If you have a child at boarding school in the UK, then you may be able to claim School Children’s Visits (SCVs). These are available in both the UK and overseas to help with separation and reunite children with their parents at their duty station during some school holidays.
If you’re posted overseas you can get six return or 12 single visits per year, in the UK (including Northern Ireland) it’s three return or six single visits a year for children under 18. Once your child is at university, you can get three return trips a year if you’re overseas. There is also extra support if a child with SEND has to stay in education and may support them until they are 25.
You do need to pay a parental contribution towards each SCV trip, and it’s also important to plan financially for any trips outside of the ones you can claim, no matter where you’re posted. There may be exeat weekends or important events that you wish to attend which are not covered by the SCV allowance.
You can find more details on SCVs in Chapter 10, Section 2 of JSP 752 or speak with your unit HR team for more advice on your eligibility and parental contribution.
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AFF would love to hear your feedback on SCVs – contact moneysupport@aff.org.uk to have your say.