MFRC: Four letters you need to remember!

June 10, 2024 - Royal Canadian Air Force

Be sure to register with your MFRC and check the consent box on your Family Care Plan

Authors: Holly Bridges and CWO Trevor Bull, RCAF Family Advocate

There are so many moving parts and stresses that come with any type of move. Especially a military move. So many things to consider, to plan, to put in place. It is often one of the most stressful things that happens in a military family’s life! Members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), have access to a group of services that can help us through this stressful time (and many others) by providing us with resources, information and contacts to help guide us during our move: your local Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC).

MFRCs are located at all bases and wings across Canada. Services are also available to our OUTCAN members and there is a substantial virtual presence. MFRC locations and services can be viewed on this website CFMWS by selecting your local community. This will set you on your journey to the many services available in your area or at your next posting.

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Members of the CAF have access to a group of services that can help us through this stressful time by providing us with resources, information, and contacts to help guide us during our move: your local MFRC.

Some of the services and assitance offered could include:

• Facilitating a family’s integration into their new community and helping the family choose an environment that meets their needs (daycare, school, local services, special needs, etc.);
• Supporting the transition from one province to another (driver’s license, family doctor, daycare, etc.);
• When operational tempo gets overwhelming, the MFRC can assist with many things like providing navigational assistance with finding options for casual daycare, respite care, etc.,
• Providing access to services to help deal with children’s behavioural issues and reactions to changes (moving, absences, re-integration);
• Being a conduit to a member’s parents when they are worried, have no news or may need reassurance;
• Facilitating the development of social and mutual aid networks through activities designed to alleviate isolation;
• Assisting with any other requirements for information, guidance, referral and support to promote family well-being.

So how do you access these services?

As you can imagine, the mandate to support families and the local military community can be a tough one to manage. For Privacy reasons, the MFRC cannot reach out to every person or family through a process of “cold calling” – they require consent and must rely on the proactive provision of personal information by the member or their dependants before they are permitted to reach out.

The absolute best way to access services is to walk in and meet the people who work at your local MFRC. Talk to them, see what they have to offer, register with them and provide them with your contact information so that they can connect with you and your family.

CAF members also have the option of providing family contact information and consent to provide this information from their orderly room during their Annual Readiness Verification. During this annual check, members must fill out the Family Care Plan Form and check whether or not they wish to have the orderly room provide this contact information to the MFRC in accordance with DAOD 5044-1 Families.

And, finally, go to their website CFMWS, select your local community scroll down and check out the different ways you can contact them to stay connected.

Family support is an important part of keeping CAF members operationally focused. By taking this one small step, members and their families can enjoy the many benefits offered by their local MFRC and feel better supported as military community in knowing what services are available when, where and how they need them.