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Here are
some of our most frequently asked questions.
They are by no means exhaustive and we will be adding more soon.
If your question is not covered, please feel free
to get in touch.
[click here to open a printer-friendly
version of this page]
Q:
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I
am interested in the idea of hosting a child, but I couldn't commit to a
full month - could I still be involved?
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A:
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Yes,
it's feasible for children to spend a fortnight with one family and move
on to another, and we are also very happy to welcome support families -
families that can take the children for a weekend or a few days (as arranged
with the primary host family) to give them a break, cover for illness, allow
for family events etc.
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Q:
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Do
I need children of my own and a big mansion in order to be a host or support
family?
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A:
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Absolutely
not! The only 'families' we are unable to welcome at the moment
are single men. Single women and couples of any age are welcome,
regardless of how many children they have or have not. As for space,
we only need to be sure that you and your visitors can be comfortable for
a month - this doesn't mean that you need lots of rooms and a big garden,
just that you have given some thought to the arrangements. If you
are interested in being a host or support family, someone from the link
can visit you at home to help you make the decision.
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Q:
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There
must be some sort of police check on the families that host, is that very
complicated?
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A:
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The
CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check must be completed for every individual
over the age of 16 in the home and will be supplied and paid for by CCLL.
All that you need do is fill in a simple form and provide some ID.
CCLL is only interested in any previous convictions that would raise
concern about leaving a child in someones care.
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Q:
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How sick are the children
that come to the UK?
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A:
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The
children who come to the UK are nearly all weak in comparison to our own,
but many of them are otherwise reasonably healthy. A link can make
a particular request to host children with long term illness (eg cancer),
or to host children without any particular special medical needs. We
have requested the latter for the first group of children to the South
Hams.
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Q:
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How old are the children
that come to the UK?
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A:
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The
age of the children that visit each link depends on the invitation that
the link issues. The first group of children coming to the South
Hams will be aged between 9 and 10.
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Q:
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Do the children have a family
at home?
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A:
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Yes,
most of the children who visit have a full family unit at home and we
are very aware of how tough it must be for these families to wave their
children off into the hands of foreign strangers (and strange foreigners!)
for a whole month. About a month before the children visit we receive their
personal details and can send letters and photos so that the children and
their families can see who will be looking after them on their visit. If
the family has a telephone then the children can make a brief call or two
home while they are here, and of course they will go back with pictures
and souvenirs to share.
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Q:
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Is
it fair to bring the children here for a month when they have to go home
and settle back in to the conditions there at the end of it?
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A:
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Of course it will be tough for some children to adjust
to life back home after a visit. However, we are very careful not
to spoil them with material goods whilst they are in our care and just to
provide the 'holiday of a lifetime', with lots of happy memories, photos
and practical gifts (such as good quality used clothes for child and siblings)
to take home to families. We feel strongly that the health benefits
to the children are worth any temporary upheaval - it is estimated that a
month in the UK, eating uncontaminated food and breathing uncontaminated air,
boosts their immune system to such an extent that it takes up to 2 years for
children to return to their pre-visit state of health.
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Q:
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Do
the children speak any English?
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A:
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This
varies, but it's safest to bank on very little, if at all! There
will always be an interpreter with the group and he or she will be available
by phone 24/7 for the duration of the visit. The South Hams link
is also fortunate enough to have 2 Russian speakers available locally
to help out - one of whom is currently giving lessons in basic conversational
Russian to the rest of us. Much can be done with sign language and
smiles, and our Host Family Pack has quite a comprehensive vocabulary
printed both in phonetic English and Russian script, so if you can't speak
it you can point it. Language shouldn't be a barrier.
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Q:
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Do the children need entertaining
all day, every day, during their visit?
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A:
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A wide
range of activities are pre-arranged for the children during their visit.
This not only offers host families a break from caring for the children,
but also affords the children the opportunity to meet and talk with the
other visiting children.
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Q:
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If
I donate some money, how much of it will go into admin costs?
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A:
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Not
a penny! Everything that the link raises goes directly towards the
cost of bringing the children over and providing for them while they are
here. No-one takes any sort of salary and there is nothing taken out
for central admin costs - you can be sure that all your money is going direct
to where it counts.
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Q:
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If I donate some money, how
will it be used?
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A:
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We have to raise £300
per child just for their air fare. Beyond that, here are some of
the ways we might spend your money:
- £3 will buy a postcard
home to anxious families
- £4 will
buy a toothbrush and toothpaste
- £5 will buy some pens
and colouring books or a comforting cuddly toy
- £10 will buy a pair
of jeans or 2 sets of underwear and socks
- £15 will buy 2 warm
winter woolies
- £20 will buy a thick
waterproof jacket
- £30 will buy a months
supply of vitamins
- £50 will give us enough
diesel for a weeks outings
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