Host family Agreement and Declaration
The Parties:
The parties to this contract are: Pippa’s Guardians 4, Nimrod House, Sandy’s Lane, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 1JJ, and The Host Family (“you”) whose name(s), address and family details are given on the Host Family Application Form.
Appointment and Contract Duration:
Subject to clearance by the Disclosure and Barring Service (unless already obtained) we appoint you to act as Host Family in respect of Students in the care of Pippa’s Guardians. The contract between the parties mentioned above will be on an ongoing basis and unless there are exceptional circumstances to justify short notice (as detailed below in Notice of Termination, both parties will look to give at least one term’s notice before bringing this agreement to an end.
Your Responsibilities:
Your Area Manager will give you a full description of your expected hosting role at your home visit and will provide support to you to enable you to fulfil this role. You will be issued with our Host Family Handbook and this forms part of your hosting agreement You hereby confirm that you will do everything reasonable to comply with your responsibilities. You will not accommodate or release care of the Student without our knowledge and confirm that you will inform Pippa’s Guardians at the earliest opportunity of any change in home details or composition of the household during the course of this contract.
Our Responsibilities:
We are contracted by the parents of our students to be their Educational Guardian while their child studies here in the UK. For more detail on our responsibilities please visit www.pippasguardians.co.uk where a full explanation of our role and responsibilities can be found under the Guardianship tab.
Emergency contact:
Pippa’s Guardians offer a 24-hour duty phone service should any emergencies arise whilst the Student is in your care and we do ask that in the event of an emergency that you notify us immediately on the duty phone number which is (+44) 7721 372865 or (+44) 330 223 6708 (low rate call)
Payment Rates:
We will pay you an accommodation charge for each day when the Student stays with you. Details of these charges can be found on page 9 of the Host Family Handbook under Host Family Fee Structure. We will also refund any car mileage costs as well as any extra expenses (receipts will be required), incurred on the Student’s behalf as per our Host Family Fee Structure. Expenses over £50 will need to be pre authorised by your Pippa’s Guardians Area Manager.
Student Accommodation: In line with AEGIS Quality Standards, when students under the age of 16 are in your care no students over the age of 20 may be hosted in your household at the same time and you must not operate any form of bed and breakfast facility or host any other paid guests when hosting our students.
HM Revenue & Customs:
You will indemnify Pippa’s Guardians in the event of a claim for income tax or national insurance contributions being brought against Pippa’s Guardians in respect of any payment made to you by us under the terms of this agreement.
Loss and Damage:
If the Student causes material damage (other than fair wear and tear) to your property we will do what we reasonably can to recover the cost of repair or replacement from the parent, but without being obliged to take legal action, or incur expenses beyond letters or telephone calls. We will not be responsible for compensating you for any loss or damage caused by the Student when in your care.
Policies.
You agree to adhere to our policies and guidelines which are available on our website. Please do check regularly as these are reviewed and amended at least annually.
Complaints and Problems:
You must notify us at once if the Student makes a complaint against any member of your Family, other person or against the School or if you wish to make a complaint concerning the Student. A copy of our Complaints Policy can be found on our website at www.pippasguardians.co.uk or a hard copy can be provided to you on request.
Notice of Termination:
Unless there are exceptional circumstances to justify short notice, both parties will look to give at least one term’s notice before bringing this agreement to an end. Pippa’s Guardians reserves the right to withdraw the Student immediately should we reasonably consider that this is necessary to safeguard and promote the welfare of the Student, in which case payment would cease immediately. In the event the concerns prove to be unfounded, we will consider reasonable adjustments of any pay issues. Pippa’s Guardians would not terminate this agreement without good cause and would consult with the affected parties as appropriate.
Action following Termination:
If this agreement is terminated in circumstances which give rise to concerns about the risk of harm to children (or vulnerable adults), Pippa’s Guardians will have a legal obligation under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 to provide full information to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Data Protection:
Subject to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you consent on behalf of yourselves and other members of the household for whom you can consent, to Pippa’s Guardians collecting, using, storing and disclosing information about you and other members of your household for the following purposes:
Arranging a suitable Host Family for the Student; Providing educational guardian services to parents including welfare and pastoral services and administration; Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the student.
We will share your data (unless you inform us in writing otherwise) where requested with our Governing Body AEGIS for their inspection purposes. This will be destroyed by them on completion of the inspection process.
A copy of our Data Protection and Privacy Policy can be found on our website at www.pippasguardians.co.uk or a hard copy can be provided to you on request.
Direct Dealings:
We have introduced the parents and the Student to you on the basis that all your dealings with them will be through or on behalf of Pippa’s Guardians only. If you enter into a direct contract with the Parents at any time, you will pay us the sums we would have been entitled to receive had the direct contract not been made.
Indemnity:
You agree to indemnify us against any liability which we may incur in respect of a breach of a duty of care and/or breach of contract caused by (or contributed to) anything which you (or any member of the Host Family) does or fails to do in the performance of this agreement We are not responsible for delays outside our control.
Third Party Rights:
Only Pippa’s Guardians and the Host Family are parties to this agreement. Neither the Student nor the parents nor any third party is a party to it.
Legal contract: A legally binding contract will be formed once a person duly authorised by Pippa’s Guardians and the Host Family have both signed this agreement
Governing Law: This contract is governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales.
Host Family Declaration:
I declare that that neither I nor any full-time resident in the household have;
• Been convicted of any offence against a child?
• Been entered on the child protection register or been the subject of a child protection plan?
• Had a child removed from your/their care by order of a court?
• Been denied access to or made subject of an injunction regarding you/their own or other children?
• Been disqualified from activity as a foster parent?
• Been refused registration under the Children Act 1989 e.g. as a child minder?
• Been on the list of individuals barred from working with children or otherwise disqualified to work with children, administered by the DBS or subject to sanctions imposed by any regularity body?
• Been convicted of a criminal offence or have a court case pending?
• Had family court, civil court or criminal justice system incidents/appearances?
• Been subject to a ‘sex offender order’, civil finding or injunctions (relevant to any family court matter, domestic situation child or children)?
I declare that there is no reason why I/they should not be considered a person suitable to work with children.
I understand that this position is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore all convictions, cautions, written warnings, bind overs, including those regarded as ‘spent’, must be declared.
If any of the above do apply to yourself or a full-time member of the household, please do contact our Safeguarding Team on safeguarding@pippasguardians.co.uk giving further details along with the relevant dates. Any information given will be treated with the utmost confidence.
Section 70a of the Children Act 1989 states that a person who gives information which he/she knows to be false/misleading or makes a statement in this notice will be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine.
Please note – having a criminal record may not necessarily stop you from working with our company; this will depend upon the nature of the offence.
I will allow a representative of Pippa’s Guardians to inspect the suitability of the accommodation at least once a year, if required.
We do also ask our Host Families to co-operate with any inspection that we are subject to by AEGIS or any other statutory body and that as part of this inspection process, a meeting with the host family and access to their accommodation at a pre-arranged time may be necessary.
I understand that all referees given must have known me for a minimum of two years and these references will be followed up and I understand and give permission for Pippa’s Guardians to request an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service, including a check of the barred lists.
I have read the Enhanced Check Privacy Policy for applicants https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-privacy-policies and I understand how DBS will process my personal data and the options available to me for submitting an application.