Responding to the report by Crisis, which sets out plans to make homelessness ‘a thing of the past’, Ed Tytherleigh said:
“We back this excellent report and agree that it’s definitely possible to end homelessness if we work together as a society to do so.
In fact we already have plans underway to eliminate homelessness among the Veterans’ community, which we hope will help the thousand plus ex-service personnel who, research shows, need urgent support each year to find accommodation.
Read moreA new guide launched on 7th June, to help care homes provide better support for the hundreds of thousands* of service men and women in assisted living in the UK.
Produced by Demos think tank, in partnership with the Forces in Mind Trust and the Care Cluster of Cobseo (The Confederation of Service Charities), the guide will be sent to all UK care homes and care home provider headquarters.
Read moreForces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has issued a request for expressions of interest (REOI) to conduct research to understand the transition to civilian life for ex-Service personnel with physical conditions as a direct result of Service or acquired whilst in Service.
The FiMT award is expected to be in the region of £150,000. Although there is no specific completion date, the Trust would like to see the report completed and published within two years of commencement.
The commission was the result of a consultation exercise with stakeholders where it was apparent that those Service personnel who leave the Services on medical grounds and with physical conditions can face particular challenges and may be more likely to experience difficulty when transitioning to civilian life.
Read morePioneering research has revealed that a radical new approach could improve the lives of ex-Service personnel and their families and create significant savings across the NHS.
Findings from a groundbreaking report released today (Monday, June 11), identify the need for changes in the way support is given to people with limb loss, their families and carers.
The challenge of coping with the physical and mental aspects of caring can put a tremendous strain on the family unit and they may feel lost and unsupported, the study highlights.
The project commissioned by Blesma and funded by The Forces in Mind Trust was undertaken by the Veterans and Families Institute for Military Research at Anglia Ruskin University.
Read moreEx-Service personnel in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) have distinct patterns of offending and mental health problems compared to offenders from a non-Service background, according to a Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) funded report.
Researchers at King’s College London looked at ex-Service personnel identified through the CJS as having social or mental health needs. They found ex-Service personnel were more likely to have Anxiety disorders (37% of veterans versus 13% non-veterans), which included PTSD, and Adjustment Disorder (8%vs6%*), as well as higher levels of co-occurring mental health problems than people with a non-Service background.
Read moreForces in Mind Trust (FiMT) funded research released today, Tuesday 22nd May, reveals that while nearly a quarter of ex-Service personnel receive unemployment benefit at some point after leaving the Armed Forces, most usage occurs in the period immediately after leaving and is short-term, with only 1.5% continuing to claim the support two years after serving.
The ‘Veterans and benefits’ report, by Dr Howard Burdett of King’s College London (KCL), looks at the relationships between unemployment and disability benefit usage by UK ex-Service personnel, and between social demographics, Service characteristics, mental health (ie Common Mental Disorder (CMD), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)) and alcohol misuse.
Read moreMedia Invite – Photo and Interview opportunity
When: Wednesday 23 May – 12:30
Where: University of Manchester, Theatre A, University Place, M13 9PL
A research seminar bringing world-renowned experts together to discuss sight loss will be taking place in Manchester this week (23/05). The “Sight loss as a consequence of traumatic brain injury and mental health implications” seminar is the second in a series looking at various research and innovation ideas in relation to blind veterans.
The seminar is part of an exchange programme called Project Gemini where members of the US organisation the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) will be visiting Britain to join Blind Veterans UK this week.
Read moreGeneral Sir John McColl, KCB, CBE, DSO, Executive Chairman of Cobseo, The Confederation of Service Charities said:
‘Lord Ashcroft has made a significant impact on Veterans transition since his appointment as Veteran’s Tsar in 2012. He has been an influential voice, highlighting issues around which others have coalesced. We in Cobseo thank him for all that he has done on behalf of the Veteran’s community. A great deal remains to be done and we are delighted that Lord Ashcroft intends to remain Involved, particularly in the preparation of the Veteran’s Strategy due for publication later in 2018
Read moreForces in Mind Trust has awarded the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) £95,877 to conduct a systematic review of evidence of the mental health needs of serving and ex-Service personnel and their families since 2012.
The 9-month project will cover all three services, in the context of their transition to civilian life, and will include the perspectives of key stakeholders. Areas where the evidence is strong and where there are gaps in evidence will be recorded, and where evidence allows, recommendations will be made for the attention of policy makers and service providers, along with future areas on which to focus research.
Read moreHow does your soldier’s work/life balance affect your Army family? That’s what the Army Families Federation (AFF) is asking families in their latest survey, now live until 31 May.
AFF is aware that some families struggle with their soldier’s working hours and inability to take the annual leave they are owed. They are keen to learn more about the barriers to a good work/life balance families are facing, and importantly, what families feel would make a positive difference.
Afghanistan support
In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here
