Homes for Ukraine: Guidance for sponsors (children and minors applying without parents or legal guardians)

Overview and purpose

This guidance is for anyone who wants to be a sponsor for children under the age of 18 who have already applied or would like to make a new application to the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and who are not travelling with or joining a parent or legal guardian in the UK.

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There is a separate guidance document for local councils to help them assess the suitability of sponsorship arrangements for children arriving in the UK without a parent or legal guardian. There is also a separate guide for parents and legal guardians of children arriving in the UK without them .

Definitions of important words and phrases used in this guide can be found in the ‘Definitions’ section at the end of this document.

Please check this website regularly for the latest advice and support.

Sponsor eligibility

If you want to sponsor a child who is not travelling with or joining a parent or legal guardian, you:

• Should personally know the child’s parents or legal guardian (unless there are exceptional circumstances), and you should have known them before the conflict started on 24 February 2022. The council should look for evidence that there is a suitable, pre-existing relationship between you and the parent or legal guardian. This evidence could be in the form of letters or emails, photos, or social media activity from before the start of the conflict on 24 February 2022. In exceptional circumstances, councils may determine that the sponsor does not need to be personally known to the parent or legal guardian, for example, where the council judge that a child will be cared for appropriately by an adult relative who the parent or legal guardian has asked to take on the day-to-day caring responsibility for their child and who will live with their child in the UK.
• Must agree to sponsor the child for the whole 3 years of their permission to stay in the UK or until they turn 18. If the child you want to sponsor is 17 and a half or older, you must sponsor the child for at least 6 months (in line with the requirements of sponsors hosting adults under the wider Homes for Ukraine Scheme). If the child will turn 18 during their 3-year stay in the UK, you should discuss with the parent or legal guardian to inform them if you will be able to continue hosting their child after they turn 18. You can continue to host them, or if the arrangement comes to an end, you will be expected to support them with their transition to adult life.
• Must commit to continue living in the UK for the duration of the sponsorship agreement, because you (for example):
  • Are a British Citizen.
  • Settled in the UK (also known as indefinite leave to remain).
  • Have permission to stay in the UK for at least 3 years from the date of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme application.
• · Must receive from the parent or legal guardian the two different forms of parental or legal guardian consent (this is explained in the ‘Parental or legal guardian consent’ section).
• Must pass the required safeguarding checks before the child’s visa application can be approved. This is explained in the ‘Sponsor application and approval process’ section.

Applicant eligibility

The UK government takes its responsibility to promote the wellbeing and safeguarding of children very seriously. We recognise that children who are separated from their parents or legal guardians are more vulnerable to many serious risks. Whilst the UK is a safe place, there are risks linked to being a child or young person that can increase with prolonged separation from a parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian need to think carefully about the possible safety risks of sending their child to the UK without them.

ChildrenApplications for children who are not travelling with or joining a parent or legal guardian andunder have already applied to the Homes for Ukraine Scheme will now be considered eligible and their visa applications will be processed if they meet the requirements set out below:

Nationality

• The children:
  • Must have an immediate family member who is Ukrainian.
  • Must have been residents in Ukraine before 1 January 2022 or have been born after that date.
  • Can apply from Ukraine or from any other country except the UK.

Hosting arrangements

• Eligible children may include those who:
• Intend to be sponsored and hosted by an adult relative other than a parent or legal guardian, who may or may not also travel with them.
• Are accompanied by an adult relative and will both be living with a sponsor or in self-contained accommodation provided by a sponsor who is not related to them. The adult relative may or may not also travel with the child.
• Will not be accompanied by an adult relative and intend to be sponsored and hosted by a sponsor who is not related to them.

Parental or legal guardian consent

• The children must have the required parental or legal guardian consent documents (these are explained in the ‘Parental or legal guardian consent’ section).

Approved sponsor

• The children must have an approved sponsor who has met the eligibility requirements and passed the necessary safeguarding checks (these are explained in the ‘Sponsor application and approval process’ section).
• The child’s visa application can only be approved after the required checks have been carried out and the sponsor has been approved.

Parent or legal guardian consent

All children applying to the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, who are not travelling with or joining a parent or legal guardian, must provide two different forms of parental or legal guardian consent:

1. Proof of parental or legal guardian consent for the child to leave Ukraine notarised by an authority approved by the Ukrainian Government:

• If in Ukraine, then this must be certified by either the notary authorities or the Guardianship Service of the city or regional council in Ukraine.
• If in another country, then this must be certified by the notary authorities in that country or by the Ukrainian Embassy or Consulate.

2. A completed and signed UK sponsorship arrangement consent form for the council (or Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland) where the child will be living. It will contain useful information from the parent or legal guardian to help you care for their child, including:

• Confirmation that they believe it is in their child’s best interests to come to the UK and stay with a known sponsor.
• Whether it is you or any accompanying adult relative who will have day-to-day responsibility for the care of their child (for example to take everyday decisions including ones about education and medical treatment).
• Confirmation that they have discussed with you and any accompanying adult relative the specific needs of their child (including any medical, developmental and special adjustment needs), and that you and/or any accompanying adult relative is able to meet these needs.
• The parent or legal guardian’s contact details so the council can check they agree to the sponsorship arrangements and so they can be contacted if there are any changes in their child’s circumstances.
• If an accompanying adult relative will also be staying with you.
• Their child’s next of kin’s contact details (who will be contacted in emergencies if the parent or legal guardian cannot be reached).
• Their child’s details.
• Information on how the parent or legal guardian knows you.
• Confirmation that they have discussed with you and any accompanying adult relative financial responsibility for their child for the duration of their stay in the UK.
• Confirmation that if the parent or legal guardian wants to end the sponsorship arrangement early, they will notify you. You will then notify the council.
• Confirmation that they understand the council may need to take responsibility for making arrangements for their child’s care for safeguarding purposes if the sponsorship arrangement ends before the child turns 18 (this is explained in the ‘Ending of sponsorship arrangement’ section).
• Confirmation that they understand the UK government will make every effort to facilitate the return of their child to Ukraine once martial law ends there, in accordance with their wishes and the best interests of their child.
• If their child will be traveling alone or with an adult relative.

Both forms of consent must be completed and signed by at least one parent or legal guardian.guardian and parents are asked to provide translated copies where possible. They must share both documents with you once complete so you or the applicant can emailupload them toas Homepart Office.of You will find this email address in the instructionsapplication sent to the named contact on the visa application.process.

TheThese Homedocuments Office will thenbe sendreviewed theseby documents to the council, who will use this information to carry out their sponsor safeguarding checks. We recommend that you keep digital copies of these documents for your own records.

If the parent or legal guardian is applying for more than one child, then they must provide new documents for each child. They cannot use the same documents for more than one child.

Sponsor application and approval process

Sponsors must pass a number of checks before they can be approved under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. This is to ensure you are suitable and have adequate accommodation for the child and any accompanying adult relative.

The child will be given a visa only when all the checks below have been completed and passed and the sponsorship arrangement is confirmed as suitable.

Security and criminal record checks

The Home Office will make security and criminal record checks on the planned sponsor and all adults aged 18 and over who will be living in the same household as the child. These checks will be made on government databases and those of other organisations like the Police National Computer (PNC).

The visa application may be refused if the sponsor or any of the other adults who have been checked do not meet the requirements for approval as a sponsor.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

DBS checks identify if a person has convictions or cautions that relate to children or are not allowed to work with children. The council will make:

• An enhanced DBS check (including a check of the children’s barred list) for all people aged 16 or over living in the sponsor’s house, who are not related to your child.
• A basic DBS check if the sponsor is related to your child, or where your child (and any accompanying adult relative) is staying in separate, self-contained accommodation.

The lead sponsor must get the consent of all adults in the household to provide their details on the application form for these checks.

Council checks

The council will also complete some checks before a sponsor can be approved, including:

• An accommodation check to ensure the sponsor’s home is suitable for your child’s needs (more information is provided in the ‘Accommodation’ section)
• A sponsor suitability assessment to ensure the:
  • Sponsorship arrangement is in the best interest of your child.
  • Sponsor can meet your child’s needs.
  • Sponsor understands their role and what is expected of them.

Further information on the sponsor suitability assessment is set out below.

Sponsor suitability assessment

The sponsor suitability assessment will involve the council visiting you and your household to check that the arrangement is suitable and safe for the child. They should discuss your role, your relationship with the parent or legal guardian and their family, and how you can support their child and any accompanying adult relatives.

Councils should also, wherever possible, discuss the sponsorship arrangements with the parent or legal guardian directly. This should include discussing their child’s views, wishes, and feelings about the sponsorship arrangement.

Councils should carry out this assessment using the procedures and arrangements they have in place for assessing the suitability of private fostering arrangements in accordance with the Guidance on Private Fostering.

In assessing the sponsorship arrangements, the council should consider all the circumstances of the individual case which includes:

• Any documentary evidence provided including the notarised proof of parental or legal guardian consent and information provided in the UK sponsorship arrangement consent form.
• Whether you personally knew the parent or legal guardian before the conflict started on the 24th of February 2022. The council should look for evidence that there is a suitable, pre-existing relationship between you and the parent or legal guardian. This evidence could be in the form of letters or emails, photos, or social media activity from before the start of the conflict on the 24th of February 2022. In exceptional circumstances, councils may determine that you do not need to be personally known to the parent or legal guardian, for example, where the council judge that a child will be cared for appropriately by an adult relative who the parent or legal guardian has asked to take on the day-to-day caring responsibility for their child and who will live with their child in the UK.

• The outcome of all checks relating to sponsor suitability including:

  1. DBS checks

  2. Accommodation checks

  3. Checks against government databases and those of other organisations like the Police National Computer (PNC).

  4. Any other checks outlined in guidance.

• That you understand and are able to meet the expectations on you as a sponsor of the child, including taking on responsibility for the day-to-day care of the child (noting that this expectation will vary if the child is accompanied by an adult relative and they have been given responsibility for the day-to-day care of the child).
• The accommodation arrangements. In most cases, it is expected that you, the sponsor, will live with the child. However, a sponsor may provide self -contained accommodation where the child is also living with an adult relative who is taking on day-to-day responsibility for their care. The planned sponsor is still required to undergo checks and meet the eligibility criteria set out in this guidance.
• Any medical, developmental or other needs the child may have and how you will either meet these or support an accompanying adult relative to meet them. You need to discuss with the parent or legal guardian their child’s needs and any relevant information. This includes whether their child:
  • Is currently taking medication or any treatment for a medical condition.
  • Has a general medical condition which requires ongoing medical care.
  • Is known to have any allergies to food or medication.
• The risk of a breakdown in arrangements. Councils are not expected to approve sponsorship arrangements where they consider there to be a high risk of breakdown, as this is unlikely to be in the best interests of the child.

Step-by-step application and approval process

The

Step-by-step scheme is opening first to those who have already submitted an application to the Homes for Ukraine Scheme so the child you wish to sponsor has already made an application. The step-by-step application and approval process for these applicants iswho setapplied outbefore below:

15 July 2022:

1. Applicants (or the sponsor if those were the contact details provided in the original application) will be contacted by the Home Office to check that both you and the sponsor still want to continue.

For those applications that are continuing, the Home Office will request that the parent or legal guardian prepares two different forms of parental or legal guardian consent (see the ‘Parental or legal guardian consent’ section for more details). They will then need to share copies of these with you.

2. YouThe ornamed contact on the applicantvisa willapplication needform toshould emailsend these documents to the Home OfficeOffice, emailwho addresswill providedcheck in the instructionsdocuments sentand to the named contact on the visaapplicant application.or Theplanned Homesponsor Office will check the documents and contact you if there are any queries.

3. The relevant council will receive your application from the Home Office and will be able to access all the information provided.

4. The council will contactstart youtheir tosponsor startsuitability theirassessment and checks as set out in the ‘Sponsor approval and application process’ section above.

5. When the council has completed these checks and confirmed the sponsor’s suitability, the Home Office will complete the necessary security checks.

6. When all of the checks have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome with advice on next steps.
If all the checks have been passed, the Home Office will issue the child and any accompanying adults with a permit to travel.

7. You must nowthen contact the child’s parent or legal guardian to ensure that safe arrangements have been made for their child’s travel, as part of the travel arrangements process (more information provided in the ‘Travel arrangements’ section). You will need to sharecomplete thisthe travel informationplan at Annex A and share this with yourthe localcouncil council.72 hours before departure.

8. Within 24 hours of the child’s arrival in the UK, theyyou and the child should be visited by ancouncil officer of the local council to confirm the suitability of the placement and confirm any immediate welfare needs. The council should give the child information on how to raise any concerns about their placement,placement.

Step-by-step application and theyapproval process for new applicants:

1. You, (the sponsor) should start the process by completing the online application form. As part of this application, you will need to upload two different forms of parental or legal guardian consent:

a. Proof of parental or legal guardian consent for the child to leave Ukraine notarised by an authority approved by the Ukrainian Government:

i. If in Ukraine, then this must be certified by either the notary authorities or the Guardianship Service of the city or regional council in Ukraine.

ii. If in another country, then this must be certified by the notary authorities in that country or by the Ukrainian Embassy or Consulate.

b. A completed and signed UK Sponsorship Arrangement Consent Form. You should not apply without both parental consent forms.

2. When you have completed your application the council will be able to access all of the information provided.

3. The council will start their sponsor suitability assessment and checks (as set out in the Sponsors Approval Process section above). At the same time the Home Office will complete their security checks.

4. If any checks or the sponsorship suitability assessment are not passed, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) will contact you directly to inform you that you do not meet the suitability requirements of the scheme and that applications linked to you cannot progress.

5. Where the sponsorship checks are successful, the council will provide the you and applicant with the Sponsor Certification code required for the applicant to apply for a dutyvisa through the gov.uk site.

6. The Home Office will complete the necessary visa application checks. If the visa is unsuccessful, the Home Office will notify the applicant and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) will contact the you directly to helpinform themyou ifthat theythe believevisa theyapplication has been unsuccessful. Where the visa application is successful, the Home Office will issue the child and any accompanying adults with a permit to travel.

7. You must then contact the parent ensure that safe arrangements are made for the child’s travel. (more information provided in the ‘Travel arrangements’ section). You will need to complete a pre-departure plan (using the template at risk.Annex A) and share this with the relevant council.

8. Within 24 hours of the child’s arrival in the UK, you and the child will be visited by a council officer to confirm the suitability of the placement and confirm any immediate welfare needs. The council will give the child information on how to raise any concerns about their placement.

Role of the sponsor

The role of the sponsor can be very rewarding, but it can also be challenging. You should be aware that the people you sponsor may have experienced trauma and will have individual needs, experiences, and worries.

The parent or legal guardian will retain parental responsibility during the sponsorship period, but they will need to confirm in the UK sponsorship arrangement consent form who is responsible for their child’s day-to day-care, either you or any accompanying adult relative.

If the parent or legal guardian confirm it is you, you will need to keep the child safe and ensure their wellbeing in these areas:

Education

• In the UK, children aged 5 to 16 must be in full-time education. The council will help with applications for a school place (more information provided in the ‘Access to public services’ section) and get access to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes.

Health

• You will need to register their child with a local General Practitioner (GP) and National Health Service (NHS) dentist. You will also need to make sure their child is known to health visitors (via their GP if they are aged 0-5, and to school nurses via their GP or school if they are of school age). GPs, health visitors and school nurses can refer the child to mental health support services or specialist support services if needed. Please note, in the UK sponsorship arrangement consent form, the parent or legal guardian has given consent for you or any accompanying adult relative to make every day medical decisions on behalf of their child.

Financial responsibility

• It is expected that you will take on financial responsibility for the care and maintenance of their child for the duration of their stay in the UK. You should discuss this arrangement with their parent or legal guardian, including whether they can provide any financial contribution towards their child’s care (more information on financial support you can receive as a sponsor is provided in the ‘Financial support’ section).

Links with Ukraine

You will be expected to help their child to stay in touch with their parent or legal guardian and maintain their cultural and language links to Ukraine. It may sometimes be difficult to contact their parent or legal guardian, so you will need to manage this sensitively. You are also encouraged to send information to the parent or legal guardian about their child’s time in the UK, such as updates on educational or social activities, photographs and medical results. Finally, you should support their child and any accompanying relative to register with the Embassy of Ukraine. More information on maintaining the child’s links with Ukraine can be found in the ‘Staying connected and in contact with family’ section.

If the parent or legal guardian decides that they want an accompanying adult relative to be responsible for the day-to-day care of their child, you will still be expected to help their child to:

• Access education, health, and other public services.
• Adapt to life in the UK.
• Integrate into the local community.

These expectations also apply if you are providing self-contained accommodation for their child and any accompanying adult relative but are not living with them. You should agree with any accompanying adult relative arrangements for you to visit them occasionally in their self-contained accommodation to check on their wellbeing.

Any accompanying adult relative must remain living with the child for the duration of the child’s stay in the UK or until they turn 18 when a parent or legal guardian gives them responsibility for the day-to-day care of their child. You should notify the council and parent or legal guardian as soon as possible if this changes.

You are strongly encouraged to discuss with the parent or legal guardian, as soon as possible:

• The care arrangements for their child and any accompanying adult relative.
• Any future plans they may have to visit their child in the UK (more information provided in the ‘Parent of legal guardian visiting their child’ section).
• Any future plans they may have to send their child’s siblings to the UK. We would normally expect siblings to have the same sponsor unless there are good reasons for them to stay separately. It is important they discuss and agree any plans to send their child’s siblings to the UK at a later time upfront with you. The parent of legal guardian may wish to consider finding another sponsor if you would not be able to accommodate the siblings as well.

Accommodation

The council will check your accommodation to ensure it is suitable for the child’s and any accompanying adult relative’s needs. Their check will be mainly focused on the child’s safety and wellbeing. They will check it is a suitable size to accommodate the number of people that will be living in it, has adequate facilities and there are no health and safety risks.

This means your accommodation should:

• Be kept clean and in an acceptable state.
• Have enough kitchen and bathroom space (which the child and any accompanying adult relative will have access to).
• Have access to drinking water.
• Have a working smoke detector on each floor of the property and other fire safety precautions suitable for the building (like fire doors or escape routes which help make a home safe from fire).
• Have a working carbon monoxide detector in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (like a coal fire or wood burning stove).
• Have sufficient heating to keep the property at a comfortable temperature.
• Have safe gas appliances and fittings and flues (you should consider whether a gas safety check is needed).
• Have safe and working electrics, which a qualified electrician can help with if you are unsure.
• Be reasonably free from damp or mould.
• Have doors and windows at entry level that lock securely.
• Be easy and safe to move around in, without very steep staircases that may cause harm.
• Have appropriate safety features that are appropriate for the age of any children who will stay there.

The child should be given their own bedroom unless they are sharing with their sibling. If one child is aged over 10, then any sibling they share with should be of the same gender. In exceptional cases where children do not know each other before moving in, they should not share a bedroom.

If the council decides your accommodation is unsafe or unsuitable when making their accommodation check, they will discuss with you changes that could be made to fix any issues and ensure your accommodation is an appropriate standard (like working with the UK Fire Service to supply additional smoke alarms).

You should always involve everyone in your household when deciding to become a host family. This includes children, whose views, wishes and feelings should be considered. There will be additional considerations when your household already includes children in foster care.

Please see the FAQs for permissions required for mortgages, insurance, landlords, renters, leaseholders and foster carers.

Safeguarding and welfare

You will play an important role in supporting the welfare of the child. The council also has a legal duty to protect the child in certain circumstances (such as if they believe the child is at risk).

An officer of the local council should visit the child within 24 hours of them arriving to stay with their sponsor in England. The officer should give the child information about how to report to them any problems they may have with their stay in the UK during the visit. They should speak to the child individually, as well as together with you and any accompanying adult relative. This gives the child the opportunity to tell the council any problems they may have and how they are feeling.

The child can also discuss any problems with:

A. Professional people they come into contact with, like their teachers or health workers. All these professionals have a duty to help.

B. A telephone helpline run by the children’s charity Barnardo’s, which has a free number to call: 0800 148 8586. The helpline offers a confidential service and has Ukrainian and Russian speakers. Visit Barnardo’s website.

C. A telephone helpline run by the children’s charity Childline, which has trained counsellors to support anyone who is 18 or under living in the UK. Childline is free, confidential and available any time, day or night. Children can talk to them by calling 0800 1111 or through a 1-2-1 counsellor chat online.

The child (until they turn 18) will be visited at regular intervals by the local council after their initial visit, to ensure their ongoing needs are being met and to check that the sponsorship is still working well. The council will share their plan for these visits with you. You are expected to fully co-operate when any social worker visit is required, providing access to your accommodation and the child.

Regular visits by the council should also take place if an accompanying adult relative with day-to-day caring responsibility is living with the child in self-contained accommodation, separate to you.

The council will do everything they can to contact the parent or legal guardian if any decisions need to be made about the child caused by any change in circumstances or concerns the council may have.

Financial support

As set out in the ‘Role of the sponsor’ section, where the parent or legal guardian has given you responsibility for the day-to-day care of their child, you will also be expected to take on financial responsibility for that care while the child is in the UK, or until they turn 18.

Where the parent or legal guardian has given responsibility for the day-to-day care of their child to any accompanying adult relative, then the adult relative is expected to take on financial responsibility for that care.

You must discuss and agree this with the parent or legal guardian and any accompanying adult relative, including whether the parent or legal guardian can provide any financial contribution towards their child’s care.

£350 thank you payment

As a way of thanking you for your generosity and to help you with any extra costs, you can choose to receive a monthly thank you payment of £350 for while the child stays with you for up to 3 years. This will be paid to you by your local council and is limited to one payment per residential address.

This payment is subject to change if the child turns 18 during this period and is therefore no longer considered a child. Where the child turns 18 but has not been in the country for 12 months, you will be eligible for the payment for up to 12 months (this is in line with the wider Homes for Ukraine Scheme). Where the child turns 18 but has already been in the country for more than 12 months, thank you payments will stop.

£200 once-off payment

All Homes for Ukraine guests can receive a once-off payment of £200 each.

This payment will be given to you on behalf of the child where you have been given responsibility for the day-to-day care of the child.

This payment will be given to the accompanying adult relative on behalf of the child where they have been given responsibility for the day-to-day care of the child (either if they are living with you or are in self-contained accommodation). The adult relative will also receive their own £200 once-off payment.

The £200 payment will be managed by your local council and does not need to be repaid. The council may also decide to support guests with other payments.

Child Benefit

As a sponsor for a child from Ukraine, you may also be eligible for Child Benefit .

Child Benefit is a universal benefit for anyone responsible for a child. It issues 4- weekly payments equating to £21.80 per week for the eldest child and £14.45 per week for each additional child. A person is usually considered to be responsible for a child if they live with them or they are paying at least the same amount as Child Benefit (or the equivalent in kind) towards looking after the child, for example on food or clothes.

To claim the benefit, the child they are responsible for must be under the age of 16 (or under the age of 20 if they stay in full-time non advanced education or approved training). You need to apply for Child Benefit by completing a Child Benefit claim form. You can read more information about claiming Child Benefit, including the evidence that you will need to provide with your claim.

Two people cannot get Child Benefit for the same child. Where the child is accompanied by an adult relative and the parent or legal guardian has given that relative responsibility for the day-to-day care of their child (including financial), it might be more appropriate for them to make the claim for Child Benefit instead of you as the sponsor. You will need to agree this with the adult relative.

Other UK government schemes

As a sponsor for a guest child, you will also be able to apply for government schemes that supporting working parents. That could include:

• Tax-Free Childcare.
• 15 hours per week of free early education over no fewer than 38 weeks of the year for disadvantaged two-year-olds – eligibility criteria apply.
• 15 hours per week of free early education over no fewer than 38 weeks of the year for all three- and four-year-olds.
• An additional 15 hours per week over no fewer than 38 weeks of the year (also known as ‘30 hours free childcare’) for three- and four-year-olds from working families – eligibility criteria apply.

If you are already eligible for Universal Credit, Tax Credits, Housing Benefit or Pension Credit, and the parent or legal guardian has given you financial responsibility for their child, you should declare the fact that you are now hosting a child to:

• The Department for Work and Pensions for Universal Credit.
• HMRC for Tax Credits.
• Your local council for Housing Benefit.

This is because you may qualify for additional benefits to support the child, depending on your existing circumstances. You might be allocated an additional bedroom in the housing costs support calculation, or if you are of state pension age, you might be eligible for additional Pension Credit, because you are responsible for a child living with you (eligibility criteria apply).

The accompanying adult relative may receive this additional benefit support instead of you as the sponsor, where the parent or legal guardian has given the adult relative financial responsibility for their child. Your existing benefit claims will not be affected in any way.

The child you sponsor may also be eligible for Universal Credit in their own right under certain conditions if they are 16 or 17-years-old and not in education.

Access to public services

Children living in the UK will have access to public services. As noted in the ‘Role of a sponsor’ section, you should support them to:

• Apply for a school place
• Register with a GP
• Register with a dentist

Apply for a school place

All children who come to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme, the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme have the right to access state education. All children in England must continue in education or training until their 18th birthday. Councils have a statutory duty to support 16- and 17-year-olds to move into education and training and must support young people to find a suitable opportunity.
Going to school or college is very important in helping young people become part of the communities they live in.

Your application for a school place on the child’s behalf is likely to be through the in-year admissions process. This process is explained in more detail in the Welcome guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK (under ‘Annex A: Applying for a School place in England’). The council will work with families to enable all children to attend school, or early years provision for children under 5 years old, in their local area as soon as possible. These places cannot always be at schools that are closest to their accommodation.

All people from Ukraine aged 16 to 19 who are allowed to live in UK are eligible for ‘16-19’ funding.  16-19 study programmes can include English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses or other English tuition, depending on the needs of the student. They may also be able to get bursary support from a provider of further education (FE) , if they meet other criteria and if the provider agrees they need help with some costs. You and your guest can speak to local schools and FE providers for more information about courses, how to enrol and availability of places.

Register with a GP

Find your nearest NHS GP and learn more about these services.

Register with a dentist

Find your nearest NHS dentist and learn more about these services.

Travel arrangements

Children who are travelling alone are vulnerable to some risks and need to be supported during their entire journey. The below sets out what is required for children travelling to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

To keep the child as safe as possible, we strongly advise that you:

• Work with the child’s parent or legal guardian to agree on a travel plan after a travel visa has been issued (more details on what this travel plan should involve is set out below under ‘Pre-departure planning’
• Ensure that the child travels to the UK with an adult relative or you accompany them. If this is not possible, then you will need to arrange to meet them when they arrive in the UK at the airport and show a relevant form of photographic ID (passport or driving licence) to demonstrate you are the designated sponsor.
• Arrange travel by air rather than another kind of transport – try to book flights to the main UK airports that are set up to receive Ukrainian arrivals (these can be found under ‘Section 1 – Arriving in the UK’) in the Welcome Guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK and where possible within busier hours from 08:00 – 20:00. Travel through Calais, Coquelles or Dunkerque should be avoided unless you or the adult relative can accompany the child.

Pre-departure planning

You should work with the parent or legal guardian to agree on a travel plan after a travel visa has been issued. You should do this for the child before they travel to the UK, both where they are travelling with you or any accompanying adult relative and where they are travelling alone.

This plan should include:

• Your name, contact details and proof of ID (passport or driving license) if you are collecting the child. The same information for the adult relative if they are travelling with the child to the UK.
• All flight details including:
  • Departure date and time.
  • Flight number.
  • Departure and arrival airports.
  • Expected arrival date and time.
  • Arrival terminal (if possible).
• You should contact the airline before departure to ensure the child is recorded under a passenger assistance scheme if the child is aged 13 or under and is travelling alone. This will guarantee that the airline provides help and assistance throughout the journey and ensure ground staff are available on arrival to escort the child to the border and agreed handover point.
• An emergency backup contact for you, who the council can contact if they cannot make contact with you.
• An agreed meeting area for handover of the child at the airport. This should be at the relevant Ukrainian arrivals Welcome Point (more information provided under ‘Section 1 – Arriving in the UK’ in the Welcome Guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK[CBA48] ).
• When everyone has agreed to the plan, you should send it to your local council.
• You should contact the council if there are any changes to the travel plan.

During travel

Children may be vulnerable to many risks during their journey. To reduce these risks, we recommend that:

• You know and follow the travel plan arrive at the airport well ahead of the child’s arrival flight. You should also be aware of processing times at ports in busy periods for things such as border and immigration control and luggage collection.
• The airline carrier escorts the child from the aircraft and through the border If the child is travelling alone.
• The child is only handed over to you after the child has crossed the border and passed through customs.
• You provide proof of ID (passport or driving license) to Border Force or airline staff before the handover of the child. If you cannot provide this proof, then staff will not allow the child to travel onwards.
• You should promptly alert your council contact that you have collected the child, who is now in your care, as part of the handover process. The council should arrange a visit to your accommodation within 24 hours of the child’s arrival.
• Either you or any accompanying adult relative should escort the child through the border. If the child is travelling with any other adult, Border Force will assess their suitability to accompany the child and may require you to attend the port to collect the child, which may cause significant delays to the child’s travel.
• If the child is planning to travel with an adult relative from the airport to your accommodation, then after they have crossed the border, the adult relative should inform you they are both in the country. You should then promptly notify your council contact.
• You, the child and any accompanying adult relative can use the Ukrainian Welcome Point helpdesks that are in operation at most major ports (more information provided under ‘Section 1 – Arriving in the UK’ in the Welcome Guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK) for any other queries or requests for assistance upon the child’s arrival in the country. These Welcome Points include information about what support is available to the child, including onward travel advice. They also provide access to basic supplies (including food and water, toiletries and UK sim cards) before they leave the airport.

Travel problems

Travel plans can go wrong and may need to be changed at short notice. To ensure the child stays safe when this happens, we suggest:

• You provide an emergency backup contact in your pre-departure plan for the council to contact if you cannot be contacted.
• You urgently tell the council and airline if the adult relative planned to travel with the child cannot travel at short notice and the child has to travel alone, so the relevant agencies can prepare for the child’s arrival.
• Border Force contact the airport’s local council if the child is not collected within 2 hours of crossing the border. The airport’s local council will arrange for the child to go into emergency fostering accommodation in that area if you cannot be contacted. Your local council where you are hosting the child must then make new plans to bring the child to your accommodation.
• The child is aware of the travel plan and knows who they are travelling with and where they are meeting people. Depending on their age, you should try to ensure they have contact numbers for you and your local council.

Staying connected and in contact with family

The parent or legal guardian and their child will want to maintain contact with each other, and you will need to support and facilitate this.

Different kinds of contact can be appropriate at certain times. A good way to maintain regular contact is through using texting apps or email as it may be difficult to have long voice or video calls late at night. You will need to be able to support the child during and after any calls as there could also be difficulties with signal or background noise that could cause distress to the child.

You should also send the parents or legal guardian regular updates about their child’s life in the UK, including their health, education or social activities, and sharing photographs.

You should ensure that the child maintains their cultural and language links to Ukraine. This is particularly important if they are unable to regularly speak with their parent or legal guardian. This could include seeking out opportunities through their school, the council, charity organisations or with the Embassy of Ukraine (which you should support them to register with soon after arrival), for the child to mix with other children from Ukraine in the area. You might also want to observe some Ukrainian traditions as you celebrate key events (like birthdays).

Parent or legal guardian visiting their child

It is possible that the child’s parent or legal guardian may want to visit them in the UK. You should consider whether you could also accommodate the parent or legal guardian for visits.

The parent or legal guardian must apply for a visa if they want to come to the UK to visit their child.

They may be able to apply under the Ukraine Family Scheme if they are a relative of a UK-based sponsor who is a:

• British citizen.
• Person settled in the UK.
• Person in the UK with limited permission as a refugee.
• Person with humanitarian protection.
• EEA or Swiss citizen with pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

If they are not eligible under the Ukraine Family Scheme, they should apply for a Standard Visitor visa. This visa usually only allows an individual to stay in the UK for up to 6 months. If the parent or legal guardian wanted to stay in the UK on a more long-term basis, the Standard Visitor visa is not appropriate. Information on how they can reunite with their child in the UK is explained in the ‘Parent or legal guardian reuniting with their child’ section below.

Parent or legal guardian reuniting with their child

If the parent or legal guardian decide to come and live in the UK with their child, they must apply for a visa to join them. They can apply via any of the existing visa schemes where eligible.

The parent or legal guardian will need to have the same sponsor as their child if they apply under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. They will need to apply with a new sponsor for themselves and their child if they cannot live with their child in your accommodation. You must inform your local council if this happens. The parent or legal guardian and their child will then be able to live together with their new, approved sponsor when they arrive in the UK.

If the parent or legal guardian wants their child to be returned to live with them, an adult relative or other trusted person back in Ukraine or another country, before the end of their child’s 3 years of permission to stay in the UK has passed, the parent or legal guardian must tell you. You must tell the council about their decision. The council should ask the parent or legal guardian for written consent of this decision to remove their child from the UK and should ask them for information about how their child will travel and what reception arrangements will be in place when they arrive to ensure their child is kept safe. They will also need to speak to you to agree how you will help their child travel safely.

Change of circumstances

In the UK sponsorship arrangement consent form, the parent or legal guardian will need to confirm whether you or any accompanying adult relative has permission to make day-to-day decisions about their child.

These day-to-day decisions could be about where to live with their child in the UK, for example if you move into new accommodation. You should make every effort to notify the parent or legal guardian of changes like this, but you would not need to get the parent or legal guardian’s explicit consent. You must however inform the council of the new address of the child within the UK.

In the event that the child’s parent or legal guardian have died while their child is in your care, you should inform the council. The council will alert the Embassy of Ukraine and contact their child’s next of kin (the parent or legal guardian provided these details upfront on the UK sponsorship arrangement consent form) to agree future arrangements for the child. The child should remain living with you, where appropriate, while arrangements are made. You should ensure that the child receives appropriate bereavement support.

Ending of sponsorship arrangement

You must notify the council immediately if the sponsorship arrangement is to be ended for any reason. The sponsorship arrangement for the child can be ended before the full 3 years have passed by:

• You.
• The child.
• The parent or legal guardian.
• Any accompanying adult relative.
• The local council (if they have concerns for the safety of the child).

You

You must notify the council immediately if you want to end the sponsorship arrangement. You should set out the reasons for the ending of the arrangement (where you are comfortable doing so). If the child has already moved out of your accommodation, you must include in the notification to the council the name and address of the person now caring for the child and that person’s relationship to the child. The council will then contact the child’s parent or legal guardian to find out what they want to do in these circumstances.

The child

You or the child must notify the council immediately If the child wants to end their sponsorship arrangement before they turn 18. The council will try to find a way to continue the sponsorship arrangement. The council will contact the parent or legal guardian to see if any other plans can be made for the child if it does not succeed. The council may need to find accommodation for the child or take them into care if the parent or legal guardian cannot be contacted or cannot suggest any other plans. The council would discuss this with the Ukrainian authorities.

You or the child must notify the council immediately If the child turns 18 and decides to end the sponsorship arrangement and live on their own somewhere else in the UK (or travel to another country). you should note that the parent or legal guardian will not be asked to give their consent. This is because they will now be seen as an adult under UK law and can make their own decisions without needing consent from a parent or legal guardian. However, you are still expected to support them in their move to adult life. You and the council are also encouraged to inform the parent or legal guardian that the sponsorship arrangement has ended.

Parent or legal guardian

You must alert the council immediately if the parent or legal guardian want to end their child’s sponsorship arrangement for any reason. This could be, for example, because they want their child to move back to Ukraine, or another country, to be reunited with them, a relative or other trusted person.

As set out in the ‘Parent or legal guardian reuniting with their child’ section, to ensure the child is safeguarded, the council will request written consent from the parent or legal guardian of this decision to remove the child from the UK. This will include information from the parent or legal guardian relating to their child’s travel and onward reception arrangements. You should consider your role in ensuring the safe departure of the child from the UK.

Any accompanying adult relative

Any accompanying adult relative that is living with the child in your accommodation, and where the parent or legal guardian has given them responsibility for the day-to-day care of their child, should remain living with the child for the duration of the child’s stay in the UK. You must notify the council and provide the council with the new address of the child if the adult relative wants to end the sponsorship arrangement and move into independent accommodation with the child. The parent or legal guardian’s consent would not be needed as the adult relative has permission to make day-to-day decisions about their child. However, you and the local council would be expected to notify the parent or legal guardian of the sponsorship arrangement, where possible.

Further support

• Homes for Ukraine contains information about the scheme, including a set of Frequently Asked Questions.
• A guide for councils on how to support you, the child and their parent or legal guardian has been issued.
• The UK Government has published a list of Recognised Providers – voluntary and community sector organisations running schemes which provide support for and help match people coming from Ukraine with sponsors in the UK. However, you should note that the matching service provided by these organisations are not relevant to this group of children given the requirement for sponsors to be personally known to the parent or legal guardian.
• The UK Government will publish a welcome guide for children not travelling with or joining a parent or legal guardian in the UK in due course. It will provide useful information on the support available to them once in the UK.
• The Childcare Choices website also provides useful advice and information to help sponsors support their guests.

Definitions

“Adult relative” refers to a person above 18 years of age, who is not the child’s parent or legal guardian, but is a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, or aunt (whether of the full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership).

“Child” or “children” refers to any individual who is under 18 who has already applied for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme who is not travelling with or joining a parent or legal guardian. This includes both children who will be accompanied by an adult relative and those who are intending to be hosted by an adult relative as well as those for whom where neither applies. Where relevant the guidance distinguishes between these groups.

“Council” or “local Council” refers to the local government authority in the area where the sponsor is living, whose duties include the welfare of children and who will have responsibility for overseeing sponsorship arrangements including pre- and post-arrival safeguarding checks. In Northern Ireland, child safeguarding is the responsibility of Health and Social Care Trusts. Any reference to a council in this context should be read as a reference to a Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland.

“DBS check” refers to a check on the criminal record of an individual by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, the authority that is responsible for carrying out criminal record checks for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). DBS also maintains the Adults’ and Children’s Barred Lists, and makes considered decisions as to whether an individual should be included on one or both of these lists and barred from engaging in regulated activity.

“Further education” includes any study after secondary education that’s not part of higher education (that is, not taken as part of an undergraduate or graduate degree).

“General Practitioner (GP)” refers to a medical doctor based in the local community that treats patients with minor or chronic illnesses and will refer patients with serious conditions to specialist consultants in a hospital.

“Guest” or “guests” refers to people who were residents in Ukraine before 1 January 2022, who have secured a visa under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, which enables them to be housed by a sponsor.

“Health visitors” are qualified nurses or midwives who have had extra training.

An “immediate family member” could be any of a:

• partner who is a Ukrainian national; or
• parent who is a Ukrainian national or whose partner is a Ukrainian national; or
• fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner who is a Ukrainian national.

“Known sponsor” means that the child’s parent or legal guardian should personally know the sponsor, and that their relationship with the sponsor should have started before the beginning of the conflict on 24 February 2022. In exceptional circumstances, the council may determine that the sponsor does not need to be personally known to the parent or legal guardian, for example, where the council judge that a child will be cared for appropriately by an adult relative who has been given day-to-day caring responsibility by the parent or legal guardian for their child and who will live with their child in the UK.

“Legal guardian” refers to a guardian appointed by a court who has the same rights and responsibilities as parents in protecting the child’s assets and rights.

“Parental responsibility” in England refers to the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and their property. It also includes the rights, powers and duties which a guardian of the child’s estate would have in relation to the child and their property.

“Police National Computer” refers to a national database of information available to all police forces, law enforcement agencies and other specified bodies throughout UK.

“School nurses” are specialist community public health nurses who work with school-aged children and young people and their families to improve health and wellbeing outcomes and reduce inequalities and vulnerabilities.

“Sponsor” or “sponsors” refers to an individual who has been approved to accommodate an individual or household from Ukraine under the “Homes for Ukraine” sponsorship scheme.

Annex A: Pre-departure travel plan template

To ensure the safe transportation of eligible children entering the UK, we recommend sponsors work with the parent or legal guardian to populate the below template for any eligible child they are hosting. This plan should be shared with the local council.

• The aim of this procedure is to assure all parties that a plan is in place for supervising all stages of the transit process as well as what contingencies should be enacted if anything goes wrong. To this end we are asking council leads to:

• Engage sponsors to work with the parent or legal guardian ahead of departure to populate the fields below and mutually agree the pre-departure plan.

• Once agreed, councils should upload the template to JIRA, ideally 72 hours ahead of departure. If uploading the council should flag in the subject box, the following title ‘’Eligible Child Transit Plan. GWFXXXX Name:XXXXXX

• Provide the council with relevant emergency contact details.

	Key information
Hosting council
Name of eligible child
Contact phone number for eligible child (if they have one)
GWF Number (available in in Foundry -Council to add)
Name of parent or legal guardian
Parent or legal guardian contact details
Name of Sponsor
Sponsor Contact Details
Will the child be travelling alone	Y/N
Name of accompany adult relative travelling with child (if applicable)
Accompanying adult relative contact details (if applicable)
Council Lead Official and role title
Council Lead contact details

Pre-departure plan

No.	Action	Yes/No	Mitigation
1	Has the sponsor alerted the child or chaperone escorting the eligible minor to the pre-departure plan and are they confident they understand the process?
2	Please can you include information in the mitigations box on the following: a. Departure date and time b. Flight number c. Name of departure and arrival airports d. Expected arrival date and time e. Arrival terminal
3	If the child is under 13 years old and travelling alone, has the sponsor contacted the airline pre-departure to ensure the child is recorded under passenger assistance scheme?
4	What language(s) does the child speak?
5	Will the child depart the plane and present at the border themselves? If no please can you specify in mitigations box who will chaperone them.
6	Does the child have any specialist needs (such as medical or mobility needs) that will require assistance? If so please can you detail these and any support requirements in the mitigations box.

Handover and collection

No.	Action	Yes/No	Mitigation
7	Can you detail in the mitigations box, where in the airport the child instructed to wait to be collected by the sponsor? If the child is travelling with a chaperone, then please ignore.
8	What type of ID will the sponsor provide to confirm their identity ahead of handover?
9	Has the Sponsor provided an alternative/emergency contact details should we not be able to contact them on the day? Please can this be provided as well as their relationship to sponsor in the mitigations box.
10	Has the council informed the sponsor about welcome point support at the port of entry, should they need to use it?
11	How do the sponsor or chaperone intend to continue their onward journey? Does this require the use of public transport and how long roughly will it take to reach the sponsor location?
12	Has the council confirmed with the sponsor that they must inform them that the child is in their care immediately after collection at the port? If yes please can you provide contact detail of who the sponsor should contact (email or phone) in the mitigations box.

Data Sharing

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the Home Office are data controllers for the Homes for Ukraine visa sponsorship scheme. Local councils will become independent data controllers once they receive the data.

Further information can be found in this privacy notice.