Relationship counselling and mediation

We work with Relate to provide a little extra support for the RAF Family.

Relationship counselling

We can provide up to six free counselling sessions, with a trained Relate counsellor for RAF personnel, Reservists, veterans and their partners.

Whether married, living together, in a same-sex relationship, separated, divorced or single, our confidential service can help.

Counselling can be offered either face-to-face, via video call or over the telephone. Advice can also be accessed via web-based live chat. This gives everyone the opportunity to talk to a trained Relate counsellor in the most convenient way and means the service can be accessed overseas.

Mediation support for couples

It can be stressful when a relationship breaks down but mediation can help to settle disputes over living arrangements, child maintenance, property and financial situations.

We can assist towards the cost of mediation services through Relate, for RAF personnel, Reservists, veterans and their partners, including covering the full cost of an initial session and subsidising the cost for a standard package of further sessions.

Strengthening Parents Programme 

Are you parenting with someone you argue with a lot? Is there conflict in your relationship? Have you separated and struggling to co-parent without tension? The Strengthening Parents programme is a programme that runs for 1.5 hours a week over session sessions that can be arranged flexibly to suit parents. The programme is similar to couple counselling but focused on the co-parenting relationship and learning to work as a team. It looks at the thoughts and feelings behind conflict behaviour and promotes an awareness of how conflict affects the wellbeing of children. It is provided free of charge by the charity Relate thanks to funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund. It is accessible to any member of the HM Armed Forces (or veterans within the last 12 months) and their co-parents. To find out more and access this service, click here. 

RelateBot parenting support 

You can access personalised parenting advice 24 hours a day via Relate’s AI-driven chat tools, designed to help make making co-parenting calmer, clearer, and much less stressful.

The three specialised tools can help you handle problems you might be facing with your partner or co-parent, including personalised support to get through current conflicts, giving a child’s perspective on relationship issues, and offering a sounding board for writing clear communications. All three tools are available for free on the Relate website.

Is the service confidential?

Everything you say to a Relate consultant or counsellor will remain completely confidential. You will need to give your, or your partner's, service details to Relate, but this is simply to confirm eligibility.

No one apart from Relate and those delivering the service at the Fund, will be told that you have accessed these services unless there are safeguarding issues which may need to be acted upon.

Access the service

If you have any questions or wish to access the service, please contact our Wellbeing Services helpline on 0300 222 5703 or support@rafbf.org.uk. Our helpline is open Monday - Friday 09:30 - 15:30. Outside these hours please either leave a voicemail or email us. We will endeavour to respond within five working days.