@daisypond
This is my concern, well meaning people thinking it will be a bit of fun, or like something from the Railway Children(!). Financially, practically, and emotionally, that jolliness will wear away quite quickly.
That was me who made that comment- but purely to indicate that they did it for free.
I’ve hosted homeless people in distress a few times - they have stayed between six months to a year. So I do know what I’m talking about a bit. Not war traumatised obviously. And we don’t have a spare room or a second bathroom. I know it’s not all jollies.
Total derail, but we can't know they did it for free. It's narrated by Bobby, and she wouldn't have known if there was a small financial arrangement there, because I'd very much doubt that her Mother would have mentioned it-money was definitely not something a lady would discuss!
I do agree with Daisypond though.
I don't have concerns people will do it for the money-£350/month is not going to be enough to tempt people.
But I would be pretty certain that there will be some people who will see it as a "safe" way to get a vulnerable lady or child into their house for the wrong reasons.
I also, from looking at comments on here, am also fairly sure that a lot of people are not going into it with their eyes open. You may be, and you do sound like you have some experience, but the majority won't have any experience.
Someone on here said they didn't think they'd be very traumatised because they'd left before the bombing started, for example. Well, even assuming they had left before they saw anything, I think I'd be fairly traumatised if I'd suddenly had to pack up my family with what I could carry, leave my house, my country, and dh and possibly ds and other relations, with a serious prospect of never seeing them again or going back.
I do think if this scheme is to work, then there needs to be a good support network both for the evacuees and the host families. Somewhere where they both can raise concerns, ask for help, talk to other people who have experience.
Who's going to get the children into school for example? Is that going to be left up to Ukrainian mums, or the host families? What if there's no local school places, who does it fall on to get the children to the school 2 miles in the wrong direction for their own school?
I think part of it is that taking a family into your own house is very obvious and visible help. With this scheme maybe they shouldn't just be asking for host families, but people who might be prepared to do other things that are valuable but haven't been publicised.
On the school front, what about people to help sort out schools, drive/take children to schools, help with homework, help with English, provide school uniforms etc. Boring but necessary stuff that involves giving time, effort, but not as much kudos.
I know from working with volunteers that people are far more inclined to put themselves forward for the ones which can be seen. The reason is fairly simple-because it's seen people know it's something where help is needed. Most of the people are very happy when you say "that isn't needed, but what is really needed is someone to quietly sort this in the back room" to get on and do it-they just didn't realise that back room work was needed.