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Relationships, Wellbeing, NFF News, RN/RM Announcements

Last call

Thank you for your fantastic feedback on our project. We are delighted to see that it has been incredibly well-received. Please note that due to popular demand, the deadline for applications is midday 27th May 2022.

Introduction

Separation and deployment are part and parcel of Royal Navy and Royal Marines Service life. For the past few years, the Naval Families Federation (NFF) has been providing RN/RM personnel and their loved ones with book resources to help them through the challenges Service life may bring.

 

With thanks to your fantastic feedback, we are delighted to receive further funding from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) to launch the ‘Books for All’ project.

 

Our book list includes a wide range of topics suitable for all ages. What’s more, in recognition that RN/RM children experience the most parental absence of all three Armed Forces, we have expanded the eligibility to schools with at least one RN/RM Service pupil enrolled. Carers/Service parents are encouraged to engage with your school(s) to encourage sign-ups.

 

Eligibility/Terms and Conditions
  • For Service families: A maximum of one book for each family member of currently serving Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel. You will be asked to provide your (or your serving person’s) Service number for eligibility purposes.
  • For schools: Limited to 10 books per school, staff are welcome to put these in their library or use them in any particular work they do with Service children. To apply, you must have at least one RN/RM Service child enrolled in your setting.
  • While every effort will be made to process orders quickly, this project is not supported by any additional staffing resource, so please be patient with us.
  • The provision of resources is subject to funding and availability, we will contact you if there is an issue with the book that you requested.
  • By applying to this project, you consent to be contacted by the NFF to collect feedback.
BOOK LIST
APPLICATION FORM
FAQ
I have previously benefited from the family resource project, am I eligible?

Q: I have previously benefited from the family resource project, am I eligible?

A: For families – Yes, you may still apply for ‘Books for All’, using our published eligibility/terms and conditions above. Please note: If you have previously received a book from the family resource project, we ask that you do not request the same book title(s) from ‘Books for All’.

 

For schools – If your school has benefitted from our previous resource project, unfortunately, you will not be eligible for this project. However, please share our project with your Service families for them to apply directly.

Can overseas families apply to this project?

Q: Can overseas families apply to this project?

A: Yes, certainly! This project aims to support all currently serving Royal Navy and Royal Marines families regardless of where they live. We recognise that it has been a challenge over the past years for overseas families to visit their families and friends back in the U.K. and we hope that this project can help. However do allow extra time for your parcel to arrive.

I haven’t received my parcel/ not heard from you, what do I do?

Q: I haven’t received my parcel/ not heard from you, what do I do?

A: This project is not managed by additional staff, please be patient with us.

Due to popular demand, we are unable to send out any confirmation email however the thank you landing page on Survey Monkey acknowledges the receipt of your application.

Despite best effort, Royal Mail are currently experiencing some delays due to the pandemic. Please check their website for the latest service updates in your area.

Please only get in touch with us via project@nff.org.uk or 02392654374 if you have not received your parcel 3 weeks from initial contact.

For overseas families, do allow an extra week due to customs.

I have a great book in mind, are you happy to include this in your list?

Q: I have a great book in mind, are you happy to include this in your list?

A: Yes. There are many new books published daily and we’d love to include anything that can best support our beneficiaries. Please let us know at project@nff.org.uk

I am a Reservist, am I eligible?

Q: I am part of the RN/RM Reserves, am I eligible?

A: If you have been impacted by the pandemic, for instance, you have been mobilised, we welcome your application and hope our project can help you and/or your loved ones.

How will my data be stored?

Q: How will my data be stored?

A: Survey Monkey is a fully secured system. Only staff members who are involved in the logistics of this project have access to the system. Your data, unless otherwise stated (e.g. you have opted in to receive our Homeport magazine), will be deleted as soon as possible after the dispatch of your package. Please click here to view our privacy policy.

Posted on: 1st February 2022
Updated on: 4th May 2022
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Uncategorized

We wish you a very Happy Christmas from all of us here at the Naval Families Federation.

 

Our Christmas hours are as below:

  • Closing: 5pm on Thursday 23rd December 2021
  • Reopening: 9am on Tuesday 4th January 2022

 

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.

 

Their Contact Centre helpline will be open as usual:

  • 0808 802 8080 from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week
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. Please visit this page for their hours and contact details.

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, NFF News, Childcare, Early Years and Childcare, RN/RM Announcements, Research, Survey Publications

It is with great pleasure that we, at the Naval Families Federation, are launching our 2021 Childcare report. We hope that you will agree with us, that it has been worth the wait and that it will help to shape the future of childcare for the Royal Navy.

 

We are so grateful to everyone who responded to our childcare survey last year. Our report aims to ensure that your voices, experiences and concerns that you have about childcare in the Royal Navy have been accurately represented. In addition to families’ feedback we have included lots of relevant research.

 

The focus of this report is on those aspects of childcare which place an extra burden on households as a direct result of Royal Navy Service life.

 

It is our aspiration that the short and long term recommendations made in this report will inform future MOD policy (including the wraparound childcare pilot and policy), as well as Royal Navy and wider Royal Navy charitable support.

 

To read the full report, please download the interactive PDF here.

 

Posted on: 27th January, 2021
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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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NFF News, Spousal and Family Employment

The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) have announced the launch of their brand-new Partner Career Support Programme – providing exemplary career support to spouses and partners of members of the UK Armed Forces.

 

Whether you’re already in employment, have been out of work for some time, or are based overseas and are looking to understand your suitability for a UK based role, CTP are here to help you find a future career that suits your individual needs and experience.

Your support will be flexible to allow you to understand your career path options and develop the confidence to progress along your desired career path, all while still having time to meet the demands of Service and family life.

 

This 6-month programme will be entirely accessible online, and it is fully funded by the Ministry of Defence so there is no cost to join. There are 750 places on the programme.

 

Registrations are now open until January 2021. You can find out more about the programme/ sign up here.

 

Posted on: 1st November, 2020

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Education, NFF News

 

The Service Children’s Progression Alliance (SCiP Alliance), has worked with partners across the UK to develop a self-reflection tool for schools to consider their support for children in Armed Forces families. Underpinned by rigorous research and thoroughly tested in school, the Thriving Lives Toolkit provides schools with a framework of 7 principles through which to reflect on their practice and suite of resources developed in collaboration with a range of partners across the UK.

This tool provides policy makers and practitioners with a clear picture of the number and distribution of Service children by local authority, based on English Service Pupil Premium data.

Kath Lawrence, SCiP Alliance Head of Operations, said “Children and young people in Armed Forces families have unique strengths and challenges. Discontinuity in learning, relationships and opportunities due to the complex and highly individual interplay of school transition and separation from parents can affect Service children’s achievement, progression and wellbeing. This toolkit will help teachers to reflect on their approach to supporting Service children and give them the tools to plan and deliver effective support. The SCiP Alliance’s network of Hubs will be organising a series of training conferences to further support schools in engaging with the Toolkit.”

 

Service parents are encouraged to share this with their child(ren)’s school.

 

Posted on: 29th October, 2020
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Finance, Relationships, Wellbeing, NFF News, RN/RM Announcements

*Article updated on 17th February 2022*

 

‘Strengthening Families – By Your Side’, an offer of support for all Royal Navy families, was officially launched on 1st September 2020.

 

Strengthening Families – By Your Side was developed by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) and Naval Families Federation (NFF), in partnership with the Royal Navy, Kings Active Foundation, Home-Start UK and Relate. This project is supported by funding over the next three years from the Armed Forces Covenant. In addition to this, the RNRMC have also brought together funded projects from the Naval Children’s Charity, Aggie Weston’s and KIDS to provide a comprehensive support package to service families whenever and wherever they need it.

 

This groundbreaking partnership work collaboratively to address some of the key issues underlined in the RNRMC’s ‘Understanding of Need’ report, primarily looking at the gap between the support available for dispersed families nationwide compared to support available for those living in or near base ports.

 

Strengthening Families Info Poster A5 insert, talking about strengthening families.

 

Professor Janet Walker, who has been instrumental in the project’s development, said:

“Increasingly, as Royal Navy families choose to live away from their home base, many are experiencing loneliness and social isolation, the absence of a military peer group who understand and share the same pressures, relationship difficulties caused by time spent apart during deployments and weekending, and the unpredictability of home-comings and family time.”

“‘Strengthening Families – By Your Side’ can break down the barriers to seeking support and will assist members of Navy families, wherever you live and whoever you are, to access confidential and personalised practical and emotional help.”

 

The importance of support for dispersed families was echoed by Anna Wright, CEO of NFF at the time:

“From my perspective the most exciting aspect of this project is that it supports our dispersed community.  With 39% living away from bases, having located in every county in the UK, it is essential that RNRM families can access appropriate support on the ground. And being able to self-refer to this support as a naval family is vital. We are delighted to be working with a group of charities that are collaborative, flexible and committed to supporting the naval lifestyle.

 

Mandy Lindley, Director of Relationships and Funding at the RNRMC added:

“By working together, we can deliver the improvement in quality of life that is needed by our service families. Strengthening Families – By Your Side is about early intervention and prevention, providing a range of services leading to improved family cohesion, conflict resolution, health and well-being, and increased levels of happiness.”

 

Further information

For more information about the full range of support available and how to access it please visit: rnrmc.org.uk/how-we-help/families-and-relationships

 

Posted on: 1st September, 2020
Updated on: 17th February, 2022
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Announcements, Wellbeing, NFF News, Communications, RN/RM Announcements, Relationship Support

 

The Naval Families Federation (NFF) is delighted to announce the launch of ‘Strengthening Families – By Your Side’, a new offer of support for all Royal Navy and Royal Marines families. This project is supported by funding from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC), as well as funds awarded by the Armed Forces Covenant.

 

Strengthening Families – By Your Side has been developed by the RNRMC and the NFF, in partnership with the Royal Navy, Kings Active Foundation, Home-Start UK and Relate. Initial funding of project activities, provided by the RNRMC and the Armed Forces Covenant, is to be rolled out over the next three years. The offer aims to provide comprehensive support to Naval Service families whenever and wherever they need it.

 

This groundbreaking partnership will work collaboratively to address some of the key issues underlined in the RNRMC’s ‘Understanding of Need’ report, primarily looking at the gap between the support available for dispersed families nationwide compared to support available for those living in or near base ports.  The RNRMC’s ‘Understanding of Need’ report highlighted that dispersed Naval Service families, i.e. families distributed throughout the country, are less likely than those who live close to base ports to be aware of available help and support and far more likely to have difficulties accessing the support available.

 

The project also seeks to tackle problems reported by Naval Service personnel and their families to the Naval Families Federation and the Royal Navy Chaplaincy. These can include a sense of isolation, relationship and parenting issues or mental health difficulties.

 

Anna Wright, CEO of the Naval Families Federation said:

‘We are delighted to have been involved in this vital initiative, particularly in the case of our isolated families.

Royal Navy and Royal Marines families are more widely dispersed than those of our sister Services, which brings its own challenges in terms of mutual support, gleaning information and access to the range of services that are available to families near base ports and other Naval establishments.

This kind of partnership between ourselves, the RNRMC and other stakeholders points to a potentially more effective way of using scare resources to greater effect.’

 

Mandy Lindley, Director of Relationships and Funding at the RNRMC said:

‘By working together, we can deliver the improvement in quality of life that is needed by our service families. Strengthening Families – By Your Side is about early intervention and prevention, providing a range of services leading to improved family cohesion, conflict resolution, health and well-being, and increased levels of happiness.’

 

More information about Strengthening Families – By Your Side will be coming soon to our website.

 

Posted on: 6th March, 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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Relationships, Relationship Support, Useful Links

The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) and Relate have launched a free relationship counselling portal for Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel and their partners.

 

The RNRMC Building Stronger Families portal is a self-directed online learning programme supporting naval couple and family relationships.

 

This project is a joint venture between the RNRMC, the National Charity of the Royal Navy, and the UK’s leading relationships charity, Relate, and builds on the successful relationship and family counselling introduced in 2016.

 

Both serving and former RN and RM personnel and their partners can sign up to the service for free, where they will then have access to seven different modules.

 

The courses are intended to support RNRM relationships with topics ranging from Military Life, Sexual Communication and Intimacy, to Family Life and Parenting.

 

The Building Stronger Families portal can be accessed here. For more information please visit here.

 

Posted on: 12th February, 2019
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