This plan is written for Bright World host families who are hosting students during the Coronavirus outbreak and in the case of other pandemics ocurring.
This plan is for times when we are asking host families to host students during holiday times, such as exeat weekends, half terms, and long holidays as well as short stays such as suspensions from school or non Covid-19 related illness or injury where the school would like the student to rest outside school. It also looks at hosting students for isolation periods where you are a host family who is willing to do this and has passed our risk assessment.
Bright World will not knowingly place a student with you who has Covid-19 or other contagious symptoms, or who has received a positive Covid-19 test result or another illness, without having discussed this with you in advance and having completed our isolation risk assessment.
We need to be prepared for the unlikely event that a student presents with symptoms once they have already arrived with our host families. If students start to show symptoms while they are with you, and especially if schools are closed, we would not have an alternative place to house them. This obviously presents an unacceptable safeguarding concern, so we need to make sure our host families are prepared to keep the student in the unlikely event this happens and follow the plan below. For this reason, we can only place students into our host families at this time if the host family has agreed to this plan.
Bright World’s CovidPandemic Safe Plan for Host Families deals with a situation where the school is closed and a student arrives at the Host Family’s house with symptoms which were not disclosed previously to Bright World or presents with symptoms whilst they are staying with their hosts. It also deals with a situation whereby in agreement with a host family, we place a student who we know has symptoms with that family and only when they have completed our Isolation Risk Assessment.
We urge host families to have an individual house plan in place in preparation for family members and for the student falling ill. We ask hosts to explain this plan to their student when they arrive. Host families are also asked to ensure they have sufficient cleaning products, soap, paracetamol, tissues and have a general plan in place following the guidance below.
Host family commitment to continue care
The host family should be happy to keep the student under their care in their home should they themselves, any family members or the student present with symptoms. The host family should then follow the NHS self isolation advice for themselves and other family members and specifically follow the advice below in relation to Bright World Guardianship students.
Should any host family members present with symptoms before the arrival of a Bright World student, they should disclose this to a Bright World staff member and we would then make arrangements to accommodate our student elsewhere.
As usual, host families must disclose any other people staying at your house during the student stay which includes friends, family members or other students.
If your student presents with possible symptoms of coronavirus or other infection, however mild. please follow these instructions:
- Inform Bright World Guardianships by calling 01273 835745 and selecting 1 for Guardianship. Ask to speak to Bright World’s DSL and if not available then ask to speak with the Director of Guardianships. If neither are available then ask for Lana or James Foster, Directors. If out of office hours then please call 01273 836060 or email outofhours@brightworld.co.uk. Bright World will then take responsibility of communicating with parents and assisting you and offering telephone and email support.
Isolation guidance for you and your family if you are hosting a covid-19 or other pandemic illness positive student
If you agree to hosting students for a period of isolation or if they are already with you and need to isolate, you should be prepared to follow the guidance as follows;
1. The student should be the only student being hosted for the isolation period unless the house is of sufficient size to achieve full isolation from other students.
2. The student should have their own room and ideally their own bathroom, either ensuite or one for their exclusive use. The room should be well ventilated and have a window that opens. If you have another student in the room we will remove them for you. if they have to share a bathroom with others, please ensure they use it after everyone else and sanitise if after use. Please ask them to leave a window open while they are using the bathroom.
3. The student should, if possible, be given their meals delivered to their room or given a space away from other members of the family to eat.
4. The student can leave household premises to go into your garden or for a walk if you are happy for them to do so and leaving their room does not put any of your family members at risk.
5. The student should be given access to the garden if possible.
6. The student should remain socially distanced (at least 2m apart) from all members of the household if and when moving around the house and should not socialise with them indoors.
7. The student should be given cleaning and disinfectant to use in their bathroom and should be encouraged to clean it regularly after use.
8. The student will be provided with antibacterial soap and will be encouraged to wash their hands regularly.
How long is the isolation period?
For Covid-19, most students will not have had a lateral flow test when they come to you. They may just be displaying symptoms. This is because schools no longer test students.
Bright World’s isolation policy when removing students from school to host family.
If you are accepting a student who has confirmed or suspected Covid-19 or another illness during a pandemic, the following isolation policy should be followed.
- on arrival at your home, or as soon as you can obtain a Lateral Flow Test if relevant, the student will take that test and if it is negative they do not need to isolate. It is likely they will stay with you that night and return to school the next day if the school are prepared to have them back (each case will be different).
- If they test positive on arrival, then they should isolate for a minimum of 3 days if they are 17 or under and 5 days if they are 18 or over. They can then return to school provided the school are following guidance and are happy with this.
- if students wish to remain with you but leave isolation after the 3 or 5 day period then we are happy for you to insist on the student taking a Lateral Flow test and remain in isolation until they test negative or can return to school. If you do not require them to take a test (as per government and NHS guidance) but are happy to assume they are no longer infectious after 3 or 5 days, then allowing them to leave isolation is at your discretion.
Payment and cancellation terms for Isolation
1. You will be paid £60 per day for isolating students.
2. Should students be released from isolation but choose to remain with you then the payment reverts to £45 per night for the remainder of the stay
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