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PHOENIX, MARYLAND—April 10, 2009— A young journalism student from Natal, Brazil who has shown compassion and dedication in his daily care for a special needs boy, has earned the distinction of being named the “International Au Pair of the Year”, the second consecutive honor for a Cultural Care au pair, an agency that places au pairs with families in Baltimore.

The “Au Pair of the Year” Award honors au pairs who are caring, dependable and exceptional providers of childcare to their host family. Francisco Ricardo Silva de Araújo, au pair to the Boyer family of Richmond, Virginia was chosen from among local nominees as well as au pairs around the world in more than 50,000 host families. He was presented with the award at the 15th Annual International Au Pair Association Conference in Vienna, Austria on March 25th. Linda Falter from Germany, another Cultural Care au pair, won the award in 2008.

The International Au Pair Association established the Au Pair of the Year Award to recognize the many great young men and women participating in the au pair program.
Dr. Thomas-Parker, local childcare coordinator for Cultural Care Au Pair in Baltimore says, “It is wonderful that IAPA, through this award, allows so many in the au pair community to reflect on what an incredibly positive program this is and the many lives it touches and enriches along the way.”

The Boyer family nominated Ricardo for this prestigious award because of his devotion to their son, Taylor. Taylor is multi-handicapped and does not speak. “Ricardo is an exceptional young man, full of compassion, patience, gentleness. He never tires of encouraging Taylor to meet his challenges and reach beyond them,” says Kim Boyer, Ricardo’s host mother. “He has truly enhanced Taylor’s life in a way I never thought possible.” Dr. Thomas-Parker says that she often hears from her local host families that, like Ricardo, their au pairs have exceeded expectations and truly enriched their children’s lives.

“We could not be more proud of this fine young man and our au pair program that has now won the award for two consecutive years,” says David Fougere, President of Cultural Care Au Pair. “I think Kim Boyer said it best in her nomination. ‘Ricardo is an excellent example of all that one would hope for in a childcare provider. He is truly the spirit of Cultural Care and the best in mankind.’”