How to Talk to your Child about Emotions

Children’s social and emotional skills begin to develop from a very young age. Building a good understanding of emotions when you’re young helps you relate to others and manage your own mental health later on. Talking openly with children about how they feel and why, enables them to start recognising and understanding different emotions. Follow these simple steps from our friends at Feeling Better to start a conversation.

If you have young children that are suffering and are a bit down due to the lockdown and are finding it hard to express their emotions. 

For further Information please www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies 

NHS Mental Wellbeing Audio Guides

You can listen to a series of mental wellbeing audio guides to help you boost your mood.

You can listen to them privately, in your own time, to help you through feelings such as anxiety or a low mood and overcoming sleep problems.

Click here for the audio guides.

Private Fostering

Overseas Nursery Authority - rename from Overseas Nursery Allowance

Overseas Nursery Allowance renamed to Overseas Nursery Authority

Parents of 3- and 4-year olds in overseas locations where MOD schools and settings are not available can apply for reimbursement of nursery fees by means of Overseas Nursery Allowance (ONA)

Formerly referred to as ISODET Nursery Allowance, Overseas Nursery Allowance has been mislabelled. It has never been an allowance, but rather a reimbursement of fees paid.

Following consultation with stakeholders across all three Services and Families Federations it was decided that Overseas Nursery Allowance, moving forward, will be known as Overseas Nursery Authority to avoid confusion.

The application process will not change. Parents will continue to apply via Army Res and if approved, are issued with an Authority to claim.

Overseas Nursery Authority DIN (2020DIN01-046) refers and information can also be found at DCYP GOV.UK page: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childcare-for-service-children

MOD Healthy Living Guide

To view the full booklet, 
please click HERE

HM GOVERNMENT - The Skills ToolKit FREE Courses

The Skills Toolkit

Free digital and numeracy courses to build your skills.

The Skills Toolkit offers a selection of free, high quality digital and numeracy courses at all levels, to help you build up your skills and get ahead at work. From online safety to coding, there's something for everyone.

Get started now ➡️ gov.uk/theskillstoolkit

National Army Museum Learning Resources

The National Army Museum's website has learning resources ​​for KS​3 (Age 11-14)

Please click HERE to see

Children And Family Court Advisory And Support Service (CAFCASS)

About Cafcass

If you are a young person, please see the ‘About Cafcass for young people’ page.

Cafcass stands for Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

Cafcass represents children in family court cases in England. We put children’s needs, wishes and feelings first, making sure that children’s voices are heard at the heart of the family court setting, and that decisions are made in their best interests. Operating within the law set by Parliament (Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000) and under the rules and directions of the family courts, we are independent of the courts, social services, education and health authorities and all similar agencies.

Our duty is to safeguard and promote the welfare of children going through the family justice system. Our experienced Family Court Advisers may be asked by the court to work with families and then advise the court on what we consider to be the best interests of the children involved in three main areas:

• divorce and separation, sometimes called ‘private law’, where parents or carers can’t agree on arrangements for their children
• care proceedings, sometimes called ‘public law’, where social services have serious concerns about the safety or welfare of a child
• adoption, which can be either public or private law.

For full information and support please see www.cafcass.gov.uk

Veterans Gateway APP

Veterans Gateway Launches New App to Support Armed Forces Community

The new Veterans Gateway App will allow ex-Service personnel who are in need to get help from the palm of their hands.

Veterans’ Gateway, a 24-hour point of contact for veterans’ support, has launched a new app enabling any ex-Service personnel who are in need to get help from the palm of their hands.

The Veterans’ Gateway app has been funded by the Ministry Of Defence and the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund.

Using a smartphone or tablet, the Veterans’ Gateway app helps veterans find organisations within their local area to help with issues such as finances, housing, employment, relationship, physical and mental health.

he directory, which is intuitive and easy to use, groups all NHS facilities across the country, and over 2,000 charitable organisations, allowing veterans and their families to access local support.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Johnny Mercer, said:

“I’m delighted this new app is now available to support veterans. It provides helpful location based signposting to the support and current services that are available.”

“We want to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran, and that includes a digital future where every veteran can easily access the support they need at the touch of a button.”

Since being set up in 2017, Veterans’ Gateway has received over 47,000 calls, signposting ex-forces personnel and their families to the wide range of support available, including the medical care in the NHS. Assistant Director of Veterans’ Gateway, Mark Collins said:

“This new app is a great way of enabling the veteran community to find information and gain advice on the go. Our team are here for them 24/7 and this technology means they can access local information quickly or use it to contact the service. By showing them the help and support available locally, it strengthens the fact that Veterans’ Gateway is the a key point of contact for veterans and their families.”

Northumbria University has developed the app alongside American based software designers Ripplenami. Associate Professor of Mental Health and Veteran Studies from Northumbria University Dr Matt Kiernan PhD said:

“This is the first time that this type of mapping technology has been available on an app. We are proud that through this excellent collaboration we have been able to create something bespoke to the veteran community. It will benefit veterans and their families  as they use it and it will allow us to better understand the needs of the veteran community across the UK and use that information to develop future services.”

The Veterans’ Gateway app is available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play.