It is good practice to assist personnel and their families when they return home, and to show on-going interest in and respect for them after the end of their period of service. Wherever possible, planning should start for the return at least a year in advance
Good practice includes:
9.1 Permanent return home
- Providing an exit interview before personnel return home covering personal, professional and spiritual needs and consideration of their future
- Allocating time for re-entry preparation for everyone concerned, including children, and for orientation to changes in the country and everyday living
- Planning a good reception on arrival home, both from the sending organisation and supporting church
- Providing an appropriate information pack including information relating to NHS access, tax issues, benefits and educational access
- Providing information about useful books [i], courses andre-entry events [ii]
- Offering personnel support with practical issues such as housing, holidays, education, professional updates, medical needs, dental checks and child care
- Allowing time to adjust and integrate experiences, while still receiving financial support
- Offering medical checks, carried out by professionals who specialise in travel medicine [iii]
- Providing timely personal and operational debriefing, with a trained debriefer, offering the choice of this being carried out externally or within the sending organisation or supporting church [iv]
- Providing help and debriefing for children
- Informing parents and children of opportunities for TCKs to take part in activities such as TCK camps [v]
- Assisting those who are seeking employment, where possible [vi]
- Providing contact details of people who can offer support such as other returned personnel, peer mentors and counsellors
- Supporting practically and financially opportunities for spiritual growth such as retreats [vii], conferences and spiritual directors
- Providing help with communicating wisely their reasons for returning, especially if returning before the anticipated end of service
- Showing on-going interest in and respect for returned personnel
9.2 Children or young people moving to a new location without their parents (for school or university)
- Beginning to plan at least two years before the child’s return, gathering information about cost, eligibility for ‘home student’ status, and funding options
- Giving children an opportunity to visit the school and meet teachers and other students before any boarding place is finalised
- Providing at least one parent with the opportunity to assist their child settling
- Appointing a responsible adult in the home country to look after the welfare of the child and act in loco parentis
- Budgeting sufficient funding for visits to their family during longer holiday periods
9.3 Retirement
- Offer practical assistance to those approaching retirement such as financial advice [viii], and accommodation [ix]
- Helping personnel realise that they can make significant contributions to their sending organisation and supporting church
- Inviting retired personnel and those approaching retirement to attend seminars and short courses on retirement [x], and to meet with other retired personnel
- Considering short-term return visits overseas where this might be of mutual benefit to all parties concerned
[i] See Families on the move by M. Knell; Burn Up or Splash Down by M Knell, The re-entry team by N Piroloand The art of coming home by C Storti
[ii] See www.penhurst.org.uk and www.oscar.org.uk/service/training/reentry.htm
[iii] Medical checks are strongly recommended at least every two years while overseas, and at the end of service, especially if personnel have been working in areas with poor resources. They are essential for those who have medical concerns.
[iv] See Debriefing aid workers and missionaries: a comprehensive manual by D Lovell-Hawker available from www.peopleinaid.org The website also has information on workshops to train debriefers. To locate a debriefer, see also Appendix 1.
[v] See www.globalconnections.co.uk/tckwww.oscar.org.uk/service/children/events.htm and www.xenosmk.org.uk,
[vi] Joy Lankester offers career advice for missionaries – see www.interhealth.org.uk/interchange
[vii] See www.penhurst.org.uk and www.oscar.org.uk/service/pastoral
[viii] The OSCAR website has a finance section: www.oscar.org.uk/service/finance. Information about tax credits, benefits and financial support is available from www.directgov.uk
[ix] The OSCAR website has a housing page: www.oscar.org.uk/service/logistics/comingtouk/housing.htm. Redbourne Missionary Trust has 5 flats for retired mission personnel. Email vmcobb@tiscali.co.uk . A list of Christian Residential Homes can be obtained from the UK Christian Handbook.Pilgrim Homes (www.pilgrimhomes.org.uk) provide sheltered accommodation, residential and nursing care, and are sympathetic to retired mission personnel. See also www.ecklinggrange.org.uk and www.housingcorp.gov.uk
[x] See www.penhurst.org.uk which runs retreats on retirement. Home staff wishing to learn how to run seminars for retired personnel are invited to contact Wycliffe UK and request to sit in on a seminar. Contact retirement_administrator_uk@sil.org
