This agreement outlines the responsibilities of host families, international Students and InterGreat Education Group. As a Host Family everyone aged 16 and over will be expected to have a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate and will be required to provide references as part of our Safer Recruitment Policy. 

 

1.0 InterGreat Education Group’s Role and Responsibilities

 

1.1 InterGreat Education Group, “the Educational Guardian” will place the Student with host families in the UK and will pay expenses as per the terms of this contract. InterGreat Education Group is appointed to take overall responsibility for the child whilst they reside in the UK.  

The Educational Guardian: 

  • Ensures that appropriate child protection policies are in place;
  • Ensures that adequate safeguarding checks and inspections are carried out;
  • Provides both host families and Students with adequate guidelines;
  • Provides adequate support and guidance on welfare and educational matters to the Students;
  • Is contactable at all times and ready to deal with emergency situations including school removal and hospitalisation whenever appropriate or reasonable:
    • Emergency Contact: Terence Murray - Designated Safeguarding Lead
    • Email: sgl@intergreat.com
    • Tel: (+44) 20 3856 8180 / (+44) 7712463653
  • Completing the educational guardianship form with the school, and providing the school with emergency contact details / agreed 2nd contact details.

 

1.2 Subsequent to the submission of their application, host families will be provided by the InterGreat Education Group a Host Family Handbook, which shall contain InterGreat Education Group’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy statement.

1.3 InterGreat Education Group shall make its Safer Recruitment Policy available to Host Families at the beginning of the application process.

 

2.0 Host Family Commitments

 

2.1 Host Families should respect the Student’s cultural background and be sensitive to their needs. They need to show tolerance and respect for cultural & religious differences. 

2.2 Host Families should ensure the safe collection/drop off of the Student to and from school during holiday periods in accordance with the school timetable unless agreed otherwise with the Educational Guardian (for example in the case of a Day Student).

2.3 Host Families should not release care of the Student without prior agreement of the Educational Guardian.

2.4 Host Families should care for the Student in the home as would a responsible and caring parent. This includes:

  • Reasonable Student privacy should be respected;
  • Exercising the same care and caution as a responsible parent in allowing a Student to stay anywhere other than the Host Family home (host families cannot allow a Student to stay anywhere other than the Host Family home without the consent from the Educational Guardian);
  • When providing accommodation in the home, taking day-to-day responsibility for the Student while he/she is residing there, assimilating the Student into the family as far as possible and being available and willing to receive a Student into the home when necessary and agreed;
  • Using only appropriate and lawful means of control and contact with the Student, so as to provide comfort to the Student if in distress and to maintain the safety and good order in the home. Corporal punishment must not be used;
  • Residing at home when the Student is staying there and providing a suitable and consistently good standard of living and studying accommodation and 3-meals per day as agreed (full board). Care should be taken to provide the Student with a balanced and appropriate diet taking into consideration any agreed special requirements;
  • Students should have easy access to bathroom facilities and regular access to laundry facilities;
  • Host Families must provide the Student with a key or someone must be at home to open the door;
  • On a weekly basis, the Host Family should provide clean towels and beddings. 

 

2.5 House rules should be reasonable and should be provided to the Student in writing and verbally communicated at the commencement of their stay. Ideally, this could be communicated with InterGreat Education Group during the initial inspection.

2.6 Host Families should not accept paying guests (other than other international Students as agreed by the Educational Guardian) into the household, or be running a bed and breakfast, whilst providing accommodation to the Student.    

2.7 Allowing a representative of the Educational Guardian to inspect the suitability of the accommodation. The Educational Guardian will provide reasonable notice.

2.8 Host Families commit to attending any relevant induction or other training required by the Educational Guardian and providing evidence that this has been completed as required from time to time. This includes training related to ‘Prevent’ and also ‘Child Safeguarding’.

2.9 Provide regular holiday written reports to the Educational Guardian about the Students and their stay at home. 

2.10 Host Families must ensure that adequate insurance arrangements are in place for the home and car.

2.11 Host Families must have adequate attention to health and safety at home. They should inform the Student of the family’s fire escape plan.      

2.12 The Host Family must provide emergency contact details to the Educational Guardian and Student.

2.13 Host Families are expected to show due concern for the welfare, safety and security of the Student during their stay and report any concerns to the Educational Guardian by calling and/or emailing (if not urgent) the Designated Safeguarding Lead. 

2.14 Host Families are expected to inform the Educational Guardians immediately on occasions that the Student is missing school or being back later than required curfew time (as specified in the Host Family Handbook and/or Student Care Folder). Should a Student be reported missing by the Host Family, the Absent or Missing Student Policy (as detailed within Host Family Handbook and available as a printed copy at any time) is followed. In the case of non-threatening illness, Host Families should inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately so that the school can update the attendance accordingly. 

2.15 Host Families encourage their Students to speak English as much as possible and are ready to share their culture with them. Host Families should also appreciate that there may be times when the Student needs to speak in his/her native language or in privacy to the Educational Guardian or an Educational Guardian representative. 

2.16 If the Host Family is going to be away from home overnight, a responsible adult must stay with the Student if they are under 16 or deemed to be vulnerable. This adult must be known to the Educational Guardian and have a valid Enhanced DBS Certificate. 

2.17 Host Families should ensure that they have adequate insurance to cover against fire and other damages and should inform their insurer that they have a paying visitor in their home. 

2.18 At least 6 weeks’ notice must be given if host families decide to no longer take Students from the Educational Guardian. Upon commencement of attendance of the Student the Educational Guardian must give 4 weeks’ notice to cancel this agreement. All stakeholders should act reasonably given the particular circumstances. 

2.19 Host Families are expected to keep the Educational Guardian informed of any changes in the home or family which may affect this agreement. Any material change in circumstances of the Host Family must be notified to the Educational Guardian. 

2.20 Host Families are expected to duly fill out the application form, providing comprehensive personal identification information, details of current employment, references, and a declaration regarding any criminal convictions not protected by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013).

2.21  The Host Families hereby acknowledge and consent to the fact that InterGreat Education Group shall conduct online investigatory searches as an integral component of its recruitment process.

2.22  The Host Families hereby agree to engage cooperatively in a comprehensive child protection vetting process, which shall encompass background inquiries with former employers and the Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks for everyone aged 16 and over in the household during the duration of this contract, as befitting the responsibilities inherent to the provision of Host Family services.

 

3.0 Additional Requirements for Long Term Home stays (>28 Days)

 

3.1 Host Families must be prepared to make a commitment for the full academic year but the Educational Guardian can help with short stay substitute families should a family emergency arise.  Should host families require any additional time off from hosting our Students outside of the holiday periods within the academic year, we request that at least 28 days written notice be given to InterGreat Education Group so that we may make the relevant care plan for the Students. We reserve the right to change Students to different host families should there be continued requests for alternative families so as not to impede the Students academic progress. In this way, we would strongly recommend host families taking their holidays in line with school holiday periods unless otherwise avoidable. 

3.2 Where applicable Host Families should be aware of Private Fostering legislation and report a Private Fostering Arrangement to the local authority. A Private Fostering Arrangement must be notified to the local authority if the Student is under the age of 16 (< 18 if disabled) and residing for more than 28 days. 

3.3 Students must have their own room including a single bed, book shelf, wardrobe, access to wifi, study desk, and a well-lit area for their studies. 

3.4 The Educational Guardian and Host Family will agree on an appropriate school travel plan.

3.5 Rules with respect to travel and prolonged periods away from the home must be respected in that the Host Family and the Student should always ensure that permission has been confirmed by their Educational Guardian before the start of any period away from the home. Students must plan ahead so that details can be passed to natural parents and permission in writing received before the trip takes place. For Students over 18 years of age, parents must be informed although consent is not required. The Educational Guardian may veto a planned trip if it is considered unsafe. The Educational Guardian is able to place the Student into temporary accommodation if required with reasonable notice. 

 

4.0 Student Commitments

 

The Educational Guardian ensures the Student is aware and makes the following commitments: 

4.1 Once the arrangement is confirmed, Students should make contact with their host families to begin to develop a relationship. Host Families will introduce themselves and their local area. 

4.2 The Student and Host Family should agree ‘ground rules’ for the home early in the stay.

4.3 The Student should keep their room tidy. 

4.4 Students should adhere to family mealtimes and not expect meals to be provided outside these times. 

4.5 Students should not bring friends home without the prior permission of the Host Family and never invite anyone to stay over in their room. 

4.6 Students are asked to keep sensible hours (also in coordination with their Educational Guardian). If he/she would like to be home later than 10pm, a provisional permission has to be obtained from their Educational Guardian and host families have to be informed in advance. Curfew times have to be respected. 

4.7 Students should be polite and considerate to the Host Family and inform the Host Family if they are going to be out or late for a meal. 

4.8 Students should make every effort to take care of Host Family property. Damage and loss must be paid for, where it is clearly the Student’s liability. Items damaged or lost should be replaced. In the event of property damage, host families should endeavour to contact the Educational Guardian directly to recompense for damages made, never with the Student or parents with the proof of the cost. The Educational Guardian will be able to liaise with the parents to ensure that all reasonable requests for replacement are paid in a timely fashion. 

4.9 All Students are entitled to a supportive relationship with their Host Family and their Educational Guardians and to be comfortable and happy during their stay. 

 

5.0 School Exclusion and Suspension

 

5.1 If a Student is excluded or suspended from school, his/her Educational Guardian must be informed immediately. 

5.2 The Educational Guardian will provide support to the Student for meetings with school staff. 

5.3 If the school exclusion is permanent, this will require the Student to leave the country and return home. 

 

6.0 Financial Agreements

 

6.1 Host Families must not disclose any financial and payment information to anyone other than a direct contact of the Educational Guardian.

6.2 Host Families receive payments from the Educational Guardian for providing a home and the agreed meal plan to Students. The responsibility for declaring this income to HMRC rests with the Host Family. 

6.3 Host Families are not to collect money from the Student or the parents directly. 

6.4 All payments to host families will be made by BACS transfer. 

6.5 Host Families should not lend money to the Student. If there is a cash flow problem (lost bank card, etc.), the Educational Guardian should be informed immediately so that this can be sorted out with the support of the young person’s parents. All financial transactions in such a case should be via the Educational Guardian. This protects both the Host Family and the Student. If a Host Family acts outside of this instruction, there can be no guarantee that the Educational Guardian will refund the family for any loans made. 

6.6 The Educational Guardian will reimburse additional expenses agreed in advance (or if considered reasonable if pre agreement is not practicable). This would include items such as family excursions etc. 

6.7 For the avoidance of doubt, Host Families are not under the employment of the Education Guardian.

 

7.0 Summary

 

7.1 The Educational Gurdian will make every effort to make constructive matches between Students and host families, taking into account personality, interests, aspirations, location and background. 

7.2 Students and Host Families are expected to do their best to maintain a mutually respectful relationship and to take each other’s point of view into account, to achieve everyday harmony in the home. 

7.3 Problems which arise due to cultural differences may be mediated by experienced staff from the Educational Guardian. 

7.4 All concerns should be reported to the Educational Guardian at an early stage so that support can be provided. This support may be for the Host Family, the Student, school issues, or problems with logistics, transport, medical services, finding a language tutor, etc. 

7.5 Students and host families have an equal right to contact the Educational Guardian for support. Host Families are welcome to provide feedback to the Educational Guardians via email. Additionally host families may contact the office at any time with concerns or feedback. Should host families wish to make a complaint, the Complaints Policy should be followed, as detailed within the Host Family Handbook and available by printed copy at any time. Stage 1: Informal Complaint & Stage 2: Formal Complaint (Director).

 

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and the parties hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

I hereby sign to confirm that I agree to the aforementioned terms and conditions of this agreement: