support for families

When military service affects a partner, parent or carer, it can also impact those around them. That’s why our family case managers provide tailored support to help family members navigate their own path to recovery.

We can offer direct support to veterans’ partners, carers and children aged 18 and over. We can also help you find age-appropriate services for younger family members, to ensure they get the support they need too.

How we can help

We’ll work with you to create a personalised plan that helps your family thrive. How? By offering practical guidance, assistance, and advice for a wide range of challenges. This could include.

• Home and finance
• Health and wellbeing
• Mental health support
• Building a local support network
• Developing your life skills.

If we can't help you ourselves, we'll work with you to find out who can.

Home and financial support

How we can help

• Offer advice on benefits and other support you might be entitled to, and how to claim
• Provide one-off grants to support your daily and cost of living challenges
• Advise on finding employment, volunteering, or training opportunities
• Provide tools to help you understand your finances and gain new skills.

Health and wellbeing

How we can help

• Support you when talking to teaching staff, if your child is having difficulty at school
• Provide advice on safeguarding and social services issues
• Help you feel safe and secure in your home environment
• Arrange home adaptations for veterans in your family such as ramps, widened doorways or accessible bathrooms and kitchens
• Provide access to clinical support for veterans facing physical health challenges 
• Help combat isolation by connecting your family with your local community.

Mental health support

How we can help

• Arrange interim private counselling for your child if they are waiting for a CAMHS appointment 
• Provide access to Hidden Wounds, our mental health therapy service, for veterans and family members aged 18 and over
• Provide you with information about Kooth, a 24/7 free, safe, and anonymous online mental health support platform for younger family members (aged 11–24).

Kooth is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and is moderated by clinical professionals.

If you think anyone in your family is in immediate risk because of their mental health, and you cannot speak to a professional counsellor, the following services can help

• You can call Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123.
• Mind has information for children and young people
• Text 'SHOUT' to 85258 to receive free and confidential mental health support text messages. This is from a charity called Mental Health Innovations
  
• The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) has a helpline - 0115 854 2299
• If someone's life is in danger, call 999.

Building a local support network

How we can help

When you feel part of your local community, it can really boost your family's sense of wellbeing. That's why we help you find sports, leisure and social activities to enjoy in your area. This could include

• Sports taster sessions, including adaptive sports
• Regular classes and clubs
• Family-friendly activities
• Social activities.

Developing life skills

How we can help

We can guide you through our Recovery College. This provides a wide range of free courses specifically designed for the Armed Forces community, to help you develop knowledge and skills that move you and your family forward. Topics include

• Getting started
• Managing finances
• Healthy eating and nutrition
• Mental health and wellbeing challenges such as anger, anxiety and low mood
• Physical health issues such as sleep, pain and hearing loss
• Self-care for carers.

You can take part in live online sessions or explore self-help guides at your own pace.

Get Help

If your family would benefit from some support, you'll need to go through our Get Help process. You can call our friendly helpline team on 0300 303 9888, or complete the online form.