Our Host Families
At guardians International Support we act as your child’s guardian whilst they are studying in the UK and we take this responsibility very seriously.
Our focus is on your child’s welfare which means we take incredible care when recruiting and selecting our host families. Central to this is whether we would feel happy to leave our own children in the care of these families. All of our host families are a key link in the overall pastoral care of your child and they provide so much more than accommodation, food and a place to stay. Many will provide feedback on your child’s emotional and physical welfare when needed and they truly become a home from home.
What one of our families says about hosting with GIS:
We met GIS last spring 2015 and was introduced to the work they do to support visiting students to our country, we were pleased to be chosen, by GIS as a suitable host family. We live very close to Mount Kelly College and have two spare rooms to accommodate 2 students. Later in 2015 we met our two students from the School for the half term break and we now host them on a regular basis.
Initially we were unsure as to whether we would meet their needs and they would be comfortable with us in our home, but this soon passed as were learnt to understand their likes and dislikes and how we would all get along.
I must say, they are delightful boys and very polite and well mannered. We sit together at mealtimes and discuss the plans for the day just like any family would, we struggle some times with language and customs, but it all becomes fun as we learn about out different ways.
Although the students work very hard with their studies when they are with us, we also try to have trips out together, fishing, shopping and visiting historical places.
We started as strangers, became friends and now its our family for those short breaks throughout the year.
Louise (Tavistock)
To ensure we get the right families all:
- Are personally interviewed by a GIS Director for suitability and understand the right match type of children for them to host, e.g. older/younger, boys/girls, quiet/loud etc.
- Have homes and accommodation inspected checked for suitability and an understanding of the types of local activities available or whether they are more suited to children preparing for exams.
- All have to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring check (Police check) see: www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check
- A minimum of two references are taken to reinforce the families suitability to act as a host for our students.
- A host family contract is signed and clearly defines what GIS expects from our host families and what we would expect from our students.
Many of the host families have been with GIS since we started and feel that the children who stay with them are “part of their own family” and go on to keep contact with the children they have hosted through their further education and academic studies and on into adult life.
