Looking after your guest is a key priority. Your guest is there to experience all that’s great about your country and its culture. But as well as having a fun and unforgettable experience, their stay must be safe.
At Lingoo, we go above and beyond to safeguard all our members. Trust and safety are at the heart of all we do, with personal and online security taken very seriously indeed. The service you provide as a host or teacher should be equally as secure, with the homestay experience you provide putting safety first.
Provisions must be put in place to ensure emergencies involving your homestay guests can be handled promptly and professionally without losing that all-important personal touch. Discover more about how you can prepare for the unexpected below.
What is classed as an emergency?
An emergency is any situation that puts your guest at risk. Two examples include your guest falling ill or being involved in an accident.
As a host, you should be there to provide assistance and support should these worst case scenarios happen at any point during their stay.
Why is a contingency plan important?
Having a contingency plan in place is recommended, whatever age of guest you cater for or length of stay. You need to have the information you need to get them home safe.
All this information should be collected before their visit and should form part of your pre-agreed contract.
All homestay hosts, families and teachers are encouraged to contact guests direct via our secure messaging system.
During this period, you should collect essential information such as their home address and details of their next of kin. Their next of kin can be contacted in the event of an emergency.
How can homestay guests prepare?
Guests should liaise with homestay hosts and teachers prior to their stay to provide all the emergency contact details they require. They should also have provisions to get them the help they need in an emergency, especially when it comes to healthcare.
For UK nationals, a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can provide peace of mind when travelling to the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland before the Brexit deadline of 31st October 2019.
For UK nationals travelling outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or organising a homestay after Brexit, travel insurance will be required for emergency healthcare overseas.
You may be entitled to receive free or reduced cost healthcare in some non-EEA countries as this article from the NHS explains:
“The UK has reciprocal healthcare agreements with several non-EEA countries and territories… The agreements do not cover the cost of returning you to the UK (repatriation) or routine monitoring of pre-existing conditions. The range of medical services in these countries may be more restricted than under the NHS. You should ensure you have a valid private travel insurance policy when travelling to any country.”
Travel insurance is integral to ensuring any urgent or immediate medical treatment can be sought for those travelling from the UK or any other country.
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