Services
The Head Office is based in Tipperary and is responsible for the organisation of the guardianship programme and offers parents and agents a central point of contact for all matters relating to the programme. You will be allocated with a dedicated Guardianship Care Manager as soon as you enroll who will look after you throughout the year. The support you will receive includes:
Just Like Home Languages (JLHL) follow very strict procedures when caring for your child whilst they study in Ireland. All our advisers and guardians are checked by the Garda Vetting department as are all transport firms and host families. Generally, you child will not be allowed to travel alone on public transport when moving between locations on breaks from school. We follow guidelines issued by the transport companies and one of our guardians will accompany your child.
We will visit your child on a regular basis several times each term and provide academic reports back to you advising where we feel the child could benefit from additional tuition or activities. There are many excellent activity-based breaks that also focus on developing English or you may prefer a stay with a host family to gain the experience of family life in Ireland with some cultural trips (note that these will incur additional cost).
Many schools in Ireland for students will insist on an educational guardian being appointed for them. The educational guardian represents the parents and gives support to your child while they are staying in Ireland. These Guardians will act on your behalf, attending meetings with school staff and reporting back to you on what is discussed. They are there to assist your child with settling in in their new surroundings and go through the school rules, taking an active part in their school life. Guardians can also help arrange flights, transport from the school or airport at the beginning and end of all holidays. Guardians also act as Emergency Contact throughout the school year ensuring someone is on hand should any unforeseen event occur, this has been particularly crucial during the 2020 Covid-19 outbreak across the world. During school holidays the guardian will organise a suitable home-stay for weekends, half term breaks, longer holidays and during term-time if needed and summer schools if required for your child.
Pre arrival
After arrival
Local coordinators
Processing your initial application, and informing the school that we will be guardian to satisfy visa criteria if required.
Provision of Visa support documentation if required.
- Liaising with you on term dates and your host family requirements. If a family is required you will be allocated one to closely match your requirements.
- Noting your flight arrival details and your instructions for airport transfers. Sending you a full colour profile of your driver once confirmed.
As soon as the academic year is under way, your Guardianship Care Manager will be busy organising for all the events that will take place during the year and will contact you about:
- Host family arrangements for exeats and half term holidays
- Day to day problems that may arise when you need a representative to act for you with the school.
- Travel arrangements during holiday times
- The emergency phone is managed 24/7 by a member of the Head Office staff team during term times.
Our team of coordinators live near the schools and are there for the students. They act as their mentor and independent friend in Ireland and the parent’s representative.
ON ARRIVAL
- The coordinator will call the student on arrival and let them know when they will visit.
- If parents arrive with their son or daughter they will be happy to meet up and, if required, will take them to see the host family we have allocated.
- On or shortly after arrival day the Coordinator will make their first visit to see the student.
A report will soon be sent on to you along with photographs and notes. During this visit the Coordinator will introduce the Student Handbook and read out our Student Charter and Code of Behaviour so they understand our rules. They are asked to sign this and keep a copy.
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
- Your Coordinator will call their student regularly and will make sure they are OK. This can really help to settle them in to school and makes a big difference.
During their first time at a host family they will call them and after they return to school they will visit and run through a Host Family Care Plan to make sure they have been happy. The results of this meeting will be forwarded on to you by email.
- Your Coordinator will attend Parents Evenings if you require them to and will report back to you on your child’s educational progress.
- The Coordinator spends the year getting to know the student and generally offering any support they need and also are there locally in case of emergency.
