BRITISH FORCES SOCIAL WORK SERVICE & COMMUNITY SUPPORT CYPRUS
WHO ARE WE?
Social work and community services are a support service to the British Forces Cyprus (BFC) community. We provide advice and guidance to individuals and families on a variety of issues such as emotional health and wellbeing, parenting, family or relationship issues, financial difficulties or victims of crime.
Polaris Children’s Services is an independent provider of children’s services across the UK and the British military around the world. From 1st July 2020, the service will now be known as British Forces Social Work Service & Community Support Cyprus. We will continue to work in partnership with stakeholders to deliver high quality services to serving personnel, both individuals and families.
OUR MISSION
“To make a positive and lasting difference to children, families and adults, in the military communities we serve. We will achieve this through the delivery of a responsive, safe and high quality Social Work Service working together with people who use our Services as well as partner agencies. This is based on our belief that Service Personnel and their families should have access to the same standards of care and support they would receive if they were based in the UK.”
This is supported by our five key objectives:
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a whole-system approach
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exemplary and effective evidence-based practice
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promotion of good emotional health and wellbeing, and building resilience
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promoting achievement, attainment and active citizenship for our children and young people
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supporting a ‘Firm Base’ for the military community
WHAT DO WE DO?
Prevention & Safeguarding Services for Children & Adults
Early Help Offer
Care Leavers Support
Parenting Programmes
Adoption Advice & Signposting
Foster Carer Registration, Training & Support
Personal Family Support Service
Confidential & Advisory Listening Service
Domestic Abuse Intervention Programme
Relationship Issues
Debt Management
Substance Misuse Intervention & Support
Behaviour Management Programmes for Children & Adults
Volunteer Service
Information, Advice & Consultation
Support to Command Personnel
Training, Learning & Support Services
Safeguarding Training for partners and stakeholders
Childminding Registration Support & Training
Victim & Witness Support Services
Loss & Bereavement
CONTACT US
If you are concerned about the safety or welfare of a child, young person, or adult, or would like some support, advice or guidance in relation to social care issues, please contact BFSWS and Community Support Cyprus Single Point of Contact (SPOC) on (00 357) 2596 3609 or contactuscyprus@forcessocialwork.com
AKROTIRI SOCIAL WORK
Akrotiri Social Work,
The Oval,
RAF Akrotiri, BFPO 57
Phone: (00 357) 2527 5838
EPISKOPI SOCIAL WORK
Episkopi Social Work,
E Block,
Episkopi, BFPO 53
Phone: (00 357) 2596 3609
DHEKELIA SOCIAL WORK
ESBA Social Work,
MRS Centre,
Dhekelia, BFPO 58
Phone: (00 357) 2474 4453
Local office hours are all Monday to Friday from 7.00am to 3.00pm.
OUR SERVICES
SOCIAL WORK SERVICE
British Forces Social Work Service (BFSWS) & Community Support (BFCSS) Cyprus provide a statutory service for children in need (including in need of protection), to ensure children develop and achieve their full potential. The main focus of our work is to support children in partnership with their families and professional agencies.
PERSONAL FAMILY SUPPORT WORK SERVICE
BFSWS Personal Family Support Workers (PFSWs) provide a confidential, impartial non-judgemental service, to enable you to make informed decisions about you and/or your family’s future.
PARENTING SUPPORT SERVICE
Our service provides bespoke parenting support for you and your child based on issues and needs that you or a referrer have identified. We offer a range of programmes and strategies that promote social and emotional development in children and enhance parent-child relationships for parents with children of all ages.
RELATIONSHIP SUPPORT
Relationship support allows you time to think through an issue or work through a problem. It can help you to better understand yourself and make decisions about your relationship.
DOMESTIC ABUSE
Any person can experience domestic abuse regardless of race, ethnic or religious group, class, gender, disability or lifestyle.
VICTIM AND WITNESS SUPPORT SERVICE
British Forces Cyprus Victim & Witness Support helps people cope with the effects of crime. It doesn’t matter when or where the incident occurred; we are here to help.
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS SERVICE
Every day, our dedicated team of BFSWS Community Volunteers are making a lasting difference to the lives of the BFC community.
CHILDMINDING
As a registered childminder, you will provide flexible childcare for one or more children under the age of eight, for more than two hours a day, in your own home for reward.
Read more about some of our services or download referral forms below:
REPORT CONCERNS
If you suspect or believe a child or adult is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm, including any form of mistreatment or abuse, or if you are concerned about your own behaviour and need advice or support, you should contact us (numbers above) or the emergency services on 112.
EMERGENCY SERVICES NUMBER
112
Any other enquiries please contact us at contactuscyprus@forcessocialwork.com
UPCOMING TRAINING
Domestic Abuse Training
The level of training and awareness you require about domestic abuse is dependent on your role within the BFC community and what type of response is expected of you. There are two types of response, universal and specialist, and two levels within each response. Click below for more information.
Find out more >
Safeguarding Training
There are three levels of MOD Safeguarding training available, which one is for you will be dependent on your role; Level 1 is online, Levels 2 and 3 are delivered face-to-face at locations across island.
Find out more >