School-Arranged Host Family Policy

This policy details the guidelines for Bright World Guardianships students who stay in school arranged homestay, i.e. organised, approved and accredited by a member of staff in their role, or by an agent or organisation acting for school (as opposed to being arranged by the parents or Bright World Guardianships.

Policy:

This policy relates to Bright World Guardianships (BW) agreeing to act as educational guardian to students who are staying in host family (HF) accommodation organized, approved and accredited by the school or college with whom they are placed full time or for holiday periods. This includes homestay which is provided by a member of staff as part of their work for the school, or by an agent or organisation acting for the school rather than by the pupil’s parents or Bright World Guardianships.

In order for our insurance to be valid, for our internal safeguarding criteria and the AEGIS Standards, to be met and to ensure that safeguarding standards are reached and upheld by Bright World Guardianships Ltd and the school, we ask the school to confirm to us the following:

1.That they are an accredited institution and have an up to date inspection report covering Host Family provision – we would ask for name of accrediting body or bodies.
2.That they will give us full host family address and contact details.
3.That they recruit and continually assess host families as per the current National Minimum Boarding School Standards (for Further Education Colleges, this would the National Minimum Standards for Residential Further Education Colleges) or that of their accrediting body while maintaining written records of the visits.
4.That they secure written consent from a host family and undertake Enhanced DBS checks with Barring and all other appropriate checks on members aged over 16 (or, as defined by their own accrediting body/National Minimum Standards).
5.That they ensure that active host families have received safeguarding and child protection guidance which is updated regularly as advised by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board.
6.That they act as the main point of contact for the student, parent/agent for all accommodation arrangements.
7.That they ensure that active host families have received written guidance about the school’s emergency contact procedures and have the relevant contact details.
8.That they will allow BW access to host family profiles and screening checks (DBS checks and references), and to visit the student while resident at the HF.
9.That should we have any safeguarding concerns following any of our visits either to the host family or to the student at school that the school will work with us and the parents to resolve any issues in the interest of the welfare of the child.
10.They will provide alternative long term/permanent accommodation at short notice should the existing HF no longer be able to host.
11.That they will remain the main point of contact for the student, parent/agent in responding to any incident occurring during the host family periods organised by the school.
12.That they will provide the HF with guidance on all aspects of Health and Safety and students safe use of the internet.
13.That they will provide the student, parent/agent and Bright World with emergency contact details for a member of staff who is contactable 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
14.That they will alert the local authority to any arrangements made by the school/college that may constitute private fostering of students for under 16’s.
15.That they will share any relevant student medical, dietary, safeguarding information with BW in the event that they (BW) are asked to accommodate the student or in the event of a safeguarding incident.
16.That they will provide the student with written guidance on the standards of behavior expected during the host family and sanctions for breaching these guidelines.

Bright World pledges:

1. To work in partnership with the school and share any relevant student medical, dietary or safeguarding information for the resolution of any safeguarding incident.
2. To provide the school with written details of the Guardianship Care Manager for the student.
3. To provide the school with written details of the Bright World Guardianships 24/7 Emergency email and phone number.
4. To provide the school permission to pass onto the school/college host family the Bright World Guardianship Care Manager and Emergency Service contact details.
5. To act as the main point of contact as Educational Guardian for the student including in an emergency situation
6. To provide the student and parent with a Bright World Student Charter and Student/Parent Handbook
7. To provide Local Co-ordinator (‘Buddy’) contact with the student on arrival into the UK with reports to parents of this contact
8. To provide ‘Buddy’ visits to the student twice throughout the academic year including a presence at Parents Evenings if required. One of these visits will be at the host family.
9. To provide an independent written review of the student’s welfare following a stay in a host family for the first time following an exeat and half term if relevant.
10. To provide phone calls and extra ‘Buddy’ visits as required in support of student welfare.
11. To provide temporary emergency host family accommodation should the student be excluded or suspended from school or the host family.
12. To facilitate student departure and arrival into the UK including transfers to and from the airport.

Procedure:

1. Bright World receives an application for Guardianship for a student who will be staying in a host family organized by the school in question or notification that a student will be leaving the boarding house and moving to a host family organised by the school.
2. Bright World processes the form and sends confirmation to the parents.
3. Bright World ensures that the school has a copy of this Policy document by sending them a link to it, and requests the full details of the homestay and written confirmation that they are DBS-checked and appropriate health and safety checks have been carried out.
4. Robbie Piper, Guardianship and Safeguarding Manager, checks the details, and if all in order, we give our Local Coordinator details of the home ready for the arrival settling in visit.

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.

This policy was last reviewed on: 26th July 2023

Signed: Lana Foster, Managing Director, DSL