My GuardiansProcessing...x
My GuardiansEducational Consultants & Guardians
Safe Schools
My Guardians upholds the AEGIS Covid-19 Safe Charter.
This Charter serves to advise schools and overseas parents on the response from AEGIS and its member guardianship organisations, like My Guardians, relating to the current Covid-19 crisis. This relates to support services being offered to international students enrolled at UK boarding schools and who are under the guardianship of AEGIS members, and My Guardians is one of them.
My Guardians, like other Guardianship Organisations accredited by AEGIS, adopted the AEGIS Covid-19 Safe Charter. This means that we will comply with government and Public Health guidance and support the return of international students to the UK.
We continue to monitor the situation regularly and to follow the advice of Public Health England (PHE):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings
Scottish Government & Health Protection Scotland:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-preparing-start-new-school-term-august-2020-version-2/
https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/
Public Health Wales:
https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/guidance-for-schools-advice-for-parents-or-carers/
https://gov.wales/education-coronavirus
My Guardians also follows advice and are part of Safe Schools UK who, in turn, refer to the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) and follow their Covid-Safe Charter.
The FCO updated its global advisory against ‘all but essential’ travel, exempting destinations that no longer pose an unacceptably high risk for British travellers: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-countries-and-territories-exempt-from-advice-against-all-but-essential-international-travel
The UK government imposed a 14-day quarantine on international arrivals from 8th June. This rule will be reviewed regularly.
From 10 July 2020, unless they have visited or stopped in any other country or territory in the preceding 14 days, passengers arriving from certain countries and territories will not be required to self-isolate on arrival into the UK. The list of exempt countries and further details can be found here related:
England: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-public-health-checks-at-borders/pages/exemptions/
Wales: https://gov.wales/exemptions-self-isolation-coronavirus-covid-19-html
N Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-advice
The groups of guardianship organisations, like My Guardians, who are accredited by AEGIS, discuss matters of policy regularly. We aim to present a united approach to the assistance we can offer during the COVID-19 crisis. We recommend that overseas parents familiarise themselves with the rigorous inspection process undertaken by AEGIS guardianship organisations. We recommend that parents choose an AEGIS accredited guardian whose processes and practices have been fully inspected by trained and independent inspectors.
AEGIS accredited guardianship organizations, like My Guardians, have been praised by schools, agents and parents for their hard work and swift action during the COVID-19 crisis. They were pro-active in assisting schools, students and parents.
We recommend that schools and agents make overseas parents aware of our accreditation process when they are choosing a guardianship organisation. AEGIS accredited guardianship organisations are professionally structured organisations which are fully insured, often trained in mental health and always in child protection, offering 24/7 emergency assistance throughout the academic year.
My Guardians is AEGIS accredited guardianship organisation, we are professionally structured company that is fully insured, staff is trained in Child Protection and Mental Health & Wellbeing, offering 24/7 emergency assistance throughout the academic year.
My Guardians commitments to helping students return safely to UK boarding schools.
My Guardians is committed to assisting schools and parents in the safe return of students.
It is likely that some travel will need to be planned at the last minute as flights become available. My Guardians pledge to be working with emergency assistance available 24/7 to facilitate the immediate assistance required for parents arranging flights for arriving students.
My Guardians will ensure that the student or parent completes the relevant online form via the link below before arrival in the UK. The form cannot be submitted until 48 hours before arrival in the UK. The student will need to carry a copy of the completed form with them and the form will be required on arrival at the UK border, either a printed version, or a copy on a mobile phone. The government will use this information to make contact if the student or someone who travelled with the student develops COVID-19 symptoms, and to check that the student is self-isolating for the first 14 days. https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk
My Guardians will ensure students also travel with the standard Permission to Travel Letter, as per Appendix 11 of the AEGIS Inspection Handbook & Quality Standards.
Safe travel arrangements in the UK:
We recommend that parents choose My Guardians to organise airport transfers with drivers who are experienced with picking up international students and who are committed to abiding by strict social distancing and hygiene standards.
Quarantine facilities:
As mentioned previously, from 10 July 2020, unless they have visited or stopped in any other country or territory in the preceding 14 days, passengers arriving from certain countries and territories will not be required to self-isolate on arrival into England. The list of exempt countries and further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors
Boarding schools that are able to provide quarantine will be following guidelines: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-boarding-schools-with-international-students/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-residential-educational-settings-with-international-students-under-the-age-of-18.
Where schools are unable to assist with 14-day quarantine for those travelling from other countries, My Guardians will assist with residential facilities and, in some exceptional cases, homestays who are prepared and equipped to offer this service. The addresses offered by My Guardians will satisfy the border officials on arrival in the UK.
My Guardians will follow government guidelines on 14 day self-isolation and ensure that parents and students understand the requirements:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk
For students returning to their home country, please check the entry requirements for the home country: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
China – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china
Please read the following link: http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/visa/notice/t1807646.htm
Hong Kong – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/hong-kong
Advice from the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office is to remind Hong Kong students returning to Hong Kong to follow all guidelines found on Hong Kong’s coronavirus website: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/high-risk-places.html, to ensure all required documentation such as test result certificate, proof of the lab/clinic, hotel booking etc is obtained in advance before boarding planes.
AEGIS accredited guardianship organisations follow Public Health England and government guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on isolation for residential educational settings:
Self-isolation:
Most children or young persons, pupils and students in children’s social care, residential special schools and colleges and boarding schools will benefit more from self-isolating at their setting so that their usual support can continue. This could include when:
Boarding schools and mainstream FE college residential provision for students under the age of 18:
If a pupil or student in a boarding school or FE residential college shows symptoms of coronavirus, the setting should ensure that pupils and students self-isolate and are looked after by residential staff.
Where this is not possible, and non-residential staff need to leave and enter the residential facility, the school or the manager of the accommodation should operate a staff rota that minimises the risk of transmission by keeping the same staff together with the same pupils as far as that is possible.
Settings will need to ensure that the arrangements for oversight of pupils and students in isolation protect the safety and welfare of all children and staff.
You will need to put in place arrangements to bring meals and other essential commodities to the areas where self-isolation is occurring.”
Host families are not in a position to take over the care of students with suspected COVID-19.
Schools also follow Public Health England advice and that of the Safe Schools UK and BSA Charters and provide isolation on school premises for such students.
In the event of a school closure:
In the event of a prolonged school closure, My Guardians would continue to follow the advice of the Department for Education and Public Health England.
The procedure for guardianship organisations is set out below.
Healthy students must ultimately and as soon as is practicable either:
My Guardians will support the student’s forward planning, providing they have not been to, come from or had contact with anyone from an affected area, by providing host family accommodation for healthy students, while they make alternative accommodation arrangements. This may be with their regular long-term homestay or with their short-term family.
If there is a school closure and students at the affected school are displaying symptoms and/or awaiting test results for COVID-19, My Guardians are unable to accommodate these students in host families, due to the risk to the host family and wider communities. Any such student will need to remain within the school’s isolation provision, until they receive the all clear, or are admitted to a medical facility. If a student receives a negative test result, My Guardians will then accommodate them as stated above.
If a student develops symptoms after being placed in a homestay and the school is closed, My Guardian will instigate the proper testing and isolation procedures and accommodate the student until they are given the all-clear, or admitted to a medical facility.
If a student develops symptoms during a residential course, the responsibility for the care of the student will remain with the course provider.
Please note that Public Health England has advised carrying out an individual risk assessment and discussion with homestays regarding any hosting arrangements. Hosting arrangements would need to be compliant with any current local guidance for households that might vary depending on local incidence levels.
Currently students are still classed as part of the household bubble.
Local Restrictions:
England: On 12 October 2020 a three-tiered system of local COVID Alert Levels in England was introduced. For advice on local restrictions please use the postcode checker: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-local-restrictions
Until Thursday 5 November, the relevant Local Covid Alert Level measures will continue to apply. From Thursday the national restrictions replace the local restrictions. No new areas will move into the Very High restrictions between now and Thursday.
The new measures will apply nationally for four weeks up to Wednesday 2 December: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november
Guidance for schools and guardians regarding national lockdown can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-and-childcare-settings-new-national-restrictions-from-5-november-2020 and we would draw your attention to the section relating to boarding schools in particular:
"Residential providers and boarding schools:
Residential providers should support students to reduce travel between home and educational accommodation unless absolutely necessary. Where students normally travel between their boarding school and home during term time for the purpose of education, this is allowed."
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/local-lockdown
N Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-regulations-guidance-what-restrictions-mean-you
Q: Can guardians arrange homestay accommodation for healthy students during school holidays?
A: Unless the student was a confirmed case or contact of a confirmed case self-isolating or quarantining following travel from a country where this is required, there is no reason why they should not go to their homestay. If a member of the homestay is self-isolating as a case or contact then this hosting would obviously also not be advised.
Guardianship organisations will work closely with schools to offer clear guidance to students and their parents on the best course of action for the October half term and Christmas holidays 2020. If students remain in the UK, and are not able to stay at school, guardianship organisations will be able to assist with accommodation for healthy students.
Q: What happens if a student display symptoms whilst at a homestay provided by an AEGIS accredited guardianship organisation?
A: Host families sign up to a COVID-19 Charter and Policy when taking in students and would continue to care for students who display symptoms whilst at their home. They would follow medical advice and would liaise closely with the guardianship organisation who would keep the school and overseas parents fully informed of the situation.
Q: If a healthy international boarder leaves the school at half term or exeat and goes to stay with a homestay, does social distancing need to take place within the family home?
A: Social distancing would not be required within the home.
Q: Mixing of households and the rule of six – how does this affect hosting of international students?
A: International students are considered part of the family bubble that is hosting them; therefore group size is not limited.
If possible the children being hosted should be from the same school bubble.
Q: Can a healthy international boarding student stay with a homestay during national lockdown, e.g. for exeat?
A: International boarders are able to stay with allocated homestays just as British boarders are able to return home to stay with their families.
Q: If an area goes into local lockdown whilst a student is staying with a homestay family during a school holiday, would they be able to return to boarding school during the lockdown period?
A: There would not be a restriction on movement if they are to attend school.
Q: If student is at school in a high risk area, can they still stay with a homestay or must they stay at boarding school?
A:They would still be able to stay with the homestay.
Useful links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care
DfE coronavirus helpline: Telephone: 0800 046 8687 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Latest news from My Guardians
Please contact us for Guardianship Brochures
Please contact us for School Selection Brochure
