Education Policy - Canada
Purpose
This document provides guidance on the process for obtaining Defence Children Services (DCS) Confirmation of Supportability (previously known as clearance) for Service Personnel assigned overseas with accompanying children, and for claiming school fees whilst in Canada.
Information and guidance can be found here.
All accompanying children aged 0–18 years require confirmation that their educational and support needs can be met in the overseas location prior to travel.
DCS Confirmation of Supportability is part of the overarching MOD Assessment of Support Needs for Accompanied Assignments Overseas process and is required to ensure:
- Overseas Commands and schools understand a child’s support needs
- Appropriate provision can be planned in advance
- Parents are informed of any differences in educational provision overseas
Confirmation is issued for the duration of the Assignment Order and must be re‑confirmed for any assignment extension.
Confirmation of Supportability is required for:
- All accompanying children aged 0–18, including those not yet in education
- All overseas locations
Confirmation is not required where a child is not accompanying the Service Person overseas and remains in UK education (e.g. boarding school or residing with a guardian).
Service Personnel must first contact the Families Section:
📧 UKSTRATCOM-DefSp-DSCOM-FamSec@mod.gov.uk
The Families Section will:
- Issue the required OES forms
- Provide guidance on visas
- Provide guidance on medical clearance
For Canada, all OES forms must be submitted via the Defence Children Services Overseas Education and Supportability (OES) Team. This mailbox acts as the primary point of contact (POC) for the DCS assessment process.
Education‑Related Claims
Administration of Claims
School-Age Education‑related claims are administered by the BDLS Finance Administrator. Service Personnel will be issued with the appropriate DSC Forms (001,002,003,004) which must be completed and returned with the appropriate registration documentation and invoices for payment to be processed.
Financial Responsibility
The DCS Overseas Education and Supportability Team does not manage claims, allowances, or financial entitlements
For children of school age, claims are managed through BDLS who will send to the Chain of Command (CofC) holding budgetary authority for the assignment (GAO), for sign-off.
Checklist –Claiming School Fees Through BDLS
Before submitting a claim for school‑age children, ensure the following actions have been completed:
- DCS Confirmation of Supportability has been granted for the child for the duration of the assignment
- The appropriate DSC claim form(s) issued by the BDLS Finance Administrator have been fully completed
- Supporting documentation is attached, including:
- School registration or enrolment confirmation
- Invoices or fee statements clearly identifying the child and period claimed
- Claimed items are eligible in accordance with JSP 342, Chapter 5
- All forms are signed and submitted to BDLS FA
- Copies of submitted paperwork are retained for personal records
For policy clarification or education‑related queries, contact the Education Policy Team (EPT):
📧 People-AFFS-Education-People-AFFS-Education-Mailbox@mod.gov.uk
Claimable items are detailed in JSP 342, Chapter 5.
This policy is owned by the Education Policy Team (EPT).
📧 People-AFFS-Education-People-AFFS-Education-Mailbox@mod.gov.uk
For children not yet of school age, parents must contact the Childcare Expenses Team for advice and guidance on:
- Overseas Nursery Allowance
- Other childcare‑related expenses
📧 People-AFFS-Child-Expenses@mod.gov.uk
Expenses normally transition from nursery allowances to school‑age education expenses once a child reaches Reception / FS2 equivalent age in the overseas location.
- Parents are responsible for engaging early with the DCS process
- All forms must be fully completed, signed, and submitted to avoid delays
- Confirmation of Supportability must be granted before overseas arrangements can be finalised
For advice on the DCS assessment process, submission of forms, or overseas education supportability, contact:
DCS Overseas Education and Supportability Team
RC-DCS-HQ-OES@mod.gov.uk
PACCC CEA Advisory Team—a dedicated group of Subject Matter Experts are able to support Service Personnel, their families, and Unit HR with navigating the complexities of CEA.
