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NFF News

**EDIT: This page has now expired. Please click here for a list of emergency contact details.**

 

We wish you a very Happy Christmas from all of us here at the Naval Families Federation. Please note that our offices will be closed from Friday 18th December 2020 to Monday 4th January 2021. Should you require urgent assistance over this period, you can find emergency contact details here:

 

Combat Stress Mental Health Helpline

Combat Stress

If you’re currently serving in the UK Armed Forces, you can call Combat Stress’ 24-hour mental health helpline. A team of specially-trained professionals are available day and night to provide free confidential advice and support. The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Their contact details are as follows:

The Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC)

The Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC)

If circumstances should arise, whilst your relative is deployed overseas that make it necessary for you to apply for his or her return home on compassionate grounds, such as a death in the family or a serious illness, you should contact JCCC at 01452 519951. This number is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days per week throughout the Christmas period.

The Royal British Legion

The Royal British Legion supports serving members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

 

They will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Their Contact Centre helpline will be available to call for the rest of the period:

  • 0808 802 8080 from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week (calls are free from UK landlines and main mobile networks) for all enquiries.
  • From overseas: +44 (0)20 3376 8080 (full rate)
Royal Navy Family & People Support (RN FPS)

If you have a concern or issue over the Christmas period that needs some support, especially if your Serving person is away from home please call RN FPS. They are available throughout the Christmas Period:

  • Opening hours: Mon – Fri 0800 – 2000; Sat & Sun (& Public Holidays) 0900 – 1600
  • Tel: 0800 145 6088/02392 728777
  • Out of Hours: via Officer of the Watch (OOW) – Portsmouth: 023 92 723875; Plymouth: 01752 555220; Yeovilton: 01935 45 5444/5446; Faslane: (DNBO) 01436 674321, ext. 4005
  • Email: navynps-peoplesptrnfpsptl@mod.gov.uk
The Samaritans

The Samaritans are available 24 hours a day all year around.

 

Please call:

  • UK – 116 123
  • Welsh Language Line – 0808 164 0123 (Not24-Hour, every day 1900 – 2300)
  • Republic of Ireland – 116 123
SSAFA Forces Line

SSAFA Forces Line

Strengthening Families - By Your Side

‘Strengthening Families – By Your Side’ offers Royal Navy and Royal Marines families the right support at the right time. This programme has been developed by the RNRMC and Naval Families Federation, with additional funding support from the Armed Forces Covenant.

 

Some services may be accessible during this Christmas period. Please visit the programme partners’ websites for further details.

 

A5 insert, talking about strengthening families.

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Announcements, Wellbeing, NFF News, Communications, Mental Health, RN/RM Announcements

NFF News: World Mental Health Day (10th October, 2020)

 

Update: 31st August 2021 – Thank you for your interest in the pilot project. The project is now closed. Your feedback is really important to us and will help inform future provisions – please do contact us and let us know your thoughts on how Headspace worked for you.

Introducing Headspace – a new project specially for you

Dealing with challenges is part and parcel of Naval family life, but in these strange times, some members of our serving Naval families might benefit from some extra support.

Covid-19 has brought many additional new challenges. What if there was something you could carry in your pocket to help you navigate through whatever you are facing?

We believe that the Headspace App can help, by giving you the skills you need to be able to focus on your own health and wellbeing.

That’s why NFF, supported by RN FPS and the RN Wellbeing Team, are delighted to offer serving and non-serving family members free access to the Headspace App as part of a pilot project.

We hope Headspace can help you find a little joy in your everyday.

 

What is Headspace?

Headspace is a platform for mindful living, meaning you can take it with you on a walk, a run or you can even do a workout with one of the Headspace trainers. You can use it to help you get to sleep with guided sleepcasts and music, as well as all the mindfulness courses on any topic you can think of. There are even topics and courses for children. Headspace also partners with many sports institutions to support developing a performance mindset for athletes. It’s really a gym membership for your mind. Click here to read an information leaflet. More information can be found on their website.

 

 

What you need to do

Please read the note below before you click the button to sign up for your free Headspace account. There is also a FAQ section at the bottom of this page to guide you through the application process.

 

Important note
  • Up to 3,000 serving RN/RM/RFA (regular and reserve) personnel and their loved ones will have free access to Headspace; our priority is for those families who will be most receptive to this support and most likely to make full use of it.
  • Application deadline: Noon on 31st August 2021
  • The licence gives registered family members free access to the Headspace app until 12th October 2021 so please make the most of the Headspace App while you can. 
  • You will be asked for a Service Number on the registration form so that your eligibility can be confirmed by the RN.
  • We are now able to allocate two licences per Service Number. Please ensure that you use two different email addresses when applying though, as this is a requirement of the Headspace programme. Once you have registered, and your eligibility has been confirmed, you will be contacted within 2 weeks with a link to create your account.
  • Only your name and email address will be shared with the Headspace team so that your account can be created. More details about our privacy policy can be found here.
  • If you would like to know more about the support services that are available for families,  please visit our Mental Health pages.
Sign up now - Project CLOSED
FAQ

We are aware that a small number of people have encountered some issues with their access to the Headspace App. If you do have any problems, please check the list below as hopefully the answer is here:

I’ve submitted my application but I’ve not received the link yet.

Q: I’ve submitted my application but I’ve not received the link yet.

 

A: If you have submitted an application for the App and haven’t heard from the NFF within two weeks, please check your junk/spam mailbox – once we have confirmed your eligibility, we are sending out the special enrolment link in an email which comes from noreply@nff.org.uk

I’ve received the email with the link, what do I do now?

Q: I’ve received the email with the link, what do I do now?

 

A: When you receive the email, please make sure that you click on the link and activate your account so that you can start to benefit from all of the great support that Headspace can offer.

How do I set up my account?

Q: How do I set up my account?

 

A: Please follow the below steps –

  1. Click on the enrolment link that we sent you in an email – please check your spam/junk box if you haven’t received it yet
  2. When you get to the NFF page on the Headspace website, click on Create a New Account
  3. Enter your Headspace login details – remember to use the same information that you provided when you completed your online application form on our website
  4. Follow each of the steps to create your account
  5. You will then receive an email asking you to verify the account – you need to follow the steps right up until completion
  6. Log out of the app and then log back in again.
  7. Now you should be able to access the full range of courses.

 

If you are still having problems once you’ve tried this, please contact the NFF team at contactus@nff.org.uk and we will get in touch with you to resolve it as soon as we can.

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NFF News, Mental Health

Researchers at King’s College London are carrying out a new study into maternal health and wellbeing in the Armed Forces community. Findings from the study will be used to help those providing care to spouses and partners of UK Armed Forces personnel, including NHS and Defence healthcare professionals, Armed Forces charities, community and welfare teams, and perinatal health organisations. It is hoped that this will lead to improvements in services for spouses and partners of Service personnel during and after pregnancy.  

Background

Pregnancy and the arrival of a new baby signifies a period of unprecedented change, excitement and hope for the future for most women. However, for some, it can be a particularly difficult time due to mental health issues, which may arise during or after pregnancy.  The spouses and partners of Armed Forces personnel may be at increased risk of developing a mental health problem in the perinatal period (pregnancy and up to 12 months following birth) as they are exposed to unique factors associated with this unique lifestyle. 

However, we know very little about what pregnancy and early motherhood is like for UK Armed Forces spouses and partners, with the majority of available evidence coming from the US. 

About this study

The study is being supported by the three Families Federations and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The project is being conducted via an online survey.

To take part in the study, participants should be: 

  • Currently pregnant (by a minimum of 12-weeks) or up to12 months postnatal 
  • 16 years old or above 
  • NHS registered  
  • Currently living in the UK  
  • In a relationship (married/civil partnership or other) 
  • Partner currently on regular or Full-time Reserve Service (FTRS) in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army or Royal Air Force OR in full-time civilian employment  

Please click this link to participate in the research.

Get in touch

If you’d like to know more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch:  

Posted on: 22nd January, 2020
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NFF News, Mental Health, RN/RM Announcements

 

Having assigned to work at Hasler Company, a dedicated centre to professionally help with rehabilitation for serving personnel, as well as losing friends to suicide, Captain Ryan Morris set up Project Regain to promote early detection and help for Royal Marines who could suffer from mental health issues.

 

Royal Marines have the lowest rates of mental health problems within the UK Armed Services, but Regain aims to improve mental health awareness and reduce stigma. Evidence collected by the project suggested that commandos find it hard to ask for support when symptoms of illness like PTSD and depression first appear. Findings also show that lack of knowledge about mental health issues make it a hurdle to recognising a developing condition. This initiative will help Marines access treatments at the start of an issue, which can reduce the treatment timelines.

 

 

Overview of Regain
  • It gives individuals access to basic education about mental health symptoms and the ways in which to seek help.
  • It allows serving Royal Marines to refer themselves directly to specialists without the need to first go through their unit’s medical officer – all they need to do is pick up a phone and call the Department of Community Mental Health at Colchester (Tel: 01206 817 057/ Mil: 94660 7057) and from there they will be put straight through to a nurse who will arrange an appointment locally.
  • Most Royal Marines who seek help have eight to 12 sessions of talking therapy and then carry on their careers. All the treatment provided is confidential.

 

Further Information

Please visit www.royalnavy.mod.uk/Regain for more information, or read a short summary of this initiative in Homeport magazine (Summer ’19, p.32).

 

 

Posted on: 13th May, 2019
Updated on: 18th June, 2019
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Wellbeing, NFF News

NHS England and MOD had been working together since 2017 to design and test a programme to support the small number of Armed Forces personnel who have complex and enduring physical, neurological and mental health conditions that are attributable to injury whilst in Service. On 29th March 2019, the new Armed Forces personnel in transition, Integrated Personal Commissioning for Veterans Framework (IPC4V) was launched.

 

Individuals who are eligible for this new approach are proactively identified by medical staff whilst they are on the Defence Recovery Pathway. This will occur while they are in an Armed Forces Personnel Recovery Unit.

 

This approach will ensure that eligible individuals transitioning out of the Armed Forces into civilian life will continue to receive comprehensive support. IPC4V will help deliver personalised care in line with the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant. This is part of the expansion of support under the NHS Long Term Plan.

 

IPC4V seeks to ensure that a range of organisations (i.e. health and social care, MOD, Service Charities) will work collaboratively with the individual and their family and/or carer to ensure the provision of personalised care, support and treatment that meets their needs, in ways that work for them.

 

The benefit of IPC4V will also include ongoing support to help ensure that each individual is an active participant in the planning and management of their own health and wellbeing, with outcomes and solutions having meaning and context within their life. A dedicated Veterans Welfare Manager will also be assigned to provide a range of support, including ‘guided conversations’ to help with identifying goals and actions in their life and family situation. It gives individuals more choice and control over how their care is planned and delivered.

 

As well as the establishment of this new framework, the MOD will also provide extra funding to a very small number of individuals injured in service, and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme recipients who require 24 hour, one to one care from a trained individual.

 

The funding, which has currently been set as £24,000 per year, for life, can be spent on health and wellbeing activities which are above those already provided by statutory services to enable a better quality of life for this small number of individuals.

Further information and reading
IPC4V poster
Guide to IPC4V, produced by NHS England
IPC4V poster
Information for healthcare providers
IPC4V informational poster
Information for patients
Injured personnel informational poster.
Short Summary of IPC4V (Homeport Summer '19, p.48)

Please visit NHS England’s site here, or contact england.armedforceshealth@nhs.net for more information.

 

Posted on: 10th April, 2019
Updated on: 18th June, 2019
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NFF News

 

Calling young people aged 11-18 with a parent in the Armed Forces

 

A study is being carried out at the University of Southampton to investigate how adolescents from Armed Forces families cope with stressful life events (both normal adolescent stressful events and events specific to Forces life). The results of this study could be used to provide recommendations for how best to support young people from Forces families during difficult times. We are particularly interested in encouraging effective practice in the use of Service Pupil Premium in schools, and there is currently a lack of evidence about what interventions are effective for young people and teenagers.

 

This online study is open to participants aged 11-18 who have a parent in the UK Armed Forces. Consent is needed from both the participants and their parent/guardian, which is given online. Participants are asked to complete some demographic questions and 3 questionnaires: one on stressful life experiences; one on resilience; and one on coping styles. The whole thing will take around 1 hour to complete. Participants will receive a £5 Amazon voucher to thank them for taking part in the study.

 

We would very much appreciate your support with this work, as without evidence it is very hard to encourage change. Thank you so much for sharing and participating!

 

Posted on: 28th February, 2019
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Announcements, NFF News, Mental Health

In December 2017, the Department of Health and the Department for Education released a Green Paper to consult on mental health provision for children and young people. It set out 3 key proposals for schools and the NHS to improve services.

 

The NFF released a formal response, following the publication of this Green paper. Our response highlighted the impacts of Naval Service have on children and young people’s mental wellbeing, and called for action in the Government’s future plans. To read a short summary of the Government’s proposals and our response, please click here.

 

Implementation

The consultation period lasted for 13 weeks from December 2017 to March 2018, and has received over 2,700 responses. The Government’s response to the consultation was published in late July 2018. The implementation began in early 2019 – 25 trailblazer areas across England to provide expert mental health support to almost half a million children and young people every year. 59 new Mental Health Support Teams are now undergoing training at seven universities nationwide, with plans to be operational by December 2019.

 

Each designated team will support up to 8,000 children and they are responsible for a cluster of around 20 schools and colleges each, to build on support already in place from different sectors (e.g. school counsellors, nurses). The teams are designated to help with treating mild and moderate mental health issues in school; a link to specialist NHS services will also be provided to those with more severe needs, to access the right support. Funding from the Department for Education is also in place to train senior mental health leads in schools and colleges, to work closely with the NHS teams.

 

The Current Trailblazer Areas

North

  • Doncaster CCG & Rotherham CCG
  • Liverpool CCG
  • Newcastle Gateshead CCG
  • Northumberland CCG
  • North Kirklees CCG & Greater Huddersfield CCG
  • South Tyneside CCG
  • Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership

 

Midlands & East

  • Herts Valley CCG & East and North Herts CCG
  • North Staffordshire CCG
  • Rushcliffe CCG and Nottingham North and East CCG
  • South Warwickshire CCG
  • Stoke on Trent CCG

 

South East

  • Buckinghamshire CCG
  • Berkshire West CCG
  • North Kent CCG grouping: Swale and Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley CCGs
  • Oxfordshire CCG

 

South West

  • Gloucestershire CCG
  • Swindon CCG

 

London

  • Bromley CCG
  • Camden CCG
  • Haringey CCG
  • Hounslow CCG
  • South West London HCP: Wandsworth and Sutton and Merton CCGs
  • Tower Hamlets CCG
  • West London CCG

 

 

Further Expansion

The trailblazer sites are made up of the NHS and key local stakeholders, including schools and colleges, local authorities and third sector organisations and will be rolled out to between one-fifth and one quarter of the country by 2023/24. Plans for further expansion of this service has also been set out in the NHS Long-Term Plan.

 

The NFF welcomes the introduction of the new services. Please do contact us if you would like to share your comments.

 

Posted on: 5th February, 2018
Last Updated on: 25th January, 2019
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Accommodation, NFF News, Civilian Housing

The government has opened a consultation process on improving access to social housing for members of the Armed Forces community.

 

The result of discussions between the MOD’s Armed Force Covenant team, officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and other interested parties, the consultation outlines proposals for new statutory guidance for local authorities to help members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families, to gain access to social housing.

 

It is aimed primarily at local authorities, as well as members of the Armed Forces and Veterans and their respective spouses and partners, although other social housing providers and voluntary and community organisations representing tenants and members of the Armed Forces are also expected to have an interest.

 

Among the proposals are that newly-issued guidance would:

  • Bring together, update, and build on the existing statutory allocations guidance in relation to members of the Armed Forces issued in 2012 and 2013.
  • Make clear that local authorities are expected to disapply any local connection requirements from divorced or separated spouses or civil partners of Service personnel who are required to move out of accommodation provided by the MOD.
  • Set out how local authorities can ensure that members of the Armed Forces and Veterans suffering from mental ill health are given appropriate priority for social housing.
  • Set out how local authorities can identify applications from members of the Armed Forces and Veterans to ensure that they are considered appropriately.

 

These proposals relate to England only.

 

The consultation document can be found here, while responses can be supplied through this survey

or by emailing AllocationGuidance@communities.gov.uk

 

The consultation runs until March 8, and the views of individuals as well as groups are welcomed.

 

The Armed Force Covenant, created by the Armed Forces Act 2011, is a promise from the nation to those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, and those who have served in the past, and their families.

 

It states that they should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services, and recognises that special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have the given most such as the injured and bereaved.

 

Posted on: 10th January, 2019
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NFF News, Mental Health

HALO survey

The Helping Armed Forces Loved Ones Survey (the ‘HALO’ survey) aims to better understand the needs and experiences of people who are worried about the mental health of a loved one who services or has served in the Armed Forces.

 

The second wave of the study is now underway. This part of the study focuses on mood swings.

 

If this sounds like something that may be relevant to you, please take 10 minutes or so to complete the confidential online survey. Upon completion, you can opt in to enter into a prize draw to win one of 5 Amazon gift vouchers (worth up to £50). The survey is here.

 

 

Help for Heroes Hidden Wounds

The HALO survey is part of a bigger HALO study that gives you the option to seek support directly from Help for Heroes ‘Hidden Wounds’ programmes. ‘Hidden Wounds’ can help if you are worried about the mental health of a family member, partner or loved one serving in the Armed Forces. It can help you, too, if you are worried about the effect of their mental health on your own wellbeing. To find out more visit the website and use the contact form or email.

 

HALO social media

Facebook

Twitter

 

Posted on: 5th November, 2018
Updated on: 30th January, 2019
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Wellbeing, NFF News, Mental Health, Research, Survey Publications

Thank you to everyone who responded to our recent survey about mental health for Royal Navy and Royal Marines families. Your feedback is extremely valuable and helps us to represent accurately your views and experiences. The results of the survey are here.

 

This survey was carried out to assist the House of Commons Defence Committee (HCDC) with its current inquiry into the Mental Health of the Armed Forces. The Committee makes recommendations for change. On 25 July 2018 it published Part 1 of its report into the Mental Health of the Armed Forces, which considers the scale of mental health issues. The Naval Families Federation provided evidence for this report. The Committee accepted our view that mental health should be considered in a holistic way, rather than focusing solely on the serving person. We want to find out more about the impact of military service and lifestyles on the mental health of family members, to make sure you are properly supported. Part 1 of the Committee’s report acknowledges that families’ mental health can be affected by the stresses of Service life and by traumatic events experienced by their military partners. It makes a number of recommendations, including that the Ministry of Defence, in conjunction with the health departments of the four nations, places a greater focus on Service and veterans’ families as part of its mental health care provision. This should include supporting further research into the mental health of current and former Service families to determine what provision is needed. The Ministry of Defence should also monitor how this provision is applied across the UK as part of its annual report on the Armed Forces Covenant.

 

You can read Part 1 of the HCDC report here and our evidence here. We will keep you up to date with any further developments as they happen.

 

Posted on: 5th September, 2018

 

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