Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2 ··· 30 31 32 ··· 39 40

Original poster

Will you be opening your home up to Ukrainian refugees?

999 replies

musicalfrog · 11/03/2022 08:03

Interested to see how popular this will be considering so many of us want desperately to make a tangible difference.

My OH wouldn't be up for it I don't think, and we don't have a spare room so I will avoid that particular argument. But otherwise I think it would be such a great thing to do.

The govt is asking for a minimum commitment of 6 months. Will you be signing up?

OP posts:

Soffit · 12/03/2022 15:00

What is you fall out with them (I mean properly fall out) at the beginning of the six month period? I remember when my German, teenage nephew was in South America doing a foreign exchange via school and was kicked out by the host family literally overnight. His mother was beside herself trying to find a solution with school and their point of contact based out there. This situation would be similar with a huge dose of guilt and awkwardness added along with trauma responses (immediate and delayed).

FlyingGeeseAgain · 12/03/2022 15:07

@buzzzliightyear

I couldn't offer it because my child is autistic and wouldn't cope and I don't have a spare room.

The way the government threw together those nightingale hospitals at a moments notice you'd think they could fill them with beds with dividers and create some kind of shelter? (I don't know if this or similar is already happening to be honest it just struck me as an idea).

Some people will happily open their homes and that's so generous and admirable but I don't think it's practical for a number of reasons for the vast majority of people.

That’s a good point about the Nightingale hospitals.

Fuckitydoodah · 12/03/2022 16:20

We're considering it. We have a decent sized double spare room and the DC could share. We are fairly rural though, with limited public transport. My concern would be that they'd feel a bit isolated and rely on us for everything rather than being able to come and go as they please.

I suspect our location means we wouldn't be chosen but who knows what could happen.

If we had been invaded, it would be us seeking refuge.

Madjakelmum · 12/03/2022 17:23

No. I have spare rooms but am finding it hard to keep my family atm. With rising costs.

keffie12 · 12/03/2022 17:33

I would have been open to it, however personal life and health issues mean it's a no here, too

burstcouch · 12/03/2022 17:37

No. I can't even afford to house or feed my own family. God knows how I'll pay the electric bill

starsparkle08 · 12/03/2022 17:43

I don’t have space and have an autistic son .

If I had a large house and very wealthy I may welcome a family if equivalent of dbs checks done . I don’t no how the average person could afford to support additional people with bills rising so much .

Hope all the best for the refugees

Karmakamelion · 12/03/2022 17:47

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

SamSoSer · 12/03/2022 17:49

No. I could not allow strangers into my home. I have 3 young children two who have complex needs.
I would be completely paranoid and never sleep.
I feel the same about students or lodgers or indeed anyone I don’t know.

messiejessie · 12/03/2022 17:52

Yes I will offer as I’d hope someone would do the same for me and my children.
It would be an interesting cultural exchange. We have a spare room but are a bit rural but a 25 minute walk from town .

Bluebellbike · 12/03/2022 17:53

No because I have one bedroom, which I sleep in.

psych2405 · 12/03/2022 17:56

It wouldn't be an option for us as we don't have a spare bedroom or the ability to provide for an extra one or 2 people (gas/electric/food wise)
That said if my circumstances were different I would, in a heartbeat

Teachertired92 · 12/03/2022 17:59

I don’t have a spare room so it’s a no here, although I would consider it if I did

CHML1976 · 12/03/2022 18:01

I would but would need money for it. I regularly host foreign students but couldn’t do it for nothing as financially having other people in the house would financially cripple me if there was no contribution. Is the government financially supporting people that are taking them in?

DespairingHomeowner · 12/03/2022 18:01

For those who are thinking of donating money - the disasters emergency committee offers tax relief (gift aid) so your donations go further. Plus public donations are being matched by UK government

www.dec.org.uk/

StepAwayFromGoogling · 12/03/2022 18:02

I can't, unfortunately. Small 3 bed semi with me, DP, DD7 and DD4. Not enough space for even one extra person.

purplebunny2012 · 12/03/2022 18:03

We have no room

Parker231 · 12/03/2022 18:05

@Alltheprettyseahorses

Yeah, like someone is going to be welcoming for a year! The shine will wear off after 3 days. None of us would be happy in that situation. They are human beings: they deserve their own independent space with specialist services instead of someone's tiny box room. This is about them, not us getting a nice, warm feeling.

They wouldn’t be spending all their time in your box room, they would live as a part of your family. The Ukrainians learn English from a young age so less language barrier and will go to school and find jobs here.

daisypond · 12/03/2022 18:06

There are five of us in a two-bed house, but when we housed a young person as well, they lived in our dining room. But it was very tight, as you can imagine.

caramac04 · 12/03/2022 18:07

Yes, a mum and 1 or 2 little ones if they could share a bed. I’ve a spare room and my kids are grown up. If the kids could share a bed I mean

Tiaptia85 · 12/03/2022 18:08

YES!!I
And many of my friends and neighbors offering their homes too.

I met and worked with some ukrainians, they are hard working, polite and intelligent people.

They suffered like non of us, and for no (!) reason. We have got to help, that's the minimum we can do for them.

Tiaptia85 · 12/03/2022 18:10

how ridiculous to bring up race in here 🤦🏻‍♀️

MelvinThePenguin · 12/03/2022 18:10

I’d really like to.

We have a reasonably sized home on the edge of a big town but our spare room is now my office. We are mid renovation and could turn the new playroom into a room for a woman and 1-2 children. We’d have to work flat out to get it done though. We’d also have to finish our ensuite as 1 bathroom would be a challenge for 6/7 people.

My parents have an enormous 6 bed place that they rattle around. They could make their top floor virtually self contained for a small family. I really hope they do. My DM would, I think. I’d help them out financially and visit with my young DC often.

Spotsmum · 12/03/2022 18:12

What a bizarre and unhelpful bit of posturing. Good grief.

BananaPlants · 12/03/2022 18:13

@implantreplace - I also had thoughts above safeguarding. Not sure why you have been jumped on because of voicing it.

There are men who scour online dating sites specifically looking for vulnerable seeing women with children so that they will have access to children. I’m not saying there aren’t risks elsewhere, of course there are, but it is a consideration that is allowed to be raised - when you will
have vulnerable women and children, presumably grateful for accommodation and not sure where they will go next, not able to speak English well , if the were to end up in the home of one of those men and saw them as someone trustworthy.

Flip

1 2 ··· 30 31 32 ··· 39 40