Educational Guardians

Association of Educational Guardians for International Students

Overseas students at school in the United Kingdom are required to have a responsible adult to act on your behalf and to provide home hospitality when the school is closed. The person you appoint is called a guardian.*

A guardian has two responsibilities
1. To act on your behalf and, under your instructions, to support the student at all times and especially in case of any problems or emergencies. These problems or emergencies may occur while the student is at school and could include medical emergencies, disciplinary matters, social or welfare problems, emergency closure of the school, arrangements for activities or travel. The school must have a person they can contact 24 hours of the day and who will act on your behalf and in accordance with your wishes.

2. To take the student into their home when the school is closed. Boarding schools in the United Kingdom close completely for three holidays a year. In addition there are short holidays which may be between 4 and 14 days long, in the middle of each term as well as weekend breaks when the school is closed.

How to find a guardian
1. You may have a relative, friend or business associate who will take on the two responsibilities outlined above. The time, expense and commitment are great and can place a strain on the relative, friend or business associate. Before confirming the arrangement you must satisfy yourself that the person you ask to be a guardian will:

a) be available and willing to receive the student into their home several times a term.
b) be able to deal with emergencies, including possible the removal of the student from school.
c) be at home when the student is there and provide suitable living and studying facilities, with appropriate insurance cover.
d) be prepared to negotiate reimbursement of what can be considerable expenses.

2. You can ask a Guardianship Organisation to find a guardian for you.
There are a large number of Guardianship Organisations in the United Kingdom. The school to which the student is going will be able to tell you those which the school uses already; ISIS International (Grosvenor Gardens House, 35-37 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0BS Tel +44 020 798 1550 Fax +44 020 798 1551) will be able to recommend others, friends in your own country may be able to recommend a Guardianship Organisation they have used.

What are the advantages of using a Guardianship Organisation?

They will
1. be run by professionals experienced in both child care and education who will provide the student, in school and in the holidays while in the United Kingdom, with that experience at all times.
2. maintain contact with you, the school and the student at all times.
3. have a member of staff who may be contacted 24 hours a day ready to deal with a problem.
4. arrange a home with a family in the United Kingdom who have been visited and vetted in accordance with the law.
5. offer the student the opportunity to speak English and learn about the culture and way of life in this country by experiencing it for themselves.
6. offer additional services such as obtaining a visa, making travel arrangements, booking language and holiday courses.
7. provide you with a written agreement of the terms and conditions you have agreed and with which they will abide.
8. be fully covered with insurance and will comply with United Kingdom law, social services and police requirements.

The cost?
Guardianship Organisations offer a range of different services for which there is a range of charges. You must expect to pay for a fully comprehensive service, which is especially appropriate for a young student, who will need a lot of guidance with educational and pastoral matters, to a minimum service which covers emergency services only. Guardians must be paid fairly for looking after overseas students properly and charges vary between Guardianship Organisations for the services offered. Be sure you are happy with the services you select and the charges made.

Note:
Legal Status of Guardians
The term Guardian is one of convenience. The person you appoint is better described at the United Kingdom Guardian. The legal relationship under the Children Act (1989) is one of “delegated parental responsibility”. In practical terms the United Kingdom Guardian carries the day to day responsibility, but the parents have only delegated tasks to the United Kingdom Guardian, they have not surrendered, transferred or shed the responsibility of parents.