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Non-racist is not the same as anti-racist: a personal reflection
This is an intensely personal piece, but as a Black British woman, sometimes the best way to make observations on a wider issue is to illustrate it with, and from, a particular perspective. That is why I am writing this. It has been 2 weeks since the killing of George Floyd. After 3 memorial services […]
Continue readingOmbudsman publishes fourth Annual Report
The 2019 Annual Report for the Service Complaints Ombudsman was laid in Parliament today. This is the Ombudsman’s fourth report to cover the work of her office and the reformed Service complaints process. For the fourth year, the Ombudsman found that, despite continued improvements, the system is still not efficient, effective or fair. To […]
Continue readingHow the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak is impacting our service
These are worrying times, and we have no way of knowing how long this situation will last. The government guidance for organisations to work remotely is a significant change, but at SCOAF, we are doing our best to operate as normal in the current circumstances. Our focus remains on providing independent and impartial oversight of […]
Continue readingInternational Women’s Day – is gender equality only an issue for women?
This news article is written by Shaniah Royer, a Senior Investigator at SCOAF. I am honoured to have been asked by the Ombudsman to write an article to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) 2020. In light of the theme for the 2020 IWD ‘#EachforEqual’, it seems fitting to share some reflections on the importance […]
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Informal resolution and alternative dispute resolution: What’s the difference?
As the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces, I have oversight of the Service Complaints system. But what some people don’t know is that not all complaints are dealt with this way. The Service Complaints system is the formal mechanism for resolving specific types of grievances[1] raised by Service personnel. However, many complaints are […]
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