From: Air Commodore S Bryant CBE MA BA RAF

FAMILIES RESILIECE COURSE 19 – 21 APRIL AND 16 – 18 AUGUST 2017

GENERAL

1. The military rightly values Service families and, where a service person (SP) is either wounded,

injured or sick (WIS) or providing long-term care for a spouse, additional support to the family

is often required to provide the best recovery outcomes for the WIS SP or spouse[1]. The Royal British Legion has been examining ways of broadening its support to the families of the Armed Forces community and it is intended that two Families Resilience pilot courses of 3 days duration will be conducted between 19 - 21 Apr 17 and also 16 – 18 Aug 17 at the Battle Back Centre Lilleshall.

AIM

1. The aim of this letter is to alert addressees to the Families Resilience Courses so that suitably

deserving family groups can be identified and to inform those with responsibility for aspects of course delivery.

BENEFICIARY ELIGIBILITY

1. For the purpose of the initial pilot courses target beneficiaries will be restricted to families

where one parent, either serving or a spouse, is assigned as long-term sick or a designated carer. Courses will be open to the families of all three services. In order for children to benefit from the activities being offered an age restriction on children of 11 – 18 years is to be applied for the pilot courses.

1. The current MOD guidelines for attendance by serving wounded, injured and sick (WIS) on

Battle Back Centre courses that individuals must be independently mobile and self-medicating are to be applied to the Families Resilience courses.

PROGRAMME

1. The Families Resilience Course will focus on ‘challenge’ through a mix of individual and family

focussed activities using sport and adventurous training as the mediums to develop personal and family resilience, to improve motivation and to foster positive relationships. A copy of the draft programme is attached at Annex A.

COURSE DESIGN

1. Leeds Beckett University (LBU), through its contract agreement with TRBL, is to be responsible

for all course design. As these are new courses specific family based interventions will be trialled for the first time. It will be necessary to adjust the programmed activities according to the needs of those families attending.

EVALUATION

1. Both pilot courses are to be evaluated throughout. Evaluation responses will be used to identify

and characterise those elements of programme content and delivery methods that best underpin the most positive and sustainable outcomes. Evaluation is to include recommendations regarding the equipment required to optimise participation by the age ranges attending.

SELECTION PROCESS FOR SUITABLE AND ELIGIBLE FAMILIES

1. Single service recovery reps will be invited to submit bids to HQ Regional Command through

the TRBL PRC Liaison Officer. Applications will then be sifted and places allocated according to need. OC Battle Back will arrange for joining instructions to be sent to those selected to attend.

1. Bids for places on the Families Resilience Course will need to be submitted to HQ RC (TRBL

Recovery Liaison Officer) by 5 Apr and 2 Aug 17. The application, in the form of the current pre-course questionnaire for serving personnel is at Annex B and for service dependants the Parent/Guardian consent form at Annex C is to be completed.

ADVERTISING

1. As this is a new offer it will be necessary to advertise the course widely. A poster, in electronic

Format has been produced by TRBL. This can be forwarded to units and to Personnel Recovery Units (PRUs) to alert them to this new opportunity.

INSURANCE

1. Attendance by military personnel is considered a duty recovery activity and will, therefore, be

covered under normal MOD arrangements. Personal liability insurance for dependants will be provided through TRBL’s group insurance.

TRAVEL

1. MOD regulations only provide eligibility for duty travel to WIS service personnel and in some

cases for an authorised care worker. It does not extend to dependants[2]. This TRBL offer is specifically targeted at families. However, they are outside the scope of MOD provided travel and travel allowances. In order to ensure that service families are not prevented from attending the Families Resilience Course TRBL will meet the reasonable travel costs of those attending. That would cover return motor mileage from home to the Battle Back Centre at a comparable rate to the MOD MMA allowance of £0.25p per mile, but would not cover either chauffeur driven or dedicated taxi travel. It would though extend to 2nd class off-peak rail travel together with taxi costs to/from home and the closest mainline stations. For Lilleshall that would be Telford Central Satation.

CONCLUSION

1. The Families Resilience Course is a new offer to meet a perceived shortfall in support for

service families, where one parent is currently long-term sick. Every effort will be made to provide a mix of activities that are stimulating and challenging for both parents and their children. The early identification of suitable families to take part in the pilot courses is essential to the success of the pilot courses. Evaluation conducted during the course will be used to refine subsequent courses.

C J JOYNSON

Recovery Operations Manager

The Royal British Legion Battle Back Centre Lilleshall

Annexes:

1. Families Resilience Course Outline Programme.
2. Military Personnel Pre-Course Questionnaire.

Distribution

External:

Action:

OC Battle Back Centre

Leeds Beckett University Carnegie Great Outdoors Battle Back Centre Programme Manager

Information:

Internal:

Action:

TRBL Recovery Liaison Officer

Information:

TRBL Breaks Operations Manager

Leeds Beckett University Carnegie Great Outdoors

-Director

-Outdoor Development Manager

ANNEX A

FAMILIES RESILIENCE COURSE - OUTLINE PROGRAMME

Arrival/Departure

• Families may either arrive on Wed 19 Apr between 09:00-10:00hrs or afternoon/night Tue 18 Apr 17 before 21.00hrs.

• Anticipated departure time on Fri 21 Apr is NLT 14:30hrs.

Activities

• Activities may be changed or adjusted based on the ages and abilities of family members or due to weather conditions.

ANNEX B

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION BATTLE BACK CENTRE LILLESHALL

FAMILIES RESILIENCE COURSE

PRE COURSE QUESTIONNAIRE – MILITARY PERSONNEL

Headquarters Battle Back

National Sports Centre Lilleshall Newport Shropshire TF10 9AT

01952 815670

mailto:Battle Back-DASATC-Office Mngr

Please complete all boxes

Detailed information is required to ensure that appropriate accommodation and support is provided for individuals for the duration of their course and residence during the MAC.

6.In authorising this application I confirm that the applicant has CoC and medical CoC clearance to attend the course. I also confirm they are self-medicating, independently mobile, and have been made aware that the above information will be passed to the Battle Back Centre military staff in confidence.

It will be the responsibility of the person(s) receiving or processing information to adhere to the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA 98). The data processed will ONLY be used for the purpose it was provided for and will NOT be disclosed to others outside of this remit. All data WILL be destroyed once the purpose for it being produced has been carried out. For further information on the DPA 98 contact your data protection officer or visit the Information Commissioner’s website:

PARENT AND PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT FORM

We request that the non-serving parent or guardian of any young person attending the Families Resilience Course completes the following consent form:

SERVICE PERSONS DETAILS

SERVICE DEPANDANTS

CHILDREN DETAILS

PARENT/GUARDIAN DETAILS(to be contacted in an emergency)

AUTHORISATION:

1

[1] UK support services for families of wounded, injured or sick Service personnel: the need for evaluation Verey A, et al. J R Army Med Corps 2016

[2] JSP 800, Vol 5 (SO2 Policy ARC Guidance Notes 21 Feb 17).

[3] PRO or Unit POC submitting application.