USC Center on Public Diplomacy

Direct link to this article: http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/worldcast_detail/2118/

Published: FEB 22, 2006 - 1:42PM PST

Worldcasting
CPD Fellow Alvin Snyder reports on issues in international broadcasting for the USC Center on Public Diplomacy.

Direct link to this article: http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/worldcast_detail/1573/

Published: FEB 22, 2006 - 1:21PM PST

Worldcasting
CPD Fellow Alvin Snyder reports on issues in international broadcasting for the USC Center on Public Diplomacy.

THE FAILURES AND POSSIBILITIES OF AU PAIRS AS PUBLIC DIPLOMATS
FEB 22, 2006 - 1:21PM PST
by Alvin Snyder

Cultural and educational exchange programs are effective public diplomacy tools because they enrich both those who go abroad and the societies they visit. Right? That good intention may not be the primary motivation behind the au pair childcare program the United States facilitates. This mismanaged program is being exploited and turned into more of a profitable business than cultural experience. Au pair, French for "on par," means that the young person is on par with the American family. Young women ages 18-26 come from all around the world to care for children, become part of an American family and go to school. Meanwhile, there is an interaction between the international visitor and the hosts where each side stands to benefit from the experience. When the program was founded in 1986, the U.S. Information Agency supervised it as an Educational and Cultural exchange. From the beginning, the program lacked supervision and needed stronger regulations. The biggest complaint from current au pair families is the inadequacy of the government-sanctioned sponsor agencies, which recruit, screen, train and place au pairs with American families. Tracy Huber of West Milford, N.J., said she is happy with her present au pair, "but had to weed through a nightmare to get to this place." She and other families tried several au pairs "in a short period of time to find a suitable au pair for the children, with no support [from sponsors] once fees are locked in." Another family complained that their children "have seen five very flaky people come and go from our home." Lisa Thostenson of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., said the same sponsoring agency matched her with three unsuitable au pairs. Although au pairs must be able to drive, "one girl was blind in one eye," said Thostenson, and "unable to drive safely; this was not disclosed." Another refused to watch the children, and not all of them spoke English, in which they are required to be proficient. "My son, who is 8, told [the au pair] he was going to play with his friend in the neighborhood," Thostenson said. "When I noticed he was gone, I asked her where he was and she had no idea…also not a clue when he was planning to return." Before the USIA was disbanded and control of the au pair program was handed over to the State Department, it attempted to rein in the program by raising the minimum age and shortening the au pair’s childcare workweek as well as requiring them to attend class. Congress appeared reluctant to consider any changes in the popular program. Additionally, one major au pair-sponsoring agency lobbied against the shorter work week. The lax laws have allowed the agencies to continue making money on a flawed product. In 1992, 7,287 Western European au pairs came to the United States. Host families paid a fee of $3,500 to the agency separate from the au pair’s weekly wages. At that time, placing au pairs was a $25.5 million business. Today, there are nearly…... FULL TEXT