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 Family Separation and Readiness


Community Support Handbook


SSAFA-Forces Help

http://www.ssafa.org.uk/ SSAFA-Forces Help:   On 1 Jan 97 SSAFA amalgamated with the Forces Help Society (FHS) and is now known as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association-Forces Help (SSAFA-Forces Help). The slight change in the SSAFA name was designed to emphasise the help given to families in their own right. SSAFA-Forces Help exist to help, according to need, all serving and ex-Service personnel and their families and dependants. The Branch network operates world-wide utilising many experienced volunteer caseworkers and visitors. Although the bulk of their casework concerns ex-Service personnel and their families they also handle casework for serving personnel; most commonly they provide stations with reports to support cases for compassionate postings/discharges/leave etc and in some circumstances can provide a limited escort service to unaccompanied Service families. Details of the aims and objectives of SSAFA Forces Help the services available and information on the Branches and their volunteers are contained in the SSAFA Forces Help handbook, which is distributed to all units.

SSAFA-Forces Help RAF (UK)
  • Introduction:   SSAFA-Forces-Help RAF (UK) provides RAF personnel and their families with a professional social work support service offering an all-embracing service to the RAF Community outwith the normal chain of command. The services' 58 staff includes fully trained social workers and social work assistants who are able to deal with a broad range of social support issues within the Service environment in a confidential manner. The service is a vital means of ensuring that RAF personnel and their families are not disadvantaged and, more importantly, that they are properly supported by a professional, sympathetic and confidential service.


  • Code of Confidentiality:   The service is provided under the agreed rules of confidentiality between the client and SSAFA-Forces Help which, in simple terms, means that anything told in confidence cannot be passed on to a third party without the individuals' consent. However, the following are accepted as circumstances when confidentiality may be broken and the appropriate authority apprised of any situation of which they need to be aware:

    a.When there is a serious risk to the individual, as in a threatened suicide.

    b.To protect others. For example, information about possible child abuse should be disclosed to the Local Authority Social Services Department in UK and to SSAFA-Forces Help Social Workers overseas.

    c.To prevent a serious criminal act, especially where others might be endangered, for example, terrorism or anything involving drugs.

    d.Where a breach of security or Service discipline is involved.

    e.Where the military effectiveness of a Serviceman will be badly affected.

    However, the code of confidentiality will only be breached, without the agreement of the individual concerned, as a last resort - the client will always be advised that this action is being taken.


  • Head of Service:   The Head of Service SSAFA-Forces Help (RAF) is located at HQ Personnel & Training Command and has overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of the RAF (UK) Social Work Service.


  • Regional Social Work Managers:   There are 2 Regional Social Work Managers (SWM); one (responsible for the Northern Region) is based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse and the other (responsible for the Southern Region) is based at RAF Stafford.


  • Area Social Work Managers:   There are 9 Area SWMs regionally located to provide professional support to station PMS and community support staffs. In addition, they supervise the Personal & Family Support Workers (P&FSWs) and liaise with the Local Authority Social Service staffs. The professionally qualified Area SWAs are located at RAF Brize Norton, RAF Coningsby, RAF Cosford, RAF Leeming, RAF Leuchars, RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Lyneham, RAF Marham and RAF Uxbridge.


  • Personal & Family Support Workers:   Personal & Family Support Workers (P&FSWs) are based at each large and medium sized station to give confidential help and advice to Service personnel, and their families, whose well being is adversely affected. P&FSWs require Service experience, although not necessarily as a Service person, and a proven interest in the welfare of Service personnel and their families. Each receives 6 months training prior to taking up post and has to participate in regular continuation training throughout their time with the RAF. Those who have been in post for one year undergo training to enhance their skills in working with couples and relationship problems. They continue to be professionally supervised throughout their career by an Area SWM.


  • Funding:   Although the SSAFA-Forces Help (RAF) welfare organisation is centrally funded and does not affect station budgets, individual stations are responsible for providing office accommodation, furniture, IT, telephones etc.
For more information:

Addional Information: SSAFA

Website: http://www.ssafa.org.uk/

Community Volunteer Scheme (CVS):   The CVS is a SSAFA-Forces Help initiative in which volunteers, both serving personnel and others, offer to those in need the type of first level support which in the civilian community would normally be available from nearby relatives or long standing friends and neighbours. CVS work includes: family support to young families; visiting isolated and lonely headless families; befriending and referral to the appropriate agency, where necessary; supporting the bereaved; assisting irregular occupants to make the transition to the civilian community; practical tasks such as transport to local hospitals and other agencies; provision of a Family Escort Service when families need help in moving. A short training programme, including a 3-day counselling course, is run and funded by SSAFA-Forces Help who also provide a start-up grant although, in the long-term, CVS must be self-supporting. As the SSAFA-Forces Help SW Assts grow in number, there is the potential here for a 3-layered welfare support system for stations with the fully trained SWAssts at the apex of the structure, able to monitor the work of, and delegate to, the CVS, while below, the HIVE organiser continues to channel cases to either, depending on the severity/complexity of the problem.

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