2008 ADF Families Survey

[ConcernedParent]

Ok people, now's our chance to have a say with the 2008 families survey. I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread about what we want.

In-keeping with KJEMums post about where we live, I was thinking of updating this post with what you have said/asked for.

I'll try keep them in Question No. order too - if you are able to put that detail in, that would help. I'll add in new Q's as they come in.

We might find some common themes/voices here and if enough of us put our wants/needs down on the survey, we might bring abut some change.

All opinions welcome & respected.

Q25: When you relocated how easy has it been to re-establish the following?


Other:

Child Access / Contact for blended families
Q32: Please describe any strategies helped to cope with changes in child's behaviour?

VVCS counselling line very helpful
Access to internet / emails helpful
Q32: What additional info or service might assist?

Broadband access in all DHA homes for web based contact, emails, photo's, webcams etc
Q38: In what ways do you think Defence is/is not supportive of families?

Its all there in theory, just not followed through in practice either from Defence or DCO
No confidence in DCO
Lots and lots of information about information, lots of reading, but not much else. No real tangible services.
Comments

Remove all fringe benefits from every pay related award/bonus/allowance on offer!!
More pathways to VVCS. More options than just DCO.
Access to more than one child care centre provider. Want community based non-profit childcare. Want a choice of providers. Do not want to HAVE to use ABC.

[earthfairy]

I only just finished doing mine 5 minutes ago!:yelclap:

I had a fair crack at them too, its about time we got to have our say!:thumbsup:

[MilkOnTap]

Great thread! I've got mine sitting here beside me waiting to be looked at later on tonight. Will report back when I'm filling it in :)

[mummyof5]

I already filled it in online, then I got the hard copy. I'm just going to put a different post code in, and send in another.:yes:
I'll put in those extra things too, CP, thanks for that. If you guys want to do more than one, just go to the DFA site, you should be able to follow the links.

[Seacretsquirrel]

I posted mine today!!
I too had a go about the lack of services or rather the fact that if you need something you need to really hunt (or know someone who knows) to find a service! Not sure if the navy is worse but I found that the Army wives deff had more get togethers and things when their partners were away (& when they are home too - but DH said it might be cause the navy are away differently and home time is family time???) and they seemed to get more info prior to deployment (or perhaps thats just me lookin in form outside) but for me the navy is not overly supportive and never do the briefings that we (the spouses) can attend - but maybe thats cause DH is on small boats too. Anyhoo I am rambling so I shut up now!

[earthfairy]

for me the navy is not overly supportive and never do the briefings that we (the spouses) can attend - but maybe thats cause DH is on small boats too.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[MrsPee]

but for me the navy is not overly supportive and never do the briefings that we (the spouses) can attend - but maybe thats cause DH is on small boats too.

:iagree: and DH is on a large ship.

I think that the broadband thing is a wonderful idea because that is mostly the only contact that we have.

Gee i so hope that there are some changes..... I guess I can dream. lol

[alisando01]

When we get ours I think I will write about DCO not being aware of who is posted where, we got mail with a return address of DCO - FOR THE PREVIOUS TENANTS!!! As if DCO cant find out where someone is posted to, they have been gone for a couple of months! :rolleyes:

We have been really lucky with our house, but there were quite a few things that could have been done better with the move, like giving us more than 2 weeks notice for one - we were in a private rental and had to pay advertising fees because DH has only just joined, so we ended up about $500 out of pocket including the rent until they found someone.

I will not EVER send my children to an ABC centre. My best friend used to work for them, and has told me enough stories about how they treat the employees and the children, for me to be completely turned off by them. They charge more than many of the private centres that provide food and nappies for the little supervision that they do provide.

[earthfairy]

catriona716 ~ what boat is your DH on?
You can pm me if you want....

sorry to go off topic for a second...:D

[Seacretsquirrel]

He's on Assail 2 (Patrol Boats) but was on Betano last time we were in Darwin! and still no briefings there either and they went to the solomons and Bouganville (sp) so perhaps it is only the gulf trips you get them on! How bouts your DH Earthfairy?

[earthfairy]

catriona716 ~ my DH is on Patrol Boats too - he is on Pt Pirie....

He used to be on Brunei (LCH) when we were in Cairns...

[KJEmum]

I also think the broadband idea is great.

With regards to pre-deployment briefings, DH had them for RIMPAC this year but of course .. the left hand (the ship) and the right hand (DCO) don't tell the middle folk (the families) what's going on. It's a matter of "if you hear the pipe, you can pass on info but if you are off the ship doing something at the time, you've got buckleys chance of finding out until possibly the end of the day.

For me being a Navy wife for 13yrs (together since 1993) and new to the big ship thing, I thought it was essential I be involved and got terribly upset when DH and myself had not been notified until it was too late. Imagine young couples .. first overseas deployment (as it was for us), it would be so overwhelming.

The system sux

Communications suck between Navy/DCO/ families completely.
I only received an invite to the last Navy event (very small cos I bet noone knew about it) by mail because I commented to the website about how no events are showng on the website. Well it's for the tri-service they'll put something there (for WA) but if it's just for one of the services, they won't advertise incase someone gets confused or ****ed off about it. ie why aren't we having one too.

I also (like someone mentioned) the army get alot more .. ie dining in nights, events put on by their unit while hubby is away in Afg or Irq. Navy don't have dining in nights, unit .. well the unit is their ship and if the ship is away .. we don't have contact with anyone.

Family updates from the ship during a 5mth deployment .. doesn't happen .. why .. cos they fk up the email addresses. Me and my friends didn't get any yet they did happen. If they fk up the email addys, how the heck do they run the ship.

DCO organised get togethers .. I don't care what happened last year and how events failed, we are a new lot of people, we want get togethers. YES make the KID FRIENDLY. AGREED xmas get togethers should be kid friendly.
DH told me there is to be a cocktail party at Fremantle prison. You would think that after 5mths away it would be a 'family friendly' event. I can't afford to buy new clothes, shoes, hair do, as well as baby sitter for the night, plus the cost of the event and getting there and back. What ding dongs think of these. Singles !!

What else, housing .. should be the same across the board.. not one family living in a 10yo+ house while the rest of lower ranks etc in new to 3yo housing.

Having more housing maybe 2 bedroom houses with a decent yard to accommodate pets.

A newsletter in every locality run by DCO or someone but volunteers accepted.

Mainly it's the communications I want improved.

*breathes*

ps: DH was on Brunei around late 1990s.. if it's based in Sydney (I can't remember) it'll be then.

[Seacretsquirrel]

catriona716 ~ my DH is on Patrol Boats too - he is on Pt Pirie....

He used to be on Brunei (LCH) when we were in Cairns...



DH was on Pirie earlier in the year what crew is he on???
Gotta love small boats!:yelclap::smiliedance:

With regards to meets the only one I've been to was an attempt to have a valentines dinner with the wives when DH was on Betano - it ended up being 3 of us - we are still all friends still - but noone else seemed interested!

[KJEmum]

Something I will be including in my paper copy is ...

Education Allowance .. for those who aren't aware, if you have school aged children and relocate you can be reimbursed for tutoring. This needs paperwork to be signed by the teacher and school common seal etc on it plus signed by the CO.

With the Navy the receipts etc go to the ships writer for reimbursement and if the ship is away .. you either have to send the receipts onto them or wait until they are back and also hope they don't go into the big abyss called "I can't find it / we haven't received it".
It took 3mths for me to get reimbursed and I'm still waiting on another lot of receipts to get ot the ship which is now back from the 5mth deployment.

What I think would be more logical is .. for the base to do the reimbursing when a ship is away. What dingdong actually thought of the current way should be shot.

FBT for RLLT in remote localities shouldn't be reportable to family assistance.
It's not an income, it's an entitlement of living in remote locations. Why should families be penalised for something that is an entitlement to living there.
Because of this and the 'grossing up', I have underestimated the combined income for FA. Thankfully I don't receive FTB A during the year and only at the end of the year.

[earthfairy]

DH was on Pirie earlier in the year what crew is he on???
Gotta love small boats!:yelclap::smiliedance:

He is permanent on there, he is a POMT so he is on the boat through all the crews. He has only just joined but im sure our DH's know eachother...the patrol boat family is so small:rolleyes:

[Seacretsquirrel]

Grrr the RLLT and remote localities allowance really gets me too that and the relocation $$$$ is all flipping fringe benefits so eats int the tax!!!! We are moving cause the frigging ADF wants us to not because we want to (or want the money) it is rediculous that we get penalised for something that we have little or no control over!:hissy:

[Cat13]

One of my main comments on the survey was about the increase in the length of standard army overseas deployments from 6months to 8months. 6 I could get my head around as being only half a year but 8 is pretty much a whole year gone (expecially once all the other non-deployment exercises, courses and trainings are factored in) with still only the one all too brief reunion visit. Definitely doesn't help with parenting and family planning.

[lavenderpegasus]

I just wanted to let NAVY partners knowthat the pre-deployment briefings the ones family go to are organised by the ship and it is up to the NAVY person to pass the information in regards to day and time to the people wanting to come.

My DH even asked his parents if they wanted to come and get info before he left for the Gulf trip? I feel DCO get in trouble for a lot of the things our lovely NAVY partners are supposed to be doing?


lp inwa

[KJEmum]

Yes it is up to the members to let the families know however .. when the communications between the ship and the members are in adequate then it doesn't happen. Not everyone is on the ship at the same time, some have to go off for whatever reason when the notice is piped and then they miss out. Noone told my DH until he was stepping off the ship at teh end of the day that there was a pre-deployment brief.

We aren't talking about Gulf trips but a regular 5mth RIMPAC trip. We weren't notified of pre-deployment briefs, we never recieved the 6wkly newsletters from the ship as mentioned in the captains letter and DCO never got families of the ship together. It's been up to us to meet each other. The internet and playgroup have been the source of our communications with no interaction with DCO.

DCO will always cop flack because they don't do enough for families. DCO Liverpool used to give us a bit of relief by way of subsidised childcare while we went to the cheap cinemas at Campbelltown .. and one time organised a Mothers Day function .. and then budgets were cut. At that time the FLO also came with us. A year after the reins were pulled and she couldn't attend our groups or anything. Confliciton of interest was the reason. Change of policy pretty much fukd DCO and their chances of improving things within the Defence Community.
Wouldn't it be lovely for mums to be treated by DCO or anyone .. while their partners are away.