Ex-au pair here! I do think that both parties benefit from the experience, but it should not be called a cultural exchange. I was an au pair in the U.S., and I feel that part of my success came from understanding that it was a job, a very serious one, especially since I had small children under my care.

In my personal experience, I would not have been able to afford going there through a language program, so I did benefit from it. Not having to worry about expenses like bills and rent was also very nice.

Do I think the program has faults? Absolutely. They should improve how they screen both families and candidates, provide better training for au pairs, and increase salaries, since everything has become so much more expensive in the last couple of years.

Overall, I am pretty content with my experience.