As the new academic year is almost upon us, families have no doubt made guardianship arrangements for their child whilst they study in the UK.  In these uncertain and costly times more and more families are deciding to ask friends and family, living in the UK, to act as their child’s official guardian.  This approach can be cheaper and it is always reassuring to have someone a child knows to provide support while they study abroad.

However, many parents may not know that if they opt out of hiring a professional guardian; students may not be covered for any eventuality during their term of study, and may be missing out on some key advantages that promote academic success.  Read below to discover the top five things to expect from a professional guardian for students studying in the UK.

Academic Expertise

A good guardian is not only there in case of an emergency but also to act as an academic guide to a student during their studies in the UK.  When choosing a guardian, it is important to ensure they have adequate experience in the education industry.  The best guardians have been noted to be ex-teachers or other education professionals as they can not only provide invaluable academic advise; but also, because schools view them as a professional and impartial link between student and families.

Proximity

Many families choosing family members, who live hundreds of miles away from a student, as guardians.  Many schools requesting guardians live in the near vicinity to ensure that any urgent situations can be dealt with quickly and effectively.  Having a guardian close to a student also allows for check in visits.  A good benchmark when shopping around for professional guardianship is to check whether they visit at the beginning of the academic year to ensure students have settled in well.

Availability

Although most family and friends agree to act as guardians for students in the UK with every intention of being as involved as they can with study and school events, life has a habit of getting in the way of these plans.  At the very least professional guardians should attend parents’ evenings.  Other hallmarks of a good guardian are having a 24/7 emergency contact number, and the availability and experience to deal with less serious issues such as homesickness and exam stress.

Communication Skills

Good communication skills are the hallmark of a professional guardianship.  A good indicator of whether a guardianship company is reliable is if they respond to parents in a timely and understandable way.  Top guardianship companies go as far as employing bi-lingual academic consultants who communicate in a parent’s first language, as well as translate report cards – something that is often not within a non-professional guardian’s abilities.

Academic Travel Services

It’s always worth checking in with a guardianship company to see if they can supply other services for a student.  The best guardianship professionals also offer a variety of academic travel services. These often include homestay accommodation: to solidify English language skills and cultural knowledge; summer camps, to encourage a child to grow a great network of friends; and luggage storage, for those half term trips home.

If you would like to discuss guardianship or any other of the services Study Links provides for our students, get in contact with a member of our team here.