Safeguarding Policy

Last updated: June 2026 | Review date: June 2027

1. Our Commitment

Careli Language Hub is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students — particularly children and young people — who are placed through our platform. We believe that every student deserves to be safe, respected and properly supported during their time in a UK host family.

This policy applies to all Careli staff, contractors, partner schools, registered agents and approved host families. It is aligned with:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
• The Children Act 1989 and 2004
• The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• British Council and English UK accreditation standards

2. Designated Safeguarding Lead

Careli has a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) responsible for overseeing all safeguarding matters across the platform. The DSL is the first point of contact for any safeguarding concern raised by a school, agent, host family or student.

3. Host Family Verification

Every host family on the Careli platform undergoes a rigorous verification process before they are approved to welcome students:

• Physical home inspection — carried out by a professionally qualified health and safety consultant, not a self-declaration checklist
• DBS check verification — all adults in the household are DBS checked. Unverified hosts are hard-blocked from receiving placements
• Safeguarding awareness assessment — all host families complete a safeguarding induction before their first placement
• Annual renewal — certification must be renewed annually. Lapsed certification automatically suspends placement eligibility
• Welfare environment review — inspectors assess the suitability of the home environment for student welfare

4. What We Inspect

Every Careli home inspection covers:

• Fire safety — smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire exits and escape routes
• Bedroom standards — size, privacy, adequate furnishing and lighting
• Internet connectivity — suitable for student study requirements
• Transport links — proximity to the host school
• General welfare environment — cleanliness, safety hazards, suitability for a young person
• DBS documentation for all household adults
• Safeguarding policy acknowledgement

5. School Approval Gate

Careli operates a mandatory school approval gate on every placement. No student is ever assigned to a host family without explicit confirmation from the school. Schools retain full control over every placement decision made through the platform.

6. Reporting a Safeguarding Concern

Anyone — school staff, agents, host families or students — can report a safeguarding concern through the Careli platform or by contacting our designated safeguarding lead directly.

When a concern is reported:

• It is acknowledged within 24 hours
• The DSL assesses the concern and determines the appropriate response
• The relevant school is notified immediately
• Where there is immediate risk to a child, the appropriate statutory agencies are contacted
• All concerns are logged in the school's digital safeguarding record on the platform

7. Host Family Conduct

Host families approved on the Careli platform are required to:

• Treat all students with respect, dignity and cultural sensitivity
• Report any welfare concerns about a student to their school immediately
• Never place a student in an uninspected or unverified room
• Not advertise homestay placements through unofficial channels
• Maintain standards verified during their Careli inspection
• Complete all Careli induction requirements before welcoming students

Any host family found to be in breach of these requirements will have their Careli certification suspended immediately and will be removed from the platform.

8. Safe Recruitment

Careli applies safer recruitment principles to all host family approvals. We do not approve any host family where a DBS check has not been completed and verified for all adults in the household. A clean DBS check alone is not sufficient — all hosts must also pass our physical home inspection and safeguarding induction.

9. Training and Induction

All host families receive a professional Careli induction covering:

• Welfare responsibilities and duty of care
• Cultural sensitivity and student wellbeing
• Emergency procedures and who to contact
• Safeguarding awareness and reporting obligations
• Platform tools for communication with schools

10. Record Keeping

All safeguarding records are maintained digitally on the Careli platform including incident logs, welfare feedback, DBS records and inspection certificates. Schools can access their complete safeguarding record at any time. Records are retained in accordance with statutory guidance.

11. Policy Review

This policy is reviewed annually or sooner if there are changes to relevant legislation or guidance. The current version is always available at carelilanguagehub.co.uk/safeguarding.

12. Contact