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Army Families Federation

The independent voice of Army families - working hard to improve the quality of Army family life

Links

For your information we provide links to external websites. Please note that the Army Families Federation is not responsible for the content or reliability of any of these external websites and therefore does not officially endorse any information, products or services they might offer.

Categories:

General, Housing, Education, Health, Money, Travel, Resettlement, General Family Information, Cyprus, Germany, Chat/Information (unofficial), Finding Old Friends, Forces Media, Other Service Charities, Official Military

General

www.army.mod.uk/soldierwelfare/index.htm - useful information for Soldiers and dependants
www.armynet.mod.uk - ArmyNet is a restricted access website designed exclusively for soldiers and their families and is a one-stop shop for Army information, including such things as background and welfare information on operations such as Op Telic. This site is accessible to soldiers and their families from any Internet-enabled PC worldwide.
www.bfpo.org.uk - British Forces Post Office (BFPO) includes e-bluey facility for serving soldiers on deployment.
www.mod.uk - Click on the Service Community section for information from the Service Families Task Force, updating you on all the issues and concerns raised with AFF and the other Service Families Associations.
www.rafcom.co.uk - Excellent website full of useful links and information for Forces families.
www.armybenfund.org - The Army’s national charity which provides help for soldiers and their families. Visit the Army Benevolent Fund Giftshop at www.armybenfundshop.org
www.ssafa.org.uk - The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association - Forces Help. National charity helping serving and ex-Service men, women and their families.
www.crimereduction.army.mod.uk - website offering advice on a variety of topics to help reduce crime in your area. Useful links and email help facility.
www.hive.mod.uk - New HIVE website
www.forcesdiscounts-mod.co.uk - There are currently over 400 discounts/benefits available to Regulars, Reserves, Veterans, Cadets and Mod Civil Servants and Families. It's free to join and its official.
www.forcesdiscounts.co.uk - has been established to allow all businesses nationwide the opportunity to offer discounts to MOD Bases and Establishments as well as to individual Armed Forces Personnel and their families.
www.forcesdiscount.com - Offering discounts on all sorts of things - services and products to the military serving, retired, attached civilians and their families.
www.access.mod.uk - This new website outlines the rules and regulation about visiting MOD land for recreational purposes. The MOD has large areas of land that are open to the General Public, and this site gives information on areas in Scotland, England and Wales. If you have ever wanted to walk/ride/bike on some of the beautiful areas covered by training areas, but were afraid that you might meet a tank or find yourself in the middle of a live firing exercise, then visit the site and find the access times and safety information.
www.postedoverseas.com - This site is a portal for all forces personnel posted outside the UK. It has a comprehensive list of hundreds of categorised companies that post out to BFPO addresses. A section on the EHIC and a link to apply online. It also has a classifieds section, currency converter and more.
www.ceas.mod.uk - Children's Education Advisory Service website. If you are a service family and need help with your children's education, then contact CEAS by visiting their website.
www.defence-estates.mod.uk/sfa/intro.htm - The Defence Estates housing pages listing points of contact for Allocation Centres/ Housing Information Centres (HICs), Housing Offices and contractors helpdesks as well as other useful information.
www.ngvfa.org.uk - An independent registered charity aiming to support those who served in the 1990-91 and 2003 (to date) Iraqi / Gulf conflicts, either in the armed forces or as a civilian, and their families and dependants.

Housing

www.defence-estates.mod.uk - The Defence Estates housing pages listing points of contact for Allocation Centres/ Housing Information Centres (HICs), Housing Offices and contractors helpdesks as well as other useful information.
www.modernhousingsolutions.com - MODern Housing solutions website
www.army.mod.uk/jshao/ - The Joint Service Housing Advice Office. JSHAO provides all Service personnel and their families with information and advice on the housing options open to them whilst they are serving and when they are about to return to civilian life. JSHAO also provides help and information to ex-Service personnel who are still in Service Families’ Accommodation.

Education

General UK Education

www.dfes.gov.uk – Home page has sites for parents, school governors, teachers and young people. Home page give information on the latest developments in education as well as details of the National Curriculum, literacy and numeracy hours etc.

www.ofsted.gov.uk – Office for standards in education (Ofsted). Has inspection reports on individual schools.

www.parentcentre.gov.uk – A website to find schools at any postcode, also has special SEN pages, an agony aunt, learning resources and ideas on parent help groups.

www.dfes.gov.uk/leagateway - Site to find Local Education Authorities.

www.dfes.gov.uk/support/index.htm - Financial support for higher education students.

www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/student-disabled.cfm - A guide to disabled students allowances in higher education.

www.connexionsstw.org.uk – “Connexion”, a youth guidance service for 13-19 year olds. Advice on study, careers and personal development.

www.fasttomato.com – A site promoted by Connexions for careers and education decisions.

www.schoolsnet.com – Gives information on all state and independent schools. Also has information about the curriculum in England.

www.wales.gov.uk – Education in Wales.

www.deni.gov.uk – Education in Northern Ireland.

www.learndirect.co.uk – How to make best use of your computer by learning online.

www.ace-ed.org.uk – The Advisory Centre for education online help booklets.

www.qca.org.uk – Qualifications and Curriculum Agency.

www.ceas.mod.uk - Children's Education Advisory Service website. If you are a service family and need help with your children's education, then contact CEAS by visiting their website.

Overseas

www.sceschools.com – Provides information on Service Children’s Schools worldwide with links to SCE Schools with websites. Also contains general information on UK education.

www.ecis.org – The International Schools Directory

www.cobisec.org – Council of British Independent Schools in the European Communities.

IBHQ@ibo.org – Email address for the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

www.britishcouncil.org/education - European Resource Centre for Schools and Colleges.

Miscellaneous

www2.essex.ac.uk/clc/ - Children’s Legal Centre.
www.crights.org.uk – Children’s Rights Alliance for England.
www.napce.org.uk – The National Association for Pastoral Care in Education, specialist information including exclusion.
www.the-childrens-society.org.uk – Includes online help leaflet for parents worried about exclusion.
www.tcf.org.uk – The compassionate friends, a site for bereaved families and friends.
www.winstonswish.org.uk – Winston’s Wish supports bereaved children and young people. They offer support to those who care for bereaved children. Helpline: 0845 20 30 40 5.
www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk – Cruse is a National Voluntary Organisation for help with bereavement.
www.schoolappeals.org.uk – Information on schools appeals. Tel: 01903 718741.
www.ace-ed.org.uk – Help booklets for £1.00.
www.hive.mod.uk – The Hive website.
www.mod.uk – Click on the Service Community section for useful advice on moving from The Service Families Task Force.
www.childline.org.uk – The Childline charity website. Tel: 0800 11 11
www.bullyonline.org – www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying - (See also ace website) Sites for advice on preventing bullying.

Boarding Schools

www.sbsa.org.uk – Website for State Boarding Schools Association. The education is state funded, and parents only pay for board and lodging.
www.doyrms.com – The Duke of York’s Royal Military School, Kent.
www.welbeck.ac.uk – Welbeck College, sixth form residential college for those with a commitment to a career in the British Army.
www.qvs.org.uk – Queen Victoria School for Children of Scottish and Scottish-based Armed Forces personnel.
www.royalhospitalschool.org/ – The Royal Hospital School in Ipswich is a co-educational Full Boarding and Day School for 11 to 18 year olds offering substantial discounts for MOD CEA eligible families.
www.boarding.org.uk – The Boarding School Association website with search facility and links to school websites.
www.isbi.com – Enables you to search for boarding schools according to different criteria, such as area, type of school etc.
www.isc.co.uk – Search site for independent schools.
www.darch.co.uk – Search site for independent schools.
www.isinspect.org.uk – Independent Schools Inspectorate.
www.csci.org.uk – Commission for Social Care Inspection, responsible for inspecting the welfare arrangements for all boarding school pupils in the UK.
www.boardingschools.hobsons.com - Hobsons list all ISC accredited schools in the UK that offer boarding and have in-depth profiles for 220 of these schools. All of Hobsons products and service are completely free of charge to parents.
www.find-a-school.co.uk - This website enables parents locally, nationally and globally to locate independent private schools in the UK most suitable for their children.

Scottish Section

www.sqa.org.uk – Scottish Qualification Authority.
www.childminding.org – Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) Tel: 01786 449063
www.hmie.gov.uk – HM Inspectorate of Education
www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk – Information for parents in the Scottish Education System.
www.scotland.gov.uk – Education in Scotland.
www.student-support-saas.gov.uk – Student Award Agency for Scotland.
www.childreninscotland.org.uk/ - National advice service for parents and carers of children with special educational needs.
www.enquire.org.uk – Scottish advice service for learning support.

Special Educational Needs / Special Needs

www.bps.org.uk – Website to search for an Independent Educational Psychologist.
www.crested.org.uk – CreSTeD register of schools that help dyslexic children.
www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk – British Dyslexia Association.
www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk – The Dyslexia Institute.
www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk – The Dyspraxia Foundation, practical advice for home and school.
www.dyscalculia.org – Dyscalculia, a specific learning disability in mathematics.
www.dyscalculia.me.uk/ - The Dyscalculia site.
www.ssafa.org.uk – The Soldier, Sailors, Airman and Families Association.
www.sentribunal.gov.uk – Specail Educational Needs Tribunal site.
www.nas.org.uk – National Autistic Society.
www.info.autism.org.uk – PARIS Public Autism Resource & Information Service complimenting the NAS website.
www.hesleygroup.co.uk – The Hesley Group who specialise in schools and supporting children with Asperger Syndrome, Autism and other special needs.
www.oaasis.co.uk – Oaasis is Office for Advice Assistance Support and Information on Special needs and is a project of the Hesley Group.
www.network81.co.uk – National network to support parents of children with SEN.
www.kids-online.org.uk – A national charity helping children with SEN and disabilities.
www.drc-gb.org – Disability Rights Commission, offers casework services.
www.ndcs.org.uk – www.deafeducation.org.uk – www.rnid.org.uk – Sites for deafness.
www.sense.org.uk – Website for deafblindness.
www.nbcs.org.uk – The National Blind Children’s Society.
www.loouk.cjb.net – National Federation of Families with Visually Impaired Children.
www.bild.org.uk – The British Institute of Learning Disabilities. A not-for-profit organisation, to improve the life of people with learning disabilities.
www.cafamily.org.uk – Contact a family. An organisation for families of children with rare syndromes and disorders.
www.11q.net – www.rarechromo.org/ - Chromosome related problems support groups.
inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/csiehome.htm - The Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education.
www.ipsea.org.uk – The Independent Panel for Special Education Advice. Free service.
www.hornseytrust.org.uk – The Hornsey Trust supports Children and Families with Cerebral Palsey specialising in conductive education.
www.bibic.org.uk – British Institute for brain injured children.
www.headstrongkids.org.uk – Brain and spine foundation site for children with brain tumours.
www.scope.org.uk – National Disability organisation for people with Cerebral Palsey.
www.awcebd.co.uk – www.sebda.co.uk – The Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Association.
www.hacsg.org.uk – www.additup.org – www.adders.org.uk – www.addiss.co.uk – ADD/ADHD family support groups.
www.ncype.org.uk – National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy.
www.epilepsy.org.uk – Epilepsy Action.
www.downsed.org – Downs Syndrome Educational Trust.
www.allergyfoundation.com – British Allergy foundation (includes Asthma)
www.asthma.org.uk – National Asthma Campaign.
www.birthdefects.org – Birth defects foundation (includes Noonan Syndrome)
www.k12academics.com/dyslexia.htm, www.k12academics.com/dysgraphia.htm, w.k12academics.com/dyscalculia.htm, www.k12academics.com/dyspraxia.htm - A US based website devoted to providing resourceful information for a number of topics in education and disorders.
www.mutualsupport.org.uk - Mutual Support - The Armed Forces National Support Group of the MS Society of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
www.ican.org.uk - A children’s communication charity to help parents with children who have communication problems.
www.cerebra.org.uk - A charity for brain injured children (including autism), which produces useful leaflets on all aspects of special needs.
www.penfriend.biz - Penfriend XP is a programme for those with Dyslexia and physical disabilities.
www.pecs.com - A picture exchange communication system website especially useful for people with autism.
www.transporters.tv - Free DVD available to help autistic children who have difficulty understanding facial expressions.
www.mencap.org.uk/willsandtrusts - Mencap have set up a free Wills and Trusts service for parents and carers of people with learning difficulties.
www.risingstars-uk.com - Click on “Download” for a series of 8 fiction and non-fiction books for low ability readers.
www.senpress.co.uk - Everyday situation books for 14 to 19 year olds with low reading ability.

Childcare and Pre-School Information

www.preschooldirectory.co.uk – Information on nursery school education.
www.pre-school.org.uk – Pre-school learning Alliance.
www.bbc.co.uk – BBC Pre-school Service
www.tigerchild.com – Information about raising children.
www.childcarelink.gov.uk – Child care link tel: 0800 096 0296. Provides details of childcare in an area from a database of nurseries, pre-schools and childminders.
www.daycaretrust.org.uk – The Daycare Trust is a national charity promoting high quality affordable childcare for all. Tel: 020 7840 3350
www.surestart.gov.uk – Sure Start is government website for childcare and returning to work.
www.ofsted.gov.uk/childcare or www.ofsted.gov.uk/childminder - Office for Standards in Education, responsible for English registration and checks on childminders. Helpline: 0845 601 4771. Complaints line: 0845 601 4772.
www.ncma.co.uk – National childminding Association. Tel: 0800 169 4486
www.childminding.org – Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA). Tel: 01786 449063
www.nicma.org – Northern Ireland Childminding Association. Tel: 029 9181 1015
www.childcarecareers.gov.uk – Government website for those interested in careers in childcare.
www.earlysupport.org.uk – Support for families of disabled children under 3 years old.

Health

www.dpb.nhs.uk - Run by the Dental Practice Board of England and Wales, this website makes finding a dentist much easier
www.bda-findadentist.org.uk - British Dental Association site which has up to date information on finding local NHS dentists.
www.nhs.uk - National Health Service website including useful dental surgery search by postcode, dentists name or area.
www.bfghs.com - For details of health and dental provision in BFG.
www.bfgnet.de - click on Dental care in BFG for details of provision in Germany
www.bupa.com/hmforces - offers significant discount to Forces families looking for private health care.
www.mutualsupport.org.uk - Mutual Support - The Armed Forces National Support Group of the MS Society of Great Britain & Northern Ireland

Money

www.forcesdiscount.com - Offering discounts on all sorts of things - services and products to the military serving, retired, attached civilians and their families.
www.siiap.org - The Services Insurance and Investment Advisory Panel (SIIAP) is a group of insurance and investment advisors, set up to assist Service personnel in their choice of insurance company and broker. Its objectives are to promote best practice withing the insurance industry and to provide technical advice and expertise to members of the Armed Forces.
www.naafi-financial.com - Financial services tailored to HM Forces.
www.gisc.co.uk - The General Insurance Standards Council (GISC) which applies stringent examinations to ensure the viability of companies and brokers offering insurance services. Both your insurer and broker should be members.
www.paxinsurance.co.uk - PAX website with details of the personal accident and life insurance scheme offered to all Service personnel.
www.mod.uk/issues/pensions - Details of the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme, and comparisons with current Scheme.
www.forpen.co.uk - Forces Pension Society. Any member of the Armed Forces can join The Forces Pension Society who can offer help with understanding the new pension arrangements.
www.thepensionservice.gov.uk - The Pension Service is part of the Department for Work and Pensions and its website provides information and services for everyone, whether they are planning for retirement or about to retire. You can download Pension Forecast forms from here.
www.pensionguide.gov.uk - The Pension Guide website provides impartial information about pensions from the government to help you plan ahead for retirement.
www.stakeholder.opra.gov.uk - For a list of stakeholder pension providers
www.scottishwidows.co.uk/stakeholder - For details of the Armed Forces Stakeholder Pension Plan
www.over50.gov.uk - This website can help you find out what you are entitled to in retirement and what you can do to improve your income in retirement.
www.moneylaidbare.info and www.mortgageslaidbare.info - Financial Services Authority, the UK's financial watchdog to help you understand the world of money and how to make it work for you.
www.forcesdiscounts-mod.co.uk - There are currently over 400 discounts/benefits available to Regulars, Reserves, Veterans, Cadets and Mod Civil Servants and Families. It's free to join and its official.

Travel

www.airberlin.com - airberlin website
www.nuffieldanglesey.org.uk - The Nuffield Centre is a Tri-Service welfare centre located in Plas Llanfair, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Anglesey, North Wales. The Centre is open all year round to service personnel and their families to use as a holiday centre and multi activity facility.
www.flybmi.com - British Midland website
www.vsc.co.uk - Victory Services Club for reasonably priced accommodation in the centre of London.
www.fdte.co.uk - Your Forces Discount Travel Experts await your call to personally tailor make your dream holiday, get you home to your loved ones or that all important business trip.

Resettlement

www.ctp.org.uk - Career Transition Partnership.
www.questonline.co.uk - Education, retraining and job opportunities for everybody in the Armed Forces
www.civvystreet.org - If you are leaving or have previously served in the UK Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) or you are a dependant of someone who has served Civvy Street is for you.
www.civvystreetmagazine.co.uk - Civvy Street magazine is a resettlement and careers guide for the British Armed Forces that aims to help Service leavers successfully make the move into a new civilian life.
www.force10recruitment.co.uk - Force 10 Recruitment specialise in finding jobs, training and franchise opportunities for ex forces personnel.
www.remount.net - a new programme created to help members of the armed services from all ranks to prepare for the transition from military to civilian life.

General Family Information

www.parentsatwork.org.uk - Offers practical advice on many issues including employment rights, caring for a disabled child and many useful factsheets.
www.opportunity-links.org.uk - Opportunity Links is a voluntary organisation which provides information, via the internet and touchscreen kiosks, to those who need to find out about jobs, training and childcare facilities. The information and search services are provided free of charge.
www.raisingkids.co.uk - very useful site for parents, includes lots of chat forums and advice on parenting, helpfully listed under age groups and themes.
www.childcarelink.gov.uk - Fantastic site which helps you find childcare available throughout the UK. Details and contacts of registered child minders, pre schools, and playgroups etc which are available in your area are easily accessed by searching on postcode or Town name. A brilliant site for mobile families which will make moving home a lot easier.
www.growagroup.com – practical advice on setting up parent support groups from National Childbirth Trust (NCT)
www.rutlandwelcome.com – for Forces families moving to Rutland
www.netmums.com - Excellent site for parents, click on your local branch and link up with other parents for information, chat and advice - well worth a look when moving into a new area.
www.drumbeat.org.uk - If you are posted to the Bulford area, find out more from the Drumbeat website. Drumbeat is the Garrison newsletter, delivered free to all doors every month, and its website carries lots of information about living in Bulford - everything you need to know, in fact!

Cyprus

www.ssvc.com/bfbs/radio/cyprus/index.htm - BFBS Cyprus
www.episkopihive.com - HIVE Cyprus
www.sba.mod.uk - Sovereign Base Area Administration
www.britain.org.cy - British High Commission to Cyprus
www.britishcouncil.org/cyprus - British Council in Cyprus
www.bfcyouthservice.org.cy - Cyprus Youth Service
www.sceschools.com/schools/CYPRUS - Service Children's Education Cyprus
www.bfc.mod.uk

Germany

www.hive-bfg.co.uk - Germany HIVE
www.bfgnet.de - British Forces Germany site
www.army.mod.uk/lec - View employment opportunities available in BFG

Chat/Information sites for Army Dependants (unofficial)

Finding Old Friends

www.armedforcesfriends.co.uk - The Armed Forces Friends is a site for those who have been in the Armed Forces to find their friends and past colleagues. Although we share the same initials, we are not connected with the site.
www.ComradesandColleagues.com - Great free site to find old colleagues with details of over 5000 military Units in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
www.efkn.co.uk - Ex Forces Kids Network, members can send private or instant messages, visit private or public chat rooms, hold discussion forums, and learn about forthcoming reunions. Due to its increasing popularity, the site has now expanded to cover Forces schools around the world, from St George's in Hong Kong to Prince Rupert's in Rinteln.
www.servicepals.com – RBL endorsed online community for men, women, and families of the UK Armed Forces to find old friends.
www.forcesreunited.org.uk - UK Armed Forces Community website.

Forces media websites

www.garrisonradio.com - to listen online to Garrison radio, now broadcasting in Aldershot, Catterick, Colchester, Edinburgh and Tidworth. Daily Army Radio News and the latest local welfare information in UK.
www.bfbs.com - British Forces Broadcasting Service site. You can send dedications to soldiers serving abroad.
www.soldiermagazine.co.uk - The official magazine of the British Army
www.drumbeat.org.uk – Upavon newsletter and information
www.castledownradio.info - Castledown Radio provides a Community Radio service primarily for the Tidworth Community Area (TCA), consisting of Chute, Chute Forest, Collingbourne Ducis, Collingbourne Kingston, Everleigh, Ludgershall, Tidcombe and Fosbury, Tidworth and Perham Down.

Other Service Charities

www.combatstress.org.uk - Charity offering information on Combat Stress.
www.britishlegion.org.uk - Royal British Legion offering information for and about ex-service personnel
www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.org - Holywood Army base memorial garden which has become a poignant place of pilgrimage for the bereaved families of security forces personnel killed in the Troubles and other conflicts around the world. Well worth a visit to honor those who have given their lives to make the world a safer place
www.nff.org.uk - Navy Families Federation website
www.wrvs.org.uk - helping people in hundreds of communities throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Volunteers and employees work together to support people in need who might otherwise feel lonely and isolated, whether at home, in hospital, or in times of crisis.
www.armywidows.org.uk - The Army Widows Association was formed by widows in 2004. Their aim is to offer comfort, support and friendship to the widows and widowers of service men and women and help them resolve some of the difficulties they may face after the death of their spouses.

Official Military Websites

www.army.mod.uk - Official site of the British Army
www.armynet.mod.uk - Official chatrooms, access to pay statements, email facilities for serving personnel.
www.raf.mod.uk - Official site of the Royal Air Force
www.mod.uk - Ministry of Defence website
www.armycadets.com - Official site for Army Cadets.
www.sabre.mod.uk - Official website for TA employers
www.army.mod.uk/ta/news/ - Official website giving latest TA news
www.ome.uk.com - Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) information can be obtained here.
www.cwgc.org - Commonwealth Wargraves Commission.
www.armypresentations.mod.uk - The aim of the Army Presentation Team is to increase public awareness and understanding of today’s Army by speaking to selected groups of opinion formers throughout the United Kingdom in order to promote a positive image of the Army in the local community.
www.modpol.org.uk - The unofficial site of the MOD Police.

Page last updated 10 December 2007

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