Safeguarding Policy

Language Travel UK is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people who use our platform. We recognise that the welfare of the child is paramount, in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004.

This policy applies to all students under the age of 18 placed with host families or host teachers through our platform. It also applies to vulnerable adults, as defined under the Care Act 2014.

This policy applies to:

• All Language Travel UK staff and contractors
• All registered Host Families and Host Teachers
• All school group leaders and accompanying adults
• Any third party acting on our behalf in delivering placement services

Language Travel UK has a designated Safeguarding Lead who is responsible for overseeing the implementation of this policy, managing safeguarding concerns, and liaising with statutory authorities where necessary.

The DSL can be contacted at: admin@languagetravel.co.uk

In an emergency involving immediate risk to a child, always call 999 first, then notify the DSL.

All hosts offering placements to minors must satisfy the following requirements before any student is placed with them:

• Enhanced DBS check for all household members aged 16 and over, renewed every 3 years
• Government-issued photo ID verified by Language Travel UK
• Proof of address (utility bill or bank statement, dated within 3 months)
• Selfie with ID to confirm identity match
• Two independent references, at least one of which is professional or from a previous hosting organisation
• In-person home inspection conducted by a Language Travel UK representative or accredited inspector
• Structured interview covering safeguarding awareness, hosting experience, and home environment

Hosts who fail any element of the vetting process will not be approved. Hosts who have a barred status under the Disclosure and Barring Service are permanently ineligible.

All hosts and staff must be able to recognise indicators of the following types of abuse:

• Physical abuse: unexplained injuries, bruising, burns, flinching from touch
• Emotional abuse: low self-esteem, withdrawal, excessive anxiety or compliance
• Sexual abuse: age-inappropriate sexual knowledge, withdrawn behaviour, physical symptoms
• Neglect: poor hygiene, hunger, tiredness, lack of appropriate clothing

If you observe any of these indicators in a student placed with you or in your care, you must report it immediately to the Language Travel UK DSL — do not investigate it yourself.

Any person covered by this policy who has a safeguarding concern must:

• Report it to the DSL immediately — do not delay
• Record what was observed or disclosed in factual, objective terms
• Not share the concern with anyone other than the DSL and relevant authorities
• Not attempt to investigate or confront the alleged abuser

If the concern involves immediate risk to life, call 999 immediately. For non-emergency concerns involving a child, the DSL will contact the local authority children's services or NSPCC Helpline (0808 800 5000) as appropriate.

All communication between Language Travel UK staff and minor students must:

• Use the platform's official communication channels only
• Copy in a parent, guardian, or group leader where practicable
• Never take place via personal social media or messaging apps
• Never involve one-to-one physical contact without the awareness of another adult

All Language Travel UK staff complete safeguarding awareness training on joining and annually thereafter. Hosts are provided with safeguarding guidance as part of their onboarding and are required to confirm they have read and understood it.

This policy is reviewed annually by the Designated Safeguarding Lead and updated to reflect changes in legislation, statutory guidance, or operational practice. All significant updates are communicated to registered hosts and staff.

• Child Protection Policy
• Code of Conduct
• Emergency Procedures
• Host Family Agreement