Statement
The safety of our students is our main priority. Home From Home Canterbury acknowledges that there may be situations out of their control that require planning for. This plan outlines what Home From Home Canterbury will do in the event of an emergency. (Please note that the scenarios are not exhaustive.)
Dealing with an emergency
It is important that staff who receive an emergency call keep calm and remember to note all of the information provided. You may need to provide reassurance and support to the informant as they may be upset, suffering from shock or may panic.
- Ascertain what has happened, gathering as much information as you can;
- Discuss with the informant what action needs to be taken and by whom.
- Keep a written record of the information and of any actions taken (a template for recording incidents is included at end of this plan);
- The owner should be informed immediately about the situation.
Specific scenarios
Please note that specific scenarios may require a bespoke plan that will include further details on how we will handle the issue. Where this is the case, Home From Home Canterbury will circulate the plan to all relevant parties.
Cancelled Flights
When a student’s flight is cancelled in the UK, Home From Home Canterbury will arrange for suitable care. If necessary, students will be accommodated in an emergency homestay until it is possible to travel. Where a student is waiting at an airport without a member of our staff, students are required to contact Home From Home Canterbury as soon as they are aware that their flights have been cancelled. Parents will be kept fully informed of the situation. Home From Home Canterbury will liaise with the airline and parents to rearrange the flights.
Pandemic/Contagious Outbreak
Pandemics can cause major disruption to travel and schooling. It is important in such events to take advice from the government, UK Health Security Agency and the World Health Organisation. AEGIS provides guidance for members to follow. This is regularly updated as a situation develops. Usually, in a pandemic it is important to restrict movement so as not to spread the disease further. That means
boarding school students would usually remain at school. In the event of a pandemic, Home From Home Canterbury may not be able to offer homestay accommodation, as this could place students, homestay families, and the wider community at risk. Home From Home Canterbury will work with parents to find flights to home countries where required. Home From Home Canterbury will work with schools to meet students’ needs during a pandemic. This could be by helping to support students to learn remotely, as directed by the school. Home From Home Canterbury will work with parents and schools to find suitable quarantine accommodation for students where required.
Home From Home Canterbury has a specific policy outlining our procedures for dealing with a pandemic. Serious injury or death of a student
Serious injury or death of a student is distressing for all concerned. Home From Home Canterbury will:
- Liaise with medical staff and police
- Keep parents informed
- Help parents arrange flights
- Handle any media enquiries
- Liaise with schools and any other external agencies (such as LSP) where required
- If required, assist parents with rehabilitation and flights home
- If required, assist parents with funeral arrangements
Terrorist incident
Schools will have their own lockdown procedures to ensure the safety of students in the event of a terror attack. In the event of a terror attack taking place in the UK when a student is staying at a homestay, Home From Home Canterbury will follow the guidance provided by the UK government and the police. Unless instructed otherwise, students will be asked to remain in the homestay and not to go out unaccompanied by their homestay. In such a situation, Home From Home Canterbury will assess the risks and act accordingly.
Fire
In the event of a fire at a homestay, after dealing with the emergency by calling the fire brigade, the homestay is expected to inform Home From Home Canterbury. Students will be moved to a different homestay until the accommodation is refurbished. Home From Home Canterbury will visit the homestay to check the suitability of accommodation before any students return.
School closures
There are many reasons why a school may close. These could be temporary, such as due to weather or a staff shortage, or permanent, for example, due to bankruptcy. Unless closure is due to a contagious disease (see pandemic guidance above), Home From Home Canterbury will provide accommodation for students with their homestays*.
Requests from schools to remove a student
Home From Home Canterbury has a plan in place for any student who cannot be accommodated by the school due to illness, disciplinary action or any other cause. Home From Home Canterbury will take responsibility for coordinating the student’s care. This includes liaising with the school, parents/guardians, and homestay to ensure the student is placed in appropriate accommodation and supported. Where necessary, alternative homestay arrangements will be made, and all relevant parties will be kept informed of actions taken.
Emergency Homestay Accommodation
Please note that emergency homestay placements may not necessarily be with the students’ usual homestay, but will be with one of our vetted homestays who provide high levels of care. These homestays may be a greater distance from the school. Wherever possible, we will place students with their usual homestay.
Emergency Contact Details - Guardian Organisation Staff
Home From Home Canterbury – Becky Stone
07585 473046 / becky@homefromhomecanterbury.co.uk
Director & DSL – primary emergency contact
Emergency Support Contact – Misha Boarder 07861 110526
Secondary emergency support
Emergency Support Contact – James Boarder 07854 017022
Contact Details - Other Organisations
| Organisation | Contact Details |
|---|---|
| Police | Tel: 999 (24 hour) Tel: 101 (24 hour, non-emergency number) |
| Fire & Rescue service | Tel: 999 (24 hour) |
| Ambulance service | Tel: 999 (24 hour) |
| NaJonal Health Service | Tel: 111 (24 hour) |
| AEGIS | Tel: 01453 821 293 |
| Foreign & Commonwealth Office | Tel: 0207 008 1500 (24 hour, consular assistance) |
| Environment Agency | Tel: 0345 988 1188 (24 hour Floodline) |
| Met Office | Tel: 0370 900 0100 (24 hour, weather desk) |
| Health and Safety ExecuJve | Incident Contact Centre: 0345 300 9923 (Monday to Friday 8.30am until 5pm) Out of hours duty officer (24 hour): 0151 922 9235 HSE: Information about health and safety at work |
| UK Health Security Agency | UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Main Switchboard: 020 7654 8000 Email: enquiries@ukhsa.gov.uk |
| World Health OrganisaJon | World Health Organization (WHO) |
| Insurance company | Insurance company | ARAG Legal Expenses Insurance Company Ltd – Commercial Legal Expenses Insurance |
| Local Safeguarding Partnership | Local Safeguarding Partnership | Kent Safeguarding Children MulB-Agency Partnership (KSCMP) |
Emergency Procedure for Sole Guardians
Home From Home Canterbury is run by a sole guardian, and no additional staff are employed. In the unlikely event that Becky Stone, Owner, is unavailable due to an emergency, Home From Home Canterbury will ensure that parents, schools and homestays are informed as soon as possible. Emergency support will be coordinated through appropriate external services where required, including schools, emergency services and relevant safeguarding agencies. Contact details for all students, parents and homestays are securely stored and accessible to ensure continuity of care.
Incident record form
Staff should complete this form when receiving information about an emergency incident. Please ensure that you obtain and record as much information as possible.
| Name of informant: | Date and time of call: |
| Contact details of informant: | |
| Date and time of incident: | |
| Nature of Incident: | |
| Location of incident: | |||
| Who is involved? | |||
| Ascertain whether anyone has injuries and if so, where have they been taken to? | |||
| Have the emergency services been informed? If so, what instructions have they given? | |||
| Who has been informed: (Tick which apply) | |||
| Owner/Director of Guardianship Organisation | Police | ||
| Parents | Ambulance services | ||
| Homestays | Fire services | ||
| Agents | Local Safeguarding Partnership/LADO | ||
| School | Health and Safety Executive | ||
| Students | Media | ||
| AEGIS | Other: (Please add) | ||
| Action to be taken: | |||
Incident record: Specific Contact Details - for completion during an emergency
This table can be used to record any additional contact details required for a specific emergency.
| Organisation | Contact Details | Comments |
|---|---|---|
Review
We are committed to reviewing our plan and good practice annually.
This emergency plan was last reviewed on: 23 May 2026
Signed: Becky Stone
Position: Director & Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Date: 23 May 2026