Russian embassy alerts parents to ‘gay families’ at British summer schools
The Russian embassy in London says it has received complaints from parents sending their children to UK summer schools where they have encountered, among other problems, ‘families of homosexuals’.
The Telegraph noted that the embassy has issued a Russian-language warning after a number of complaints about the treatment of Russian children in the UK.
Translated into English, it says a minority of children have been subject to “inappropriate” housing conditions while staying with British families for their summer school experience.
It claims some were denied food or removed from school for what were termed “minor violations”.
More than one child had apparently been placed in a “family of homosexuals”.
The embassy said it had and would continue to intervene where children were placed in inappropriate conditions at host family homes.
Diana Lowe, executive director of the Accreditation Body for Language Services, which some of the schools in question would be registered with, told the Telegraph: “We receive very few complaints.
“It’s fine for the Russian embassy to warn parents but I would urge them to take up these complaints with the schools in question and the accrediting body, if they haven’t done so already.”
On the question of children staying with gay parents, Ms Lowe told the paper: “It’s a delicate question. People who place students should be culturally aware and they should inform the student of the profile of the family. But there’s nothing wrong with a gay couple per se, and some of them are among the kindest hosts.”
