ROLE OF SSAFA SOCIAL WORKER AT RAF WITTERING

The SSAFA Social Worker provides a confidential social work service for all serving personnel and their immediate dependants. They work alongside the chain of command, statutory and other voluntary services both inside and outside the wire to ensure the best support for SSAFA service users.

Service life is very different to any other way of life and as such there can be unique problems or issues that give cause for concern for example:
Family/Relationship/Personal difficulties

· Stress/Anxiety/Depression

· Debt/Financial problems/Benefit advice

· Illness/Disability/Special Needs

· Housing/Resettlement/Discharges

· Bereavement/Loss/Grief

· Equal Ops/Discrimination/Harassment

· Liaison with other agencies

· Childcare and Child protection issues

· Adoption

This list is not exhaustive but does give you a flavour of the types of issues that are recognised as additional stressors for service personnel to cope with alongside the job that you all do. This list is a representation of what the SSAFA Social Worker comes across on a regular basis.

Wittering station is a busy joint RAF and Naval flying station which can bring its own challenges to daily life. There is uniqueness to some of the experiences that all of you have and the SSAFA Social Workers role is to understand this and provide all of you with the appropriate emotional and/or practical support required.

So get in touch with the SSAFA Social Worker and allow them to support you directly when you are in need or allow them to signpost on if required.