The health and wellbeing of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their family is a priority for Defence.
Defence aims to keep members and their families healthy throughout all phases of their career and provides access to a range of wellbeing support programs and resources.
Defence understands that military life can have an impact on family members and communities. Family, children and community support programs are available to help members and their families manage the unique demands of Defence life and stay connected wherever they may be based.
Key support services
Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Office (SeMPRO) provides immediate and confidential support and advice, available 24/7 to persons impacted by sexual misconduct.
Defence Member and Family Helpline provides 24/7 information, guidance and support for Defence families.
Defence All-hours Support Line provides confidential telephone support for members and their families, available 24/7 to facilitate access to ADF or civilian mental health services.
1800 IMSICK provides health support for all members within Australia, available 24/7 if they become ill or injured after hours or are not near an on-base health facility.
Defence chaplaincy support provides pastoral care, support and advice to members and their families, who have access to 24/7 on-call Chaplain.
Mental health support
Support and guidance are available to help members and their families manage mental health challenges and access counselling when needed.
Open Arms provides confidential, 24/7 counselling and support to members and their immediate families.
Mental health offers guidance for mental health concerns, seeking help and navigating challenges for relationships and families related to the military way of life.
ADF Arts for Recovery, Resilience, Teamwork and Skills helps members experiencing service-related health and wellbeing challenges build confidence, resilience, teamwork and practical skills in a supportive environment.
Defence Before Blue helps members and their immediate families build practical resilience and coping skills through free, confidential mental health coaching, including an initial assessment, tailored coaching sessions and follow-up support.
Healthcare and family health
Healthcare services, family health programs and wellbeing initiatives help members and their families stay healthy throughout different stages of military life.
ADF sport programs provide sport and recreation opportunities that help members maintain their health and wellbeing, build connections and take part in sporting activities across the Defence community.
ADF Family Health Program helps members’ families claim health costs. The allowance is $800 a year for eligible family members with a wide range of services available to claim. The costs of eligible GP services are unlimited.
MyService is available to members after completing one day of full-time service. It can be used to apply for:
- Veteran Card - Specific Conditions (also known as the Veteran White Card) provides member’s medical treatment within Australia for accepted service-related injuries or conditions.
- Non-Liability Health Care (mental health) provides members access to funded mental health treatment and support, without needing to prove that ADF service caused these conditions.
Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs help members and their families access local services, including physical and mental health services, wellbeing support, advocacy, employment and housing advice and social connection.
Veteran and Family Support Officers provide members with practical support and connection with services that may help following injury, illness, deployment, transition or other service-related circumstances.
Command initiated welfare support
Members are encouraged to let their commander know of any personal or family issues that may potentially impact their wellbeing and capability. Commanders can initiate welfare support through an individual welfare review, short term flexible work arrangements or referral to Defence Member and Family Support for assessment, brief intervention, local connections and services.
Sport and recreation facilities
Many Defence bases provide facilities including pools, gyms, running tracks, recreation areas and community services.
Eligible family members may be issued with a Defence Common Access Card (DCAC) which allows access to selected base facilities. Members can apply on their behalf through the DCAC Portal under ‘Start a new request’.
Support through life changes
Changes in circumstances can affect the benefits, support and assistance available to members and their families.
Learn about family categorisations and the support available at different stages of family life.
Family and personal changes includes how benefits for members and their families are affected by relationship, family and household changes.
Family categorisations include how family circumstances and categorisation affect benefits and how members can update their details.
Benefits when you have accompanied resident family includes housing for members and their families, moving assistance and allowances.
Posting in Australia
A posting can affect many aspects of family life, including housing, employment, education and community connections.
A range of benefits and support services are available to help members and their families prepare for and adjust to a new location:
- Being posted to a new location in Australia includes housing, moving assistance and leave.
- Partner Employment Assistance Program helps eligible Defence partners claim employment-related costs, including career support, licensing fees and vocational training.
- Childcare includes Defence childcare centres and support for accessing childcare through Childcare Connect.
- Moving with children offers guidance to help families prepare children for a move, manage change and adjust to a new location.
- Changing schools offers guidance and resources to help children transition smoothly to a new school.
- Child education assistance is financial assistance to help reduce the impact a posting can have on a child's education.
- Moving assistance for a family member who has special needs provides extra moving assistance when relocating with a family member who has recognised special needs.
Serving away from family
Members and their families may spend periods apart due to service commitments, postings, training or deployment.
Benefits, support services and resources are available to help maintain family connections and manage the practical and emotional impacts of living apart:
- Recreation leave travel is a travel benefit for members with no resident family to visit their nominated family.
- Absence from home offers guidance and resources on what families can expect during a member’s deployment, living in different locations and when reuniting.
- Living away from your resident family offers guidance for members considering living separately from their resident family.
- Benefits when you have unaccompanied resident family includes housing for members and their families, moving assistance, allowances and reunion travel.
Living in a remote location
Living in a remote location in Australia can present unique challenges for members and their families, including access to services, travel and healthcare.
A range of benefits, allowances and support services are available to help manage remote living:
- Remote Australia posting offers guidance for families to consider when posting to a remote location.
- Perform duty in a remote location includes housing, moving assistance, additional leave, remote location leave travel and allowances.
- Travel for specialist treatment when your resident family live in a remote location is a travel benefit for member’s families if they can’t get local treatment.
Deployment or posting overseas
Deployment and overseas postings can affect family life, housing, education, healthcare and access to support networks.
Defence provides a range of benefits, allowances and services to help members and their families prepare for and manage life overseas:
- Relief out-of-country travel fare assistance is a travel benefit to provide a break from deployment and support family reunions.
- Long-term posting overseas includes housing, moving assistance, travel, allowances, child education assistance and healthcare.
Injury, illness and loss
Illness, injury and bereavement can have a significant impact on members and their families.
Defence provides access to support services, practical assistance and benefits to help navigate difficult circumstances:
- Australians dangerously ill (AUSDIL) scheme – in Australia is a travel benefit for a family member to visit a member in hospital with a serious illness.
- AUSDIL scheme – overseas is a travel benefit for a family member to visit a member who is seriously ill or injured while overseas for Defence purposes.
- Claims and compensations for illness of injury includes information and support to help members access treatment, rehabilitation and compensation for service-related injuries or health concerns.
- Compassionate travel in Australia is a travel benefit for members and their partners to visit family who are seriously ill or who have died.
- Death and bereavement support is provided by the Bereavement Support Team.
- Death of a resident family member includes financial assistance and information about how housing assistance may change, the available moving assistance and leave.
- Death of a member includes financial assistance and compensation to people who were dependent on a member before their death.
Transitioning from Defence
Moving to civilian life can involve changes to employment, finances, healthcare, and family circumstances.
Defence provides information, programs, and support to help members and their families prepare for life after service.
For further information, visit Transitioning from Defence.
Ongoing family support
Defence provides support, strategies and benefits to help partners and families manage the unique demands of Defence life.
Learn about family support and the assistance available to families.
Defence Member and Family Support area offices provide local, in-person support and information services. They are staffed with Defence social workers, Education Liaison Officers, Family Liaison Officers and Military Support Officers.
Support for children includes the Defence School Mentor Program, Child of the ADF Medallion Program and ADF Equip Program.
Defence Kids Program | Kookaburra Kids supports Defence children aged 8-18 with camps, activities and age-appropriate mental health education. No mental health diagnosis is necessary.
Community groups offer playgroups, parent groups and social opportunities for families with young children.
Family events help members and their families build local connections, learn about available support services and engage with their Defence and local communities.
Navy family support offers information to help Navy families navigate the unique demands of service life.
Army family support offers information to help Army members and their families navigate service life.
Special needs
Special needs assistance helps families access additional benefits and support for resident family members with recognised special needs:
- Register your resident family member's special needs offers guidance to get a family member’s special needs recognised.
- Families with special needs includes the Defence Special Needs Support Group. Defence social workers can also assess support needs and help families plan for postings and periods of member absence.
- Special needs assistance includes extra housing and moving assistance, financial support for essential services and education assistance.
Financial support and travel discounts
Financial education, loans, grants, allowances and discounted holiday accommodation may be available for members and their families.
Family financial advice includes financial education and loans, grants and welfare services through Service relief trust funds.
Trainee's dependant allowance provides financial assistance for eligible trainees who have dependant family members and receive a trainee salary.
Army Holidays | Army Amenities Fund offers discounted holiday accommodation at selected locations across Australia. Open to Navy, Army and Air Force members.
Legal support
Members can access assistance to prepare or update a simple will, helping ensure their personal, family and financial affairs are documented and protected.
For further information, visit Have a will.
Related Defence benefits and support
The Defence employment offer is designed to support members and their families throughout every stage of service.
Explore other Defence benefits and conditions that support members and their families: