Page 20 - StudyTravel Magazine September/October 2021 Issue

guardIanshIps

secOndary FOcus

The essential and practical nature of
guardianship services have been brought to the
fore during the global pandemic, as Nicola
Hancox discovers.

secondAry

uardianship providers report they
have had to think on their feet A word with AEGIS accreditation. We now have
Gand expect the unexpected over AEGIS… over 75 accredited guardianship
the last 18 months. organisations with more
“Business operation has really been inspections underway. We are
aff ected in terms of so many surprise “The need for professional, also pleased to see the number
situations occurring that we have accredited guardianship has been of boarding school members
had to adapt,” begins Lana Foster greatly highlighted since the increasing. School members
of Bright World Guardianships www. eff ects of the pandemic hit the have benefi ted from AEGIS advice
brightworldguardianships.com. boarding school and guardianship throughout the pandemic and are
Tackling the ‘unknown’ has been sectors in February 2020. keen to show their commitment to
a huge challenge, agrees Will Hume With students unable to travel good, accredited guardianship. We
at White House Guardianships www. home and schools closing, fl ight are now recruiting a Membership
whitehouseguardians.co.uk and the restrictions and the need for Manager to off er further support to
support and expertise of a good team quarantine on arrival, casual our member schools.
has been instrumental. “The eff ort guardianship arrangements have The AEGIS inspection framework
our guardians have put in and lengths proven, in many cases, to be less ensures a company is properly
they have gone to making sure all of than reliable or suffi cient. structured, compliant and has
our students have been supported The AEGIS offi ce is busier than suffi cient homestays and support
makes us incredibly proud.” ever as schools direct overseas services. The fact that the UK has
‘Behind the scenes’ teams have parents to us for advice. Where a guardianship sector dedicated
had to adapt to a totally diff erent guardianship was sometimes met to the welfare and safeguarding of
work environment which has brought with resistance from agents and international students can only be a
its own challenges. “The staff team parents, it now seems to be a positive in these times.
have been incredibly fl exible and priority for all nationalities. They The pandemic has brought
have worked so hard to keep up with are seeing the value of appointing AEGIS-accredited guardianship
the new demands. All this has been a guardianship organisation which companies together. We have
achieved remotely with us all working has back up when unexpected shared views, supported each other
from home – a challenging experience emergencies arise and are able to and there has been a true sense
for us all,” says Lana. assist where a family friend may of working together. Never has the
One of the sector’s earliest chal- not be able to. need for AEGIS, the accrediting
lenges was organising travel We are pleased to see a rise body in this otherwise unregulated
for students returning home. in the number of guardianship sector, been more apparent.”
“Parents were rapidly booking providers coming forward for Yasemin Wigglesworth, AEGIS

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