The new UK armed forces families’ strategy is due to be published soon by the Ministry of Defence. It’s been several years since the MOD last looked at service families’ issues in any detail, and we’re really pleased to see that this work is now a priority.
Along with the Naval and RAF families federations, AFF has been feeding evidence into this strategy to ensure that your voices are heard, and that the lives we lead as army families are understood and properly considered.
Families are a really important part of the UK defence community – I’d be expected to say that, wouldn’t I? But there are sometimes assumptions made about who we are and the support we need.
Everyone at AFF is passionately committed to helping you have your say on what your real concerns are, and to making change based on this evidence.
We’ll continue to do that over the coming months so that this strategy turns into real actions on childcare, education, families’ employment and training, housing and support to our non-British families.
Your opinions truly matter
Thank you for all the reactions to the stories in our last edition of Army&You. It’s great to get your feedback, and really helps us to gauge what matters to you, and to provide information that’s interesting and useful.
This issue looks at teens and young people living military life – deployments and disrupted schooling and how this impacts academic achievement, entry to higher education and forming friendships.
AFF has placed forces children’s needs at the forefront of our work for many years. We’ve pushed for change on the school admissions code, for example, and you can now use a private address when you make your application (page 24). We get many questions about the Service Pupil Premium, and we’ve worked with Defence Children Services to highlight where this, and other funding streams in the devolved regions and overseas, is being put to good use by schools.
And for the young adult in your family who might be looking to start their career, head to the Forces Families Jobs website, which has lots of information for them on employment and training.
Talk to us
As the families’ strategy takes shape in the coming months, we’ll make sure that these, and many other issues affecting your army family life, are taken into consideration. So please continue to contact us with all your concerns – even if you just have a comment or experience you want to share – and follow us on social media so you can spot our surveys and quick polls.
We want to hear from you! @the_AFF aff.org.uk