Overview

Important changes to the UK Immigration Rules (Statement of Changes HC 733) will come into effect from 29th May 2025, specifically impacting Child Student visa holders and their guardianship arrangements. These updates aim to strengthen safeguarding procedures and affect how guardians are nominated and verified.

Nominated Guardians

What Is a Nominated Guardian?

According to the UK Home Office’s 2025 Spring Rules: Student Policy Changes, a Nominated Guardian is defined as:
"A nominated guardian is someone who cares for a child outside of term-time for less than 28 days and / or is the school’s emergency contact in the UK for the child. They must be aged 18 years old or over and appointed by the Child Student’s parent, legal guardian, or school."

“A nominated guardian cannot be a private foster carer or the Child’ Student’s parent or legal guardian who has permission as a Parent of a Child Student.
They may be a close relative of the Child Student, although they would fall outside the definition if they were also living with that close relative during term-time.”

Please note that most schools require guardians to be at least 25 years old. At British Guardianship, we strictly adhere to this standard by assigning only carefully screened staff or host families aged 25 and over, ensuring your child is always under responsible and professional care.

Guardian and Host Screening

All nominated guardians—whether individuals or part of a guardianship organisation—must meet the same stringent requirements as close relatives or Private Foster Carers. This includes confirmation that all guardians employed by the organisation hold a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (England and Wales), are registered with the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme (Scotland) or hold the appropriate DBS check in Northern Ireland.

The named educational contact from the guardianship organisation must be either:

• a British citizen, or
• a person settled in the UK.

We confirm that all our guardians comply fully with the above UKVI guidelines. In addition, we carry out rigorous host recruitment in line with our safeguarding and safer recruitment procedures.

Approved Living Arrangements

UKVI has introduced new categories of permitted living arrangements for Child Students. Each visa applicant must now declare where they will reside during holidays. Students under the care of British Guardianship are generally considered Full Boarders at independent schools and stay with appointed educational guardian, such as one of our host families, during school breaks. Other options may include recognised residential holiday programmes or returning home with parental consent.

Staying with British Guardianship Host Families

Our host families meet rigorous safeguarding criteria, making them a valid and approved living arrangement under the new rules. Each family is DBS-checked, their homes are inspected, and their responsibilities are clearly defined under our guardianship programme.

Family Friends as Hosts – Additional Requirements

Where a family friend is nominated to host a student, they will now need to undergo ID verification and, potentially, a DBS check and home inspection. British Guardianship already has a verification protocol in place and can escalate screening where required. Our team is ready to support schools with these additional steps when needed.

Holiday Programmes

Some families prefer their children to attend half-term or holiday revision or activity courses. UKVI accepts these arrangements, provided they are approved by both parents and schools.

Updated Letters of Undertaking

British Guardianship has updated its Letter of Undertaking to align with the latest legal and safeguarding requirements. It serves as formal confirmation that British Guardianship is fully responsible for the student’s welfare while in the UK. The appropriate version of this letter will be promptly provided upon enrolment or upon request by the school or relevant authorities. Please contact us to find out more.

Travel Arrangements

Schools are now responsible for documenting all travel plans made by Child Students. British Guardianship’s standard procedure already meets this requirement. We send detailed confirmations of travel and the identity of accompanying adults within 72 hours of receiving a travel request.

Are Family Friends Still a Viable Option?

Concerns around trafficking have prompted stricter scrutiny of the "family friend" guardian model. In past cases, this category has been exploited by individuals with malicious intent. We frequently encounter difficulty verifying family friends and often experience reluctance from them to comply with ID requests or security checks. These individuals must now meet the same screening standards as Private Foster Carers—a level of scrutiny many may find intrusive or burdensome.

Backup Planning and Emergency Response

Unlike professional guardians, family friends may not be able to respond effectively in emergencies. Without an established backup plan, this can create risk and uncertainty. British Guardianship offers round-the-clock support and contingency plans to cover unexpected events.

DBS Check Delays

Since DBS checks can take several weeks, relying on a family friend who hasn’t yet cleared screening could delay the completion of a student’s visa documentation. This could jeopardise the issuance of the required Letter of Undertaking.

Non-Accredited or Fee-Charging Individuals

When parents choose to engage a non-inspected guardian or an individual who charges for services outside of an accredited framework, responsibility falls to the school to confirm they meet the full safeguarding standard—including DBS checks on all household members over 16, property inspections, and limits on how many students may live in one house (no more than three).

No Lodgers or Paying Guests

UKVI rules prohibit student accommodation in properties with paying guests or unrelated lodgers. British Guardianship ensures compliance with all requirements: annual gas safety checks, functioning smoke alarms, and absence of unapproved tenants.

Our Standards at British Guardianship

As an organisation working to the highest standards, British Guardianship ensures:
• Full background checks and inspections
• Compliance with BSA-level standards and beyond

Although not all guardianship organisations are subject to third-party inspection, British Guardianship embraces external audits and stringent safeguarding requirements to guarantee peace of mind for families and schools.

Supporting Schools and Families with the New Rules

“We welcome UKVI’s commitment to improved safeguarding. British Guardianship is well-prepared to support schools and parents, offering compliant Letters of Undertaking and trusted living arrangements.”
— British Guardianship Management Team