Dependants and families of seafarers are invited to have their say in the second stage of a research project which aims to shape the future of UK maritime welfare services.
The Maritime Charities Group (MCG) is looking at the needs of spouses or partners and families of personnel in the Merchant Navy, fishing fleet and Royal Navy. It has commissioned the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University to carry out an online survey to find out how these families’ needs have changed in the 10 years since a previous survey.
The confidential survey — which will contribute to the overall research project — asks what knowledge dependants and family members have of maritime charities, whether they have ever applied for help from a maritime charity, the type of help requested, and their experiences of receiving any help. The questionnaire also gives families the opportunity to describe the kind of help they think will be most needed in the future, and how a seafaring family’s needs may differ from those ashore.
Dependants of seafarers and their families have until 25 March to complete the short survey, and are also urged to share the link with anyone they know who has a Merchant Navy family member. The survey can also be completed by families of fishing fleet crew and RN personnel.
The third and final survey, which will be launched later in 2016, will cover currently working seafarers. All the research work will update the findings of the 2007 Supporting Seafarers and their Families study and will culminate in a new overarching report on the maritime welfare sector and a conference in September 2017.
Source: Nautilus International
