Page 21 - StudyTravel Magazine September/October 2021 Issue

SECONDARY FOCUS

fl ights to bring their children Photo right: AEGIS
home, so our eff orts were Photo left: HSI
to make sure students were
safely transported,” says Will.
In some cases fl ights were
cancelled and had to be
rearranged, says Kate
Hargreaves at Liv-
ing Learning English
www.livingenglish.
com/guardians.
“We were work-
ing around the The pandemic has helped
clock to provide
safe arrange- change the opinion of
ments in these
very challenging parents who had appointed
circumstances and
to ensure that every family friends to act as
child could either fl y
home or be placed with their child’s guardian
a caring and supportive
host family in the UK.”
Guardianships also found
themselves organising extended stays
for those unable to travel home or Bright World organised residential and their child’s guardian, notes Kate.
for those choosing to stay in the UK host family quarantine when required. “The pandemic has shown us that the
longer. According to Declan Millar, 25 One of the sector’s major chal- value of an AEGIS-accredited guardian
per cent [of students] at High Schools lenges was when Hong Kong suddenly is in having professional support in-
International www.hsinet.org elected changed testing requirements for end country by a fully qualifi ed and trained
to stay until the scheduled programme of term returnees, causing 48 hours team and backup for any eventuality.”
conclusion in June and July 2020. of hell. “Hong Kong suddenly changed Agent partnerships with guardian-
Stays of 28 days and over posed a the testing requirements meaning our ship organisers have strengthened.
whole new set of problems, with host students were not able to use the sim- “I think that agencies have valued
families having to register as foster ple airport tests that return a result the professional services that we
carers. “Long-term host family stays within 90 minutes to PCR tests that can off er, and we have been able to
extending longer than 28 days for the needed a lot more logistical eff ort to demonstrate that we are very reliable
under 16s has meant we have had to arrange. Some of whom were booked partners,” says Kate.
ask our host families to register as to travel 24 hours after the announce- Parents and agents have relied on
private foster carers – a lengthy and ment and change,” says Will. guardianships to help disseminate
complicated process,” says Lana. For 18 months, the pandemic has info. “We put together a Covid Pledge
As well as supporting displaced disrupted and challenged guardian- of Care and Support. Its aim was and is
students, guardianship providers ships but in doing so has highlighted still to breakdown government policy
have had to adapt and implement new their value and worth. “Schools are to give parents clear details on the
policies; rework risk assessments; recognising that well-structured and latest UK travel advice, testing and
implement Covid-safe plans and keep professional guardianship organisa- quarantine upon arrival,” says Will.
up-to-date with travel requirements. tions with resilience in their accom- As Declan concludes, “I think the
In addition, several have had to modation options and whose job it is pandemic has brought home to a
organise quarantine stays and PCR to help, have been a much-needed lot of people – agents, schools and
testing. HSI organised a series of roll- support,” says Declan. parents – the essential and practical
ing quarantine camps in August/Sep- The pandemic has helped change nature of good, local, experienced
tember 2020, a Christmas camp and a the opinion of parents who had and qualifi ed guardianship.”
January 2021 quarantine camp, while appointed family friends to act as nicolahancox@studytravel.network

18 STUDYTRAVEL MAGAzINE