Health, Safety and Welfare Policy

1. Statement

Skywise Educational Guardianship UK Ltd places the highest priority on ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all students under our care. We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment, both in our internal operations and within all approved homestay accommodations. Our safer recruitment procedures, staff training, and homestay assessments are designed to safeguard student wellbeing, in line with guidance from AEGIS and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

2. Responsibilities

The person with designated responsibility for health, safety and welfare is:

Name: Katherine Lee
Position:  Compliance Officer
Telephone: 07809721064
Email: info@skywisegroup.com

All welfare, health or safety concerns must be reported without delay to this contact.

3. Initial Homestay Assessment

Before placing a student, Skywise Educational Guardianship UK Ltd will conduct a thorough in-person visit to assess the homestay property. This visit includes:

●      A health and safety check based on HSE guidance.

●      A simple written risk assessment of the premises.

●      A review of the suitability of the accommodation for hosting international students.

●      Comprehensive notes from the visit recorded in the Homestay File.

4. Minimum Health and Safety Requirements

Homestays must meet the following minimum health and safety standards as required by AEGIS:

●      A working smoke alarm installed on every storey of the property.

●      A carbon monoxide alarm installed in any room containing a fuel-burning appliance (gas, solid fuel, or oil).

●      A valid annual gas safety certificate issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer, provided to the guardianship organisation.

●      A safe electrical system, including secure and appropriately loaded sockets, light fittings, and safe appliances used by students.

●      Fire evacuation procedures discussed with students. If any doors or windows are locked, students must know the location of keys in the event of an emergency.

●      If fire extinguishers or fire blankets are present, these must be properly maintained and serviced. A fire guard must be in place when open fires are lit.

●      Matches, lighters, prescription medication, and alcohol must be stored securely.

●      A basic first aid kit must be available in the home. This should include plasters, sterile eye pads, a triangular bandage, safety pins, non-medicated wound dressing, disposable gloves, and a leaflet giving guidance on first aid.

●      Homestay providers must demonstrate a basic understanding of food hygiene when preparing meals for students.

●      Students should be advised to use UK electrical plugs only and not use overseas adaptors, which can pose a fire risk.

5. Annual Homestay Visit

Skywise Educational Guardianship UK Ltd conducts an in-person annual visit to every registered homestay. During the visit:

●      Support and guidance is provided to the host.

●      Changes since the last inspection are reviewed.

●      Checks for safety and continued suitability are repeated.

●      Detailed records are added to the Homestay File.

6. Incident Reporting and Investigation

All welfare, health or safety concerns involving students, homestays, staff, or volunteers must be reported immediately to the designated contact above.

On receiving a concern:

●      A full investigation will be conducted.

●      Appropriate action will be taken as necessary.

●      A full record of the issue and the actions taken will be maintained in the organisation’s Health and Safety File.

7. Record Keeping

Skywise Educational Guardianship UK Ltd maintains a formal Accident Book in line with HSE guidance for recording incidents. Records of risk assessments, visits, safety checks, and concerns are retained securely for a minimum of six years in compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

8. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if required by legislative or operational changes. The latest review and any updates are logged below.

Last Reviewed: Katherine Lee 01/03/2025
Next Review Due: 01/03/2026