. (Id.)
The J-1 visa was created in 1963 to allow students and au pairs from other countries to temporarily work and travel in the US. (Associated Press, Dec. 7, 2011) According to the State Department, “The J-1 Visa provides countless opportunities for international candidates looking to travel and gain experience in the United States.” The J-1 visa is known for allowing foreign nationals to enter the U.S. through various programs—as high school or college students, professors or scholars, Au Pairs and interns, among other things. Depending on the program, these aliens may stay in the U.S. for periods ranging from a few weeks to several years. (State Department, J-1 Visa Programs)
Au Pair News Stories - November 2011
Girl, 6, Killed In Driveway On Overbrook Road
Somerville first-grader struck by car; prosecutor says incident being treated as a "very bad accident."
A 24-year-old au pair will be issued a summons for careless driving for her role in the accident that claimed the life of six-year-old Kelly Creegan last week on Overbrook Road, police said.
The police department says Mirjam Kaiser of Ridgewood drove up the driveway of the house next door on Overbrook Road, crossing the small grass boundary between the two driveways and struck Creegan, who was playing with a friend in the driveway. Creegan's mother was on scene at the time of the accident, police say.
Investigators say Kaiser, a native of Germany who was the au pair for the family at 420 Overbrook, never saw Creegan.
Police have not pursued criminal charges at this time, Ridgewood Police Cpt. Jacqueline Luthcke said. The investigation, however, has not yet fully concluded, the captain said.
Source: http://ridgewood.patch.com/articles/girl-6-killed-on-overbrook-avenue
Which au pair agencies recruit the best drivers?
Driving is an important, if not critical skill that your au pair should have. You can help ensure that your au pair drives well by researching au pair agencies and how they screen au pairs for driving skills.
Au Pair News Stories - October 2011
WILLAMETTE NEWS
October 26 2011 Shaw Healey/NEWS
In Unsafe Hands
After sex abuse charges, a Lake Oswego au pair agency denies placing a woman in harm’s way.
But the young woman says she instead fought off the host father when he touched her breasts and put his hand between her legs. She fled the house and told the police.
Courthouse News Service. October 7 2011
PORTLAND, Ore. (CN) - A teen-age au pair from Germany claims a placement agency aided and abetted an employer who sexually assaulted her, and that the agency knew or should have known that he had done the same thing to two other women the agency had placed in his home.
Amely Mae Conrad sued US Au Pair and Helene Young for fraud, negligence, sexual harassment and discrimination, sexual assault and battery, aiding and abetting and other charges, in Multnomah County Court.
Conrad, 18, says she contacted US Au Pair after seeing it promote itself on its website "a 'U.S. State Department-designated sponsor'" for au pairs.
During a 2-month process that included meetings with the defendants' partner in Germany, Munich Au Pair, Conrad says Young told her "she had found a wonderful family, the Guptas," for her to work with in the United States."
Young told her that "the Gupta family had passed an extensive background check," and that "the Gupta family had had a few au pairs working with them in the past, there had been no problems reported, and the au pairs had enjoyed their experience of working for the Gupta family," according to the complaint.
But Conrad says the latter statement is a lie, and Young should have known it - that US Au Pair had provided two other au pairs to the Guptas, both of whom were subjected to sexual advances by the father, Ashish Gupta.
Au Pair News Stories - August 2011
U.S. Senate Critical of Au Pair Cultural Exchange Program
U.S. Senator Mark Udall of Colorado supports the current criticism on the State Department to improve their regulation of the 50 year old foreign-exchange visitor program that includes the au pair cultural exchange allowing thousands of au pairs to arrive in America on the J1-Visa.
Why is there mounting pressure on the State Department?
A recent report that reviews the ongoing problems with the 50 year old cultural exchange program that allows more than 350,000 foreign workers into American jobs showed that:
- The program's efficacy is weak and continues to have significant problems. A Washington based think tank, the Economic Policy Institute, recently criticized the program and confirms ongoing problems.
- The current 13 officers in the State Department cannot adequately oversee more than 350,000 exchange workers.
- The employers and sponsors (i.e., the au pair agencies are "sponsors") are having difficulty regulating themselves.
Cultural Care Opens Office in Ireland!
In our last interview with the Senior Vice President of Cultural Care, Natalie Jordan said,
"We're always looking for our next recruitment country and we are so excited to announce that we will head to Ireland next. Native English speaking au pairs are always very much in demand. We also have families who have an Irish background and are looking forward to having that cultural connection in their home. We're hearing of more young (Irish) people interested in spending a year abroad to add to their work and life experience."
Click Here If You Are Interested in Learning More about Irish Au Pairs
Au Pair News Stories - July 2011
ProAuPair Becomes the 14th Au Pair Agency in U.S. and First Agency to Offer Program for Special Needs Children
For the second time in 2011, another new au pair agency has opened up its doors to the American public. Based in San Clemente, California, ProAuPair’s speciality is recruiting older, experienced au pairs, many of them who have professional degrees in pediatric nursing, teaching and early childhood education, etc. Susan Asay, Founder & CEO of ProAuPair, has a keen interest in matching au pairs with families who have a special needs child.
There is an increase in families with special needs children, particularly as the number of children diagnosed with autism climbs, parents are frantic to find the appropriate childcare. ProAuPair’s mission statement is to “match experienced, bilingual au pairs from Germany and other European countries with host families.”
AU PAIR ASSAULTS 3 YEAR OLD BOY - FLEES USA BACK TO SOUTH AFRICA
From http://www.wkyc.com a website news resource for Clevand Ohio - June 28 2011.
LAKE COUNTY -- Aneshee Govender's Facebook page indentifies here as an au pair, a live-in child caregiver from a foreign county.
Now she is also an international fugitive on the run. (See photo of au pair)
Govender worked for Concord Township's Joseph Marziani family in a wealthy neighborhood, watching their 3-year-old son. The family had in-house cameras installed and investigators say Govender was aware of them.
Joseph Marziani was watching recent video from the cameras and made a shocking discovery. Govender was allegedly striking and kicking his son. He fired Govender on the spot.
Au Pair News Stories - June 2011
New Au Pair Agency Meets the Challenge of Special Needs Children
For the second time in 2011, another new au pair agency has opened up its doors to the American public. Based in San Francisco, California, ProAuPair’s speciality is recruiting older, experienced au pairs, many of them who have professional degrees in pediatric nursing, teaching and early childhood education, etc. Susan Asay, Founder & CEO of ProAuPair, has a keen interest in matching au pairs with families who have a special needs child.
There is an increase in families with special needs children, particularly as the number of children diagnosed with autism climbs, parents are frantic to find the appropriate childcare. ProAuPair’s mission statement is to “match experienced, bilingual au pairs from Germany and other European countries with host families.”
ProAuPair’s Special Needs Au Pair Program (SNAP) offers professional au pair candidates that have at least 2 years of full-time professional experience with special needs children or a degree in the following areas: occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, special education.
Wow, Au Pair in America is celebrating 25 years - here are the highlights from their press release:
U.S. Au Pair Program Celebrates 25th Anniversary on June 9
- Founding Agency Hosts Celebration at U.S. Department of State -
STAMFORD, CT - June 9, 2011 - To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the United States' au pair program, Au Pair in America, the nation's first and most experienced au pair organization, and the U.S. Department of State, are hosting an anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, June 9 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.
The event, which will be held in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the U.S. Department of State, will feature guest speakers Ann Stock, the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and former Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd. Also in attendance will be numerous elected U.S. Government officials, representatives from the U.S. Department of State and Au Pair in America staff, host families and au pairs.
"We are proud to share this special milestone and host the anniversary celebration with the U.S. Department of State," states William L. Gertz, President and CEO of the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS), the parent company of Au Pair in America. "We are looking forward to another 25 years of 'bringing the world together' while providing exceptional child care for American families."
Founded in 1986, the U.S. Department of State's au pair program allows 18 to 26-year-old international visitors who travel to the U.S. on a J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa to acquire a better understanding and appreciation of American life while living with an American family and caring for their young children.
Au Pair News Stories - April 2011
Travel Companions:
Conversations with Interesting People
This Month: Edina Stone, Founder and CEO of AuPairClearinghouse.com
This month we’re talking with Edina Stone, Founder and CEO of AuPairClearinghouse.com, whose mission is to educate the American public about au pair programs: how they operate, what they are supposed to do and what kinds of questions to ask when looking for an au pair. AuPairClearinghouse.com is recognized by both parents and agencies alike as being a true consumer advocate for host families.
Read the rest of the interview
Au Pair of the Year 2011 has been Announced!
April 14 2011: The Au Pair of the Year 2011 is Ms Luna Vazquez de la Rosa, a 20 year-old Spanish native.
She was given the honour during the annual Welcome Reception of WETM-IAC on Wednesday, March 16th.
Luna was hosted by the Packham family in Hove, UK, for a period of 9 months. The receiving organisation is "The Childcare Company” from the UK and the sender is International Au Pair and Language Abroad Group form Spain.
The award was given to Luna by Mr. Jack Hompes, IAPA chairperson, in the beautiful "De Munt” theater in Brussels. Other finalists for the Au Pair of the Year were Nadine Kuehlkamp from Germany (Au Pair Ecosse) and Melanie Bluhm from Germany (EurAupair Intercultural Child Care Programs).
Said the Packham family:
"There really is no better au pair experience than the one our family had with Luna. We were so very blessed. We have the most amazing memories of Luna's stay with us and a family friend for life."
Members and organisations interested in the Au Pair of the Year as well as IAPA overall are invited to visit www.iapa.org.
Read the entire list of Winning Au Pairs & their Agencies.
Au pairs fit into Bethesda families
Au Pair in America has 267 au pairs working in DC Area
by Cody Calamaio | Staff Writer
Catia Frazao isn't used to taking children outdoors without fearing for their lives.
Frazao, 20, moved from Pretoria, South Africa, to take a job as an au pair in Bethesda two months ago. Bethesda is a far cry from Pretoria, where violence happens regularly, she said. "Now that I know what safety and security and family is, I don't want to go back to a place where people don't know what that is," she said.
Frazao is one of the 267 au pairs living in Montgomery County through the Connecticut-based placement agency Au Pair in America, said the agency's senior community counselor Terry Bellus. The agency manages 886 au pairs in the Washington area, and is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a cultural fair at Glen Echo Park on Saturday.
There have been 121,355 au pairs who participated in the program since 2003, Fleming said. There are 14,710 au pairs living in the United States, 1,500 of which are in the greater Washington, D.C., area.
According to the State Department, 105 au pairs work in Maryland, Fleming said. The District has 26 and Virginia has 1,369.
Au Pair News Stories - March 2011
Portland Resident Helps Launch New Au Pair Program
(Bellingham, Wa. – March 28, 2011) – Melissa Madachick, a Portland resident who has experience both in hosting exchanges in the United States and traveling abroad as an au pair in Ireland, has joined The International Au Pair Exchange (TIAPE) team as a Local Exchange Coordinator (LEC). Recently designated by the U.S. Department of State to administer the au pair program, TIAPE places carefully screened au pairs between the ages of 18 and 26 from foreign countries with qualified host families within select communities throughout the United States. LECs provide continuous support to both au pairs and host families in their areas and help them to maximize their program experience.
"The years I spent abroad as a live-in nanny and au pair greatly enhanced my life and deepened my appreciation and understanding for other cultures. For parents, the au pair program is the best of both worlds because it combines a valuable cultural exchange experience with affordable, live-in childcare. I am excited to bring this opportunity to the Portland community" said Madachik.
Read the rest of this press release
Go Au Pair Announces New Logo and Website Design
Go Au Pair’s new website allows families to be more in control of their Au Pair Search
SALT LAKE CITY, MARCH 11, 2011 – Go Au Pair is excited to announce its new logo and website design. A complete change in its layout, colors and navigation allows families easier access to available Au Pairs and Au Pair child care information, while providing Au Pair candidates more detailed and complete information regarding the Au Pair program.
Read the rest of the news story
Au Pair Clearinghouse Gives To Japan Disaster Fund
March 2011 - Au Pair Clearinghouse supports Japan's efforts to recover from the devastating earthquake and tsunami and we will donate 5% of our 2010-2011 income to the
Emergency Relief and Aid for Japan.
Please reach out to your agency at this time if you have an au pair from Japan (or if you are an au pair from Japan). If you would like to assist in the relief efforts, you can donate to the website listed above. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people at this very difficult time.
Au Pair Clearinghouse Staff
