Support for families during deployment

Defence provides a range of support to the families of deployed ADF members.
You can access any of these services or find out more by calling the all-hours Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608.

24-7 Helpline

You may contact the all‑hours Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608 at any time about deployment matters. The Helpline is staffed by qualified human services professionals, including social workers and psychologists, who can provide you with assessment, advice or referrals.
This service should not replace Triple‑Zero for emergency situations.

Professional support

If needed, we can supply short-term casework and counselling services from Defence Social Workers to help you through any difficulties. For more information, click on the Social work and support tab in our Mental health and wellbeing section.

Supporting children

Resources are available for parents with information and tips for supporting children through deployments, from very young children to teenagers.

Unit deployment support

The member’s unit will often run events for Defence families, including information sessions, farewells, social get-togethers and welcome home events. Unit welfare officers and ADF chaplains are available to provide support and guidance to members and families at any stage of deployment. Talk to unit staff directly for more information.

Emergency support

If an emergency or crisis occurs when an ADF member is away from home, the family may access practical assistance. We also offer support in times of injury, illness or bereavement.
Emergency support

Community events and support

Your community is a rich bank of support to draw on, with resources and structures in place which can help you through times of deployment. We keep a directory of local Defence- and community‑run initiatives and we can help you to connect with the organisations, groups or events that best suit your needs.

DCO holds a variety of local events to support the families of deployed members, including farewell and welcome back events, workshops and family activities.

Community groups may run programs which build on your life skills, keep you active and engaged in the community, or help you network with other Defence families to share experiences and support each other.

Contact the Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608 to find out what’s on offer in your local area, or visit our community connection section.

Stress management and building resilience

DCO runs a suite of local programs called FamilySMART, TeenSMART and KidSMART. The SMART sessions help you identify and build on your strengths, learn techniques to cope with the challenges of military life like deployment, and become more resilient, positive and self-reliant.

FamilySMART is for partners, TeenSMART for teenagers from Defence families, and KidSMART for primary aged children. You can find more details by clicking on the FamilySMART tab in our Support for Defence partners section, or the For kids tab in our Programs and products for kids section.

For any queries or to sign up for a SMART program, contact the Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608.

For more information about sourcing support and maintaining your wellbeing in challenging times, see Mental health and wellbeing.

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Support for children during parental absence

Children and deployment

Communicating truthfully and openly with children about deployments is important to help them understand and cope with a parent being away. If possible, prepare the child for what is going to happen in advance, explaining clearly where, why and for how long the parent is going away. This helps dispel uncertainties and fears, or any belief that the separation is their fault.

Encourage children to express their feelings, perhaps by sharing some of your own. It can help for each parent to spend time individually with each child prior to and after deployment to encourage communication and to let them know that they are loved. Special time together helps to cement bonds and provides positive memories.

Involve older children in the planning and preparation for deployment, especially in figuring out new roles and responsibilities in the member’s absence. Keep the usual rules, expectations, and discipline in place in the parent’s absence, and establish a new routine as early as possible.

Encourage children to keep a record of special events in their lives through art, photos, stories or scrapbooks, which they can send to their deployed parent or show them when they get home.

Read more about family communication during deployment by clicking the Family communication tab in our Deployment, time apart and reunion section.

Resources for parents and children

We have resources available for parents with tips and information about guiding children through deployments, from very young children to teenagers. These include the Deployment Support booklet, and the Don’t Forget it’s Bin Night and Going Solo—Dealing with Absence in Defence families DVDs. The DVDs are a great resource to watch as a family, and can be a useful tool for starting a discussion about what deployment will mean for you.

We also produce a range of children’s books which are designed to help younger children understand more about the military lifestyle and develop coping strategies for parental absence.

These free resources are available for order from the Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608.
For more information, see Programs and products for kids.

Support for children

Children are often unable to articulate their feelings and thoughts as adults do. If they are having trouble dealing with stress and changes during deployment, it will often present in their behaviour or in health complaints. If you or your children are having difficulties, you can access help, advice or referral by calling the all-hours Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608.

Defence School Transition Aides and Mentors are placed in schools across Australia, and provide support to Defence students in times of parental absence. For more details, click on the Aides and Mentors tab in the Children’s education support section.

Children can use deployment as an opportunity to step up, assume new responsibilities and confidence in themselves, and grow as a person. To help them do this, local DCO offices run fun and interactive resilience-building programs designed for Defence kids called KidSMART and TeenSMART.

For more details on the SMART programs, click on the For kids tab in Programs and products for kids.

We also have community connection services to help identify local events and groups for Defence families. These can give Defence children the chance to meet kids in the same situation as themselves, have a lot of fun and feel part of and proud of the Defence community.

More information

For more information about supporting children through deployment, contact the all-hours Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608.

 

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