FAQs Archive - Guardians UK

Q: HOW OFTEN WILL MY CHILD BE VISITED?

Your child will be visited regularly, but the exact nature of these visits depends on the package that your child is signed up to. If your child needs to see their guardian for any reason we can arrange to go and visit them.

Q: CAN MY CHILD STAY IN A HOTEL UNACCOMPANIED?

Schools do not usually permit their students to stay in hotels without an adult present. We uphold this rule.

Q: CAN MY CHILD CHANGE HOST FAMILY IF THEY ARE NOT HAPPY?

If your child goes to a host family and is not happy there or simply wants to stay in a different area that is not a problem. A number of our students change host families on a regular basis to experience different parts of the UK and to meet new people.

Q: HOW OFTEN WILL THEY STAY WITH A HOST FAMILY?

Your child can stay with a host family for exeat weekends and half term holidays if they are not going home. Some students also stay for the longer holidays if they are not returning to their home country.

Q: WILL THEY HAVE TO SHARE A ROOM?

We prefer that students have their own room. However, some students do like to share if they go to a host family with a friend or sibling, but this would be their choice.

Q: CAN MY CHILD STAY WITH RELATIVES OR FRIENDS INSTEAD OF A HOST FAMILY?

Your child can stay with relatives or friends as long as there is an adult over the age of 25 in the house. They are not allowed to stay with a sibling or friends in student accommodation.

Q: CAN I CHOOSE MY CHILD’S HOST FAMILY?

We will send you host family profiles with photographs of the host family, their house, and information about their interests. From this you can see who might be a good fit for your child. We work very closely with families and students to ensure that we match your child up with a family that would suit them.

Q: HOW DO YOU CHOOSE YOUR HOST FAMILIES?

We interview all host families when they first contact us. If we feel they will be suitable we visit them in their homes, check they meet our criteria and then arrange for them to be police checked. Once they start to host our students we keep in contact with them and visit on a regular basis.

Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD FALLS ILL?

If your child falls ill at school, they seek advice from their school health centre. If your child falls ill whilst staying with a host family, the family would contact their own doctor and arrange for your child to be seen as an emergency patient. If necessary they can also take your child to the local hospital. As guardians, we will ensure that we always give your child the best possible care.