What is the VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service – Sons and Daughters initiative?
The VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service provides counselling and group programs to Australian veterans/peacekeepers and their families in friendly and confidential settings around Australia.
In response to findings of the Vietnam Veterans Health Study (1998), the VVCS implemented a number of initiatives for sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans.
VVCS staff are professionally qualified psychologists or social workers with experience in working with veterans and/peacekeepers and their families.
Responsibility for VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service rests with the Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Why is this important?
The VVCS Sons and Daughters initiatives are designed to increase the capacity of the Australian Government to address the mental health needs of sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans to reduce suicide risk, through:
- developing partnerships with local services to ensure that sons and daughters receive appropriate care;
- supporting sons and daughters self help initiatives; and
- projects which aim to increase personal strengths, coping skills and resilience of sons and daughters.
Who benefits?
All sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans regardless of age with psychological, emotional and social needs arising from the impact of their parents operational or war-like service.
What do the VVCS Sons and Daughters initiatives deliver?
Counselling. Counselling can assist in understanding and addressing a range of personal, emotional and crisis issues associated with growing up in a situation where a parent is affected by war or war-like service. Counselling is confidential and free for eligible sons and daughters.
Support and Referral. VVCS staff can link sons and daughters to support networks and resources.
After hours telephone crisis counselling is also available through Veterans Line for veterans and their families.
Psychiatric Assessments. Eligible sons and daughters can be referred for psychiatric assessment as required.
VVCS Outreach Program. The VVCS Outreach Program provides people living in rural, remote and outer metropolitan areas with access to outreach program counsellors.
VVCS aims to ensure that its counsellors have appropriate experience and skills for working with young people.
Group Program. The VVCS Group Program offers a variety of educative and therapeutic groups to enhance the mental health and coping skills of sons and daughters.
Information and Education. Based on demand, each VVCS centre can hold information sessions about service-related stress and its possible impact on veterans and members of their families.
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How does it work?
Sons and daughters can refer themselves.
Referrals are also accepted from family members, medical practitioners, education, health and community agencies with the son or daughter's consent.
Eligible sons and daughters can contact the VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service by phoning 1800 011 046:
- during business hours callers will be connected to the nearest of one of 15 offices located across Australia
- after business hours callers will be connected with the after-hours telephone crisis counselling service.
For contact details got to www.dva.gov.au/contacts/vvcs.htm.
What funding is the Australian Government committing?
Funding for the VVCS – Sons and Daughters initiatives is part of the Australian Government's ongoing commitment to provide a dedicated mental health service to the veteran community and their children.
When did the VVCS Sons and Daughters initiatives start?
In response to findings of the Vietnam Veterans Health Study (1998), the VVCS implemented a number of initiatives for sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans.
For further information on the VVCS Sons and Daughters initiatives go to www.dva.gov.au/health/vvcs/sons.htm.
Page currency, Latest update: 16 October, 2007