Support for Veteran Family Carers
Are you caring for someone who is a veteran, ex-service member or completed UK National Service?
Are you a veteran or ex-service member caring for someone?
I am a veteran, ex-service member. I have served including UK National Service or I am caring for or have a connection to someone who has served.
Thanks to funding from Veterans Foundation we are able to support those caring for a veteran or someone who has served and also those who have served who now find themselves in a family caring role, this includes those who completed their UK National Service.
We can offer:
- Emotional and wellbeing advice
- Advice with practical issues
- Signposting to other agencies and teams within Suffolk Family Carers if relevant.
- Opportunities to meet with other family carers
By registering with Suffolk Family Carers, you will have an opportunity to speak with one of our trained advisors who not only understand family carer issues but also Armed Forces life. As part of the conversations you have with our advisors you will have the chance to air your concerns around your caring role and explore solutions to support the whole family.
We help support different families within the Veteran Community, they all have different needs and caring responsibilities. Here you can see how we have helped Veteran and other family carers across Suffolk.
Your Space Veteran Community Support Groups
Your Space groups are offered as part of the newly developed Veterans Voice regional network.
Your Space is a free, friendly and monthly informal cuppa and cake style gathering with occasional activities and speakers, currently offered in Bury St Edmunds and Claydon but new groups are developing across the county.
These groups are for family carers of veterans and veterans who are themselves the family carer. They offer a chance to take a break from your caring role and connect with others in similar situations.
Your Space
Providing a welcoming and supportive group for family carers within the veterans community. This is your space to share experiences, connect with others who understand, and find support from like-minded people.
Useful Resources
We have collated a comprehensive list of local and national organisations who support, serving personnel, ex-service personnel and their families.
Upcoming Workshops
At Suffolk Family Carers we host regular workshops covering a variety of different topics to help you manage your caring role to the best of your ability.
Your Road to Support as a Veteran Family Carer
All Family Carers are entitled
to a Carers Assessment.
Completing UK national service
means that you or the person you
care for are considered part of
the Armed Forces Community
We offer a wide range of
information, advice and
guidance for family carers,
however, the Armed Forces
Covenant will be able to
provide specific advice.
Support for the person
you care for when they
are in hospital can be
found from Defence
Medical Welfare Service
and Op-Restore.
A wide range of benefits
and additional support
are available.
There are many organisations who can
help support your Wellbeing as well
as our team. You could also look at:
As a Veteran there are specific services that
can support you if you have mental health
difficulties, take a look at these:
The Matthew Project is a bespoke drug
and alcohol service offering confidential
advice and support to current and
ex-HM Forces personnel and their
families, across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex,
and Cambridgeshire.
You can check out the list of helpful
resources, or contact our Serving Suffolk
Families team by email or call them on
01473 835477.
If you require more support and would
like to discuss your caring role in
more detail please register with us.
New Mental Health Support for Armed Forces Spouses and Partners with Caring Roles
Suffolk Family Carers is excited to share news of a new project specifically supporting UK Armed Forces partners and spouses of who have a caring role. This includes reservists. Caring Forces is the latest offer from the charities Serving Suffolk Families Team and complements existing offers of support to veterans,
Dear Advisor – I saw a poster that said ‘say you served’ – what does this mean?
I was sitting in my GP surgery last week and I saw a poster that said ‘say you served’ – what does this mean? I did serve back in the day, is this something I need to know about? This is such a great question and thanks for getting in
Supporting Veteran’s Affected by Fireworks
Many ex-service people experience PTSD, with celebrations that happen at this time of year can cause more distress for these veterans. This can leave them terrified and with a feeling they are back in a warzone and in real danger, unable to fully distinguish past from present.
