How we select host families
Your child’s relationship with a host family is crucial. In order to thrive, your son or daughter must feel comfortable and relaxed in the host family. Which is why we take great care in matching your child to the family. Host families will want to help your child engage in British culture, and this works so much better if interests are aligned.
If your child is musical, we will try to find a musical family who will enjoy taking him or her to concerts, as well as to the cinema or shopping. If your daughter is interested in history we’ll do our best to match her with a family that like visiting places of historic interest. If your son loves sport or cooking, we’ll look for a host family with a son of the same age that shares those hobbies.
The Process
- Initial phone screening for suitability of the host family and understanding of location and hosting preference.
- Interview with relevant Area Manager and full and detailed inspection of the host family’s house and surrounding areas.
- Discussions of obligations and commitments for the host family.
- Interview all members of household and conduct a full household inspection.
- Check of host family’s suitability with the Disclosure and Barring Service (Police check).
- Two reference checks with long standing colleagues and friends.
- Full profile of family and discussion around suitability and preference for students.
- Host family contract signed and returned to Pippa’s Guardians’ head office.
- Area Manager ‘matches’ students to host family depending upon requirement and location.
- Regular re-inspection of host family to determine suitability and satisfaction of our students.