Each child’s individual needs and character, personality and hobbies should be taken into account when finding them a guardian so the parents feel secure that their child is safe and cared for. Guardianship services choose families that offer the best possible care that will enable the student to make the most of their life in the UK by visiting the families in their home and checking their professional and personal references. We will also run a background check on families to ensure that your child is safe.

Host Family

In some cases international students do not live with their guardians during the school holidays, half terms and weekends. In this case the guardian is responsible for finding a suitable host family accommodation for the child. The host family must welcome the child into their home and provide them with a good family atmosphere. They also provide breakfast as well as a family meal in the evening. Host families will also try to make the child as much a part of their family as possible by taking them on day trips and involving them in family activities.

Host families are interviewed by us and the accommodation they are offering is inspected to make sure they can provide the students with the best quality accommodation possible. Care is also taken to ensure that the family environment is safe and the domestic conditions are of a good standard. Recruited families come from different backgrounds and represent a cross-section of ethnic and cultural groups within Britain. This helps in matching the students with their prospective host families. Many host families have years of experience in hosting students.

What To Expect From Your Host Family

• Have sympathy for overseas students in the UK
• Have a knowledge of independent education
• Have a genuine interest in the progress and welfare of the child
• Have the proper accommodation for the child including their own comfortable, separate and private room
• Understand the child’s culture and religion
• To provide a welcoming and comfortable environment and ensure the welfare of the child
• To help with travel and transport
• To provide a clean room and suitable, good quality living conditions
• To allow access to all communal areas of the home
• To provide at least one laundry service per week
• To provide door key where necessary and appropriate
• To provide a meal plan and accommodate any dietary needs
• To respect the student’s different cultural background and be sensitive to their needs
• To treat the child as a member of the family rather than a paying guest
• To encourage the student to speak English as much as possible in the home

What The Host Family Should Expect

• A courtesy call a few days before you are to arrive to tell them of your arrival time
• Respect for the family home and the house rules the family might have
• Keeping the family informed in case of late arrival home
• Acting respectfully towards the host family