HEES Family Prospectus

CIBP.O. Box 23 - Harpenden - Herts AL5 3QW CHILDREN IN BRITAINTel./Fax: 01582-761 898 - [email protected]

INDEX PageSummary of requirements...............................1Arrival ..............................................................2The Student’s bedroom ...................................2Packed lunches...............................................3Meals ..............................................................3Laundry ...........................................................4First school days ..............................................4Choice of student ...........................................4Pocket money .................................................5Weekends .......................................................5Illness...............................................................5Evenings ..........................................................6Group leader ..................................................6Use of telephone.............................................6Change of family............................................7General ...........................................................7Communication .............................................7Programme.....................................................8Departure........................................................8Damage .........................................................8Accommodation rates ...................................8Cancellation ...................................................8

Children in Britain 1 INFORMATION FOR HOST FAMILIESThis booklet is for families who wish to accommodate students attending oneof our English language courses.The hospitality offered by host families is often the most important aspect of astudent's visit and the good reputation we have amongst our students is largelydue to the friendly families who offer a warm welcome to our Spanish students.We hope that following our Family Organiser's visit to your home and a carefulreading of these notes, you will be fully aware of your role and so avoidsubsequent difficulties and disappointments for either yourself or any studentwho stays with you.To satisfy the undertakings we make to our clients there inevitably have to becertain commitments made by host families. Details of these are in subsequentpages.SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTSHost families should welcome the student as a member of the family, ratherthan just as a paying guest, and show the same concern for his/her welfareand safety as for one of their own family.Specific requirements are to: ! Provide a clean, comfortable bedroom ! Provide all meals ! Accommodate only one Spanish student unless arranged otherwise with us ! Allow the student to have a daily shower or bath ! Look after their laundry needs ! Encourage them to speak English ! Collect student from and return to local arrival/departure points ! On first two days of programme bring student to school & collect at the end of the afternoon so that he/she learns the route to and from school-1-

Children in Britain Also, to comply with the Children Act 1989 families must be able to state that neither they nor any persons living on the premises have ever: ! Had a child removed from their care ! Been convicted of an offence against a child2 ! Had the parental rights over a child taken over by a local authority ! Had an order made against them refusing or cancelling registration under the Nurseries & child Minders Registration Act 1948. To be accepted as a host family you will be required to sign a declaration confirming that you have read and will comply with the host family requirements and are eligible under the conditions of the Children Act. ARRIVAL You will be told of time and local arrival point well in advance. We apologise in advance for inconvenience caused by possible late arrivals or early morning departures. This is due to the Airline and not to our organisation. Please be on time and have suitable transport arrangements for the student and his/her luggage. If you have a transport problem consult your Local Organiser who may be able to make suggestions. Remember to bring the details of your student with you to avoid the risk of collecting the wrong one! First impressions are most important. A friendly welcome will do much to reassure an anxious student who has arrived here for the first time. Bear in mind also that he/she is probably tired and hungry after travelling for many hours. THE STUDENT'S BEDROOM This must be clean and comfortable and have adequate wardrobe and drawer space for clothes. Our junior students (up to 16 years) are usually happy to share a room with your son or daughter although it is always preferable for them to have their own bedroom, if possible with a table & chair for studying. -2-

PACKED LUNCHES Children in BritainStudents should be provided with a packed lunch on each working day of theprogramme and this should contain the following items:! Two rounds of sandwiches, rolls or French stick with either a cheese or meat filling! A choice of crisps, biscuits, cake! Yoghurt or piece of fruit! Paper napkin! A can or bottle of drinkPlease place in a plastic container or tin foil and check regularly if they enjoyed 3the lunch or would prefer something different.It is generally best to avoid fillings like paste, cheese spread, sandwich spreadand pickles. In case of difficulties please consult the Group Leader.MEALSWe suggest that at the beginning of the visit you ask your student if there is anyfood he/she does not like thus avoiding waste. Most students adapt readily andwith good appetite to normal home cooking and unless we inform you aboutspecific needs of a particular student, no special menu is required. A smallminority may need a little longer to adapt to the new mealtime routine andunfamiliar recipes.To help things along, the \"British way of food\" is included in our introduction forstudents in class. This covers meal times, how to ask for things, table mannersetc. Students are also asked to tell you what they like and dislike but aresometimes too shy to do this. As a general indication we find that they do notlike pork pies or corned beef and prefer white bread.Many do not like tea and prefer a glass of hot or cold milk in the mornings withcereals and toast, and in the evenings hot milk or hot chocolate before goingto bed.Sitting at table as a family for meals is an important feature ofhome life so the student should sharemeals with you and your family asthis helps to build relations. Thestudent should not be expected toeat alone.Please encourage yourstudent to use the wordsPLEASE AND THANKYOU as itis not common practice inSpain. -3-

LAUNDRY Children in BritainPlease tell your student where to put the clothes for washing, and which day yougenerally do the laundry. The older students will change their own bed linen andtowels if you give them the clean sheets each week.FIRST SCHOOL DAYSOn the first two mornings you must bring your student to school and collecthim/her at the agreed point at the end of afternoon activities. Under nocircumstances should the students be sent alone on their first day, even if theyhave been shown the school in advance.Please remember that you should always use the form of transport that thestudents will have to use during the stay, bus/train/walk. For most students it will bea new experience to take public transport, or even to walk alone along streetswhich all look alike, so please be patient until you are sure he/she will not get lost. On subsequent days, the student hopefully will feel confident about travelling alone, or with others on the same route if you have shown him the relevant bus stops, times and bus numbers.4 Children upto the age of eleven years inclusive must be accompanied for all journeys and will not be placed with families unless suitable arrangements have been made.CHOICE OF STUDENTOur Local Organiser will use the information you provideabout your family to decide which student issuitable for you. After her visit there is usually adelay before you receive details of your guest butyou should receive full information by 15th June.This delay is normal because students enrol onour course upto a few days before thebeginning of the stay.Please remember to inform your Organiser immediately if thereare any changes in family circumstances (telephone numbers,new pets, etc.)Once a student has been selected for you, the LocalOrganiser will ring with the details to ensure you are still freefor July, and will then send you the photo and writteninformation. Where available you will be given the student'shome address so that you can send a letter or postcard ofwelcome. Such a gesture is always greatly appreciated.One week before arrival you will receive all information aboutthe visit. -4-

Children in BritainIMPORTANT:ONCE WE HAVE GIVEN YOUR FAMILY DETAILS TO A STUDENT IT IS MOST IMPORTANTTHAT YOU DO NOT CANCEL YOUR AGREEMENT TO ACCOMMODATE HIM/HERUNLESS CIRCUMSTANCES ABSOLUTELY PREVENT YOU FROM DOING SO.Understandably the students and their parents become very upset and anxiousif they find there is an expected change of family.POCKET MONEYThe junior students have been told that pocket money should be divided intofive envelopes, which he/she may give to you for safekeeping, and that you will give him/her an envelopeeach week.Students have enough money to cover their stayso families should never lend money to them. Ifthere appears to be a problem please contactthe group leader.WEEKENDSThere are no officially organised weekend activitiesbecause students are expected to spend this timewith you and your family. They can thus be encouraged to speak English andlearn new words and expressions. It is always appreciated if you are planning atrip or visit at weekends, that you ensure that your student joins you.If a younger student seems reluctant to join in with your arrangements, please 5talk to the group leader or local organiser. Under no circumstances shouldminors be left unattended in your home. By going to local fairs, fetes and localfunctions the students get an insight into our way of life and this is an importantpart of their visit. If you intend taking the student away at the weekend pleaseinform the group leader and local organiser. Your student is never allowed tospend a night or weekend away from home without written consent from hisparents.It is normally unwise to give housekeys to junior students. In the case of adultswe leave it to your discretion. ILLNESS If you student is unwell please contact the group leader and local organiser and if appropriate request an appointment with your doctor. As students from the European Union the family GP should normally treat them free of charge. If the students is going to be absent from school please tell the group leader. -5-

EVENINGS Children in BritainOur Junior students (16 yrs & under) are not allowed out alone, nor with otherforeign students in the evening or at weekends. This stipulation is made toPROTECT THEM and also to ensure that they are at home with your familypractising their English.We ask for your assistance in ensuring that these rules are strictly adhered to,bearing in mind the responsibility you have undertaken and that they have beenstipulated by the students' parents. If you have any difficulty in getting the studentto conform, please speak to the Group Leader or Local Organiser.In the case of adult students (seventeen & above) who have their parents'permission to go out in the evening or at weekends, please take an interest inwhere they are going (and with whom) and offer advice on places which youbelieve should best be avoided.You should always meet the students from officially arranged evening activitieseither personally or in a rota with other nearby host families. Older students willalso need collection on these days.GROUP LEADERIf you need help or advice please telephone the Group Leader who isconcerned with student welfare and is available between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.each evening, or at the local college every morning. Your local organiser doesnot normally deal with the students so it is always preferable to speak to theSpanish leader who will offer you every assistance. Remember that we want youto enjoy this experience and that your student will become a happy addition toyour family, so please consult the local organiser about any initial problems.USE OF TELEPHONE Parents of younger students may telephone every day to see how they are getting on. If you feel that the calls are made too late (normally after 8 p.m.) or6 are unsettling the student, please contact the Family Organiser. Students are not allowed to use your telephone without permission and must pay you for any calls they make. On arrival please put through a reverse charge (collect) call so they can tell parents they have arrived safely. This is done by ringing 155 and requesting a reverse charge call to the student's home number.As it is very difficult to recover the cost ofany calls made once your student hasdeparted, you may wish to check withyour phone company if any internationalcalls have been made without your permission. -6-

CHANGE OF FAMILY Children in BritainIt is always possible that despite the good endeavours of a host family therelationship with the student is not as good as expected. For this reason wereserve the right to remove a student if considered in the best interest of eitherhost family or student.GENERALStudents are told that in return for being accepted as a member of your familythey will be expected to adapt to your normal routine and customs.As in all relationships, there is a \"give and take\" and it is essential that both yourstudent and you try to adapt to the new situation of sharing your home. A clearunderstanding should be established from the beginning as to use of property,telephone, meal times, use of bathroom etc. The students are expected tokeep the bedroom tidy, be punctual for meals, be polite and considerate andadapt to your family lifestyle. He/she will request a daily shower, but you mayfind that they do not flush the toilet usually due to water shortage at home.If things are not working for any reason, please tell your Local Organiser, as it isalways easier to deal with any problems at the outset.COMMUNICATIONAt first you student may seem shy or feel homesick due to the languageproblem, so do not despair if communication seems difficult at first. Yourstudent will soon respond to warmth and friendliness and be a happy part ofyour family.In order for a friendly relationship to be formed, familieswill need patience, tact, tolerance and sensitivity andstudents will need a good basic knowledgeof English and the confidence to try tospeak it and laugh at their own mistakes.To enable students to participate in 7work at school, we ask families tospend a few minutes once or twice aweek answering questions. Yourfamily will greatly influence how thestudent views our country, peopleand customs.Most importantly, especially withyounger students, your help withhomework will encourage your studentto overcome shyness and feel part ofyour family. -7-

PROGRAMME Children in BritainShortly before the visit you will receive a copy of the Local Data Sheet whichsummarises all relevant information about classes, activities, meeting points andcontact telephone numbers.Our educational programme consists of three parts:! Academic programme: Our students have twelve hours English lessons perweek, which include grammar, conversation, games, songs, quizzes, dictationsetc. They are expected to keep a diary, which they keep as a souvenir of their visitto England. We would appreciate your assistance in encouraging them to writetheir diary every evening.! Cultural/Recreational programme: The excursions and activities programmedenable the students to see more of Britain and participate in new activities. The fullday trips are from 8.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. and the afternoon activities generallyfinish between 4.30 and 5.30 p.m.! Family Homestay: This is obviously THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of the programme.The student can lean with your family about the British way of life and improve theirlevel of English by participating in your family life. Most students show a markedimprovement by the end of the visit and will feel they are part of your family.DEPARTUREA few days before departure confirm with your student the date, time and placeto avoid any confusion. On the day of departure please accompany your studentto the departure point. Please provide a packed lunch for the long journey home.DAMAGEAny case of damage alleged to have been caused by your student must bereported immediately to the Local Organiser and Group Leader. We are unableto accept responsibility for reimbursement but will assist you in presenting alegitimate claim before the student's departure. ACCOMMODATION RATES Your Local Organiser will confirm the current payment for accommodating a student. Rates are reviewed annually with the new rate starting on 1st June. In cases where a stay does not work out to a precise number of weeks, the host family will be paid on a pro-rata basis. Families will be paid by bank cheque or direct payment into their bank account at the end of the student's visit. CANCELLATION If a student cancels after we have given you the details and we are unable to provide you with a suitable replacement, we will ask you to remain on our reserve list. We will then make a compensatory payment. (Please check rate with your Family Organiser) If a student fails to arrive with no prior warning and this results in complete cancellation we will try to provide a suitable alternative guest for the duration of the stay. If this is not8 possible and you agree to remain on the reserve list, we will pay you a compensatory payment as stipulated above. (Please check rate with your Family Organiser) -8-

Children in Britain IMPORTANT INFORMATIONArea Organiser’s Name:...................................................................................Area Organiser’s Telephone No.: .....................................................................Area Organiser’s Mobile:..................................................................................Local Organiser’s Name:..................................................................................Local Organiser’s Telephone No.: ....................................................................Local Organiser’s Mobile: ................................................................................Group Leader’s Name: ....................................................................................Group Leader’s Telephone No.: .......................................................................Group Leader’s Mobile: ...................................................................................Nearest Student’s Host Family Name:...............................................................Nearest Student’s Host Family Phone number:.................................................Nearest Student’s Name:..................................................................................Other Information: ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... -9-

CIB CHILDREN IN BRITAIN P. O. Box 23 Harpenden Herts AL5 3QW -o-Tel.: 01582 761 898 [email protected]