Who Are Host Families
A host family is a vetted British family that receives students during exeat weekends, half-term breaks or other periods when school is closed.
Unlike a hotel or a residential facility, the child lives in a home environment. They become part of the family's everyday life, can rest properly, socialise and spend time outside the school setting.
For many students, the host family becomes one of the most important parts of their life in the United Kingdom.
At London International Agency we:
Have worked with host families over many years
Work with families who understand the particular realities of boarding school life
Aim to maintain the same family for the entire period of a student's education
Ensure all families meet AEGIS Gold standards
A host family is not a hotel and not a formality.
It is a home.
When school closes for an exeat or half-term, a child does not stay alone or check into a hotel. They arrive somewhere they are expected, known and welcomed. This is how host family arrangements work at London International Agency — and why we approach the selection of families with the greatest care.
When and Why a Host Family Is Required
British boarding schools operate to a defined academic calendar, and several times each year the campus closes. During these periods, students must leave the school.
Exeat Weekends
Long weekends (Friday to Sunday), two or three times per term. Students are required to leave campus.
Half-Term
A mid-term break of one to two weeks. An extended period away from school requiring a settled arrangement.
End of Term
When flight dates do not align with the end of term — the student needs a safe place to stay until departure.
Unexpected Situations
A cancelled flight, a sudden school closure, a change in parents' plans — a host family provides a prompt and reliable solution.
In each of these situations, a host family is a prompt, safe and pre-arranged solution. Accommodation includes full board — breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is not simply a place to sleep — it is a fully vetted environment with genuine care and the responsibilities of a guardian.
Our Host Family Selection Standards
A host family is not simply a house with a spare bed. These are people to whom we entrust a child. Our selection process is thorough and takes place in several stages.
Personal Interview
Before a family joins our register, we conduct a personal meeting with every adult member of the household. We assess the family atmosphere, attitude towards children, way of life and readiness to embrace cultural differences.
DBS Background Checks
All adult members of the household undergo an official criminal records check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) — the UK government's official register. Without a clear DBS certificate, no family may receive a student.
Home Inspection
Before a student is placed with a family for the first time, we visit the home in person and verify that it meets our safety and comfort requirements: smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, electrical safety, room standards, a first aid kit, and secure storage of medications and alcohol.
Annual Monitoring
Checking living conditions is not a one-off exercise. We visit each host family at least once a year for a scheduled review. In some cases, the school also conducts its own home inspection.
Safeguarding Certification
All host families are required to complete a certified safeguarding course. The certificate is renewed every three years. We also run an annual online update on current standards.
Maximum of Three Students at Any One Time
No LIA host family accommodates more than three students simultaneously, ensuring that every child receives proper attention and feels like a member of the family rather than a guest in a hostel.
What Is Included in the Accommodation
We maintain clear standards for living conditions, set out in our Homestay Agreement. The following is guaranteed to every student.
A Private Room
Their own room with adequate lighting and heating, a desk for study, storage space and Wi-Fi access. Students never share a bed with another student.
Full Board
Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dietary requirements and preferences — religious, medical or personal — are discussed with the family and agreed before the student arrives.
Access to Shared Spaces
The student is a member of the household, not a guest. They have access to all communal areas — the living room, kitchen and garden. This creates a genuinely homely atmosphere rather than that of a boarding house.
Home Safety
Every home meets fire safety standards: smoke detectors on each floor, a carbon monoxide detector, an annual gas safety check and a first aid kit.
Transfers
Where required, the host family provides transport. All vehicles carry current insurance. Students never make their way independently — particularly important for younger children.
Wi-Fi and Bathroom
Wi-Fi is available throughout the house. The bathroom or shower has a lock from the inside, and a minimum of ten minutes in the shower daily. Students use their own devices.
The Loco Parentis Principle
The host family acts in loco parentis — temporarily assuming parental responsibility for the student. This is a legally recognised principle of British law and the practical foundation of our relationship with all host families.
House Rules: What Parents Need to Know
We understand that parents need to know not only that their child is comfortable, but that they are safe.
Independent Outings — by Age
| Age | What is permitted |
|---|---|
| Under 13 | No independent outings at any time of day or evening. Adult supervision required at all times. |
| 14–15 | Local outings in the daytime only, with a mobile phone, with the family informed. London only with an adult. |
| 16 | Daytime outings and trips to London with a friend, returning before dark. Family kept informed of plans. |
| 17+ | Full-day trips, returning by 22:00. After dark only with a friend — not alone. |
Additional House Rules
Smoking
All LIA host families are non-smoking households. For older students, smoking outside only is permitted where parents have given written consent.
Pets
Where a family has pets, parents are informed in advance. Every student has the right to request a pet-free household.
Safety and Privacy
The bathroom locks from the inside. Personal belongings are kept secure. AEGIS standards for living conditions are strictly observed.
A Warm Atmosphere
The host family treats the student as a member of the family — not as a paying guest, not as a client.
Why We Aim to Keep the Same Family for the Entire Period of Study
Changing host family at every exeat is stressful for a child. New people, new rules, a new environment. This is precisely why our principle is to maintain one host family for one student throughout the entire guardianship period.
When a child knows where they are going and who will be waiting for them, an exeat ceases to be a source of anxiety and becomes familiar, predictable and even enjoyable.
A host family that sees the same child regularly over several years becomes part of their British life. They notice changes in mood. They know a child's favourite meals. They share in their achievements.
Alternative Accommodation Options
A host family is our standard and preferred arrangement. We understand, however, that every family has its own circumstances. If a host family does not suit you:
College-Based Programme
Accommodation in an organised residential facility alongside students from other boarding schools. Half-board meals and round-the-clock adult supervision. Suitable for students who prefer a more independent setting or wish to meet peers from beyond their own school.
Organised Activity Programme
With parental agreement, we can arrange a structured programme including visits to UK landmarks, activities and excursions with supervision. Suitable for older students during half-term.
All alternative arrangements are discussed individually and agreed with parents in advance.
How a Host Family Placement Is Organised
Advance Planning
At the start of each academic year we obtain the school's academic calendar showing the dates of all exeat weekends and half-terms. We contact parents to confirm which periods will require a host family.
Matching the Right Family
We select a family based on location (ideally close to school), availability, the student's age, dietary requirements and any other preferences specified by parents.
Confirmation and Introduction
Parents receive official booking confirmation with full contact details for the host family, the address, information about the household, whether pets are present and all other relevant details. The student knows in advance exactly where they are going and who will meet them.
Transfer
We arrange transport between the school and the host family and back again. Students never travel independently — this is especially important for younger children.
Communication During the Stay
Throughout the student's time with the host family, the guardian remains in contact — with both the family and the student. Any unusual situation is reported to us immediately and we respond without delay.
What Parents Need to Know About Host Families
Share Dietary Requirements in Advance
Religious requirements, vegetarianism, allergies, medical diets — all of these can be accommodated, provided we know in advance. Please inform us when registering for guardianship, not the day before an exeat.
Pet Allergies
If your child has an allergy or is seriously uncomfortable around animals, please let us know. We will match them with a pet-free household.
Medications and Health Conditions
If a child takes regular medication, we ensure it is available and properly stored with the host family. The family is informed of all relevant medical details prior to the student's arrival.
Permissions for Independent Outings
Rules depend on the child's age and on parental consent. If you wish to restrict independence beyond the standard guidelines, or conversely allow greater freedom, this can be discussed individually.
The Right to Change Family
If a child is unhappy with a particular host family, we are always willing to consider a move. We ask for a few days of adjustment first — but if the discomfort persists, we act promptly.
What Parents and Students Say
Common Questions About Host Families
In an emergency — the home of the agency director
If something goes wrong — a flight is cancelled, a child falls ill, an unexpected situation arises — they can stay with Kristina Huggins at her own home. Not with strangers. In a safe, calm environment — under the personal care of the agency's founder.
"Sometimes children don't need a service. They need a home."
Tell us about your child and their school
We will explain how accommodation is arranged in your specific situation, what needs to be planned in advance and which periods will require a host family.
Book a Consultation