Becoming a host family

To find out if hosting an au pair will work for your family, you’ll want to confirm that the following statements are all true:

• You are looking for a flexible, reliable, and consistent caregiver for your kids

• You are able to provide a private bedroom, at least three meals a day, and a way for your au pair to get to classes and outings

• The parents in your family are U.S. citizens or permanent residents

• All adults living in your household will pass a criminal background check

In addition, it’s important to be prepared to welcome your au pair as you would an extended family member. You’ll want to spend time getting to know your au pair, invite them to join you for family dinners and activities, and be prepared to help if they need support.

In order to become a host family with Cultural Care, families must:

1. Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents

2. Pass a criminal background check

3. Provide a private bedroom for their au pair

In addition, families must be willing to embrace the spirit of the au pair program—meaning they are ready and excited to participate in a cultural exchange and invest time into building a relationship with their au pair.

In addition to the meeting the requirements and following the rules set forth by both the U.S. Department of State and Cultural Care Au Pair, you should be prepared to embrace the cultural exchange spirit of the au pair program. This means welcoming your au pair as you would an extended family member and helping them adjust once they arrive. You may need to explain household rules and routines more than once as customs can vary between cultures. Asking how their day was, being thoughtful on holidays and their birthday, and including them in family meals will go a long way to help them feel welcome in your family. While the needs of your children are of the utmost importance, it is also important that au pairs receive the benefits of an exchange experience and your full support as their American family.

This is a common concern, but one that usually disappears shortly after an au pair arrives. Because an au pair becomes an extended part of your family—many families liken their au pair to an older niece or nephew—it will soon feel “normal” for them to live with you. Au pairs are entitled to a private bedroom so that they have their own space during off-duty time (privacy is important for them as well). They also tend to spend much of their off-duty time with friends, taking classes, and exploring new places.