Children’s education advisory service (CEAS) closes following MOD restructuring
8th Jul 2026
News
One the 7th July the Children’s Education Advisory Service, widely known as CEAS, has been restructured and no longer exists.
Its responsibilities have now been transferred to two separate teams: the Education Advisory Team (UK) and the Overseas Education and Supportability Team.
Both teams form part of the Specialist Support services within Defence Children Services, but each now deals with a different area of education advice for Service families and eligible Ministry of Defence civilian families.
The change means parents who previously contacted CEAS will need to approach the appropriate team depending on whether their enquiry concerns education in the UK or an overseas assignment.
Education Advisory Team (UK)
The Education Advisory Team (UK), or EAT (UK), is responsible for providing professional information, advice and guidance concerning the education of Service children within the United Kingdom.
The team supports Service personnel and eligible MOD civilian families with education-related issues including:
- school admissions and admission appeals;
- Special Educational Needs and Disabilities;
- moving between schools and the different UK education systems;
- Continuity of Education Allowance;
- the Special Educational Needs Addition;
- retention of Service Family Accommodation for educational reasons; and
- other educational issues arising from mobility and Service life.
Education systems and school admission arrangements differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This can create additional difficulties for families moving between postings, particularly when children are approaching important examinations or require additional educational support.
EAT (UK) is made up of qualified education professionals, advisers and administrators who understand the particular pressures facing mobile Armed Forces families.
The team provides child-centred advice intended to help parents understand the available options and make informed decisions in the best interests of their children.
Boarding education and allowances
EAT (UK) is also the main point of contact for educational advice connected with the Continuity of Education Allowance, known as CEA.
CEA is designed to help eligible Service personnel maintain continuity in their child’s education, usually by contributing towards the cost of boarding school while the family continues to move between assignments.
The team can provide educational advice about boarding, the application process and whether a proposed school appears on the appropriate MOD database. It can also assess a child’s suitability for boarding and provide the Individual Serial Number required for a CEA Eligibility Certificate application.
However, EAT (UK) does not make the final decision on a Service person’s entitlement to the allowance. Eligibility remains subject to the regulations contained in Joint Service Publication 752.
Families whose children have additional educational needs may also be able to apply for the Continuity of Education Allowance Special Educational Needs Addition, or CEA (SENA).
This can provide a contribution towards additional support that goes beyond the provision a school would normally be expected to fund from its own resources. Families should seek advice and approval before entering into financial commitments with a school.
Overseas Education and Supportability Team
Families considering or preparing for an overseas assignment should contact the Overseas Education and Supportability Team.
The team is sometimes referred to in the archived CEAS information as the Overseas Education Supportability Team. Current Defence Children Services guidance uses the title Overseas Education and Supportability Team, or OEST.
OEST provides professional education advice to Service personnel and eligible MOD civilians whose children will accompany them on overseas assignments.
Its responsibilities include:
- advising families about educational provision in overseas locations;
- explaining differences in curricula, qualifications and school-year structures;
- supporting families moving into and out of overseas education;
- advising overseas commands and Defence Children Services schools;
- coordinating educational supportability assessments;
- assessing provision for children with additional educational needs; and
- advising families who are considering elective home education overseas.
Families are strongly encouraged to contact OEST before accepting an overseas assignment.
Schools in other countries may follow different curricula, use different age ranges or offer qualifications that do not correspond directly with GCSEs, A levels or qualifications used within the devolved UK education systems.
Parents should also consider the effect of returning to the UK at the end of an assignment, especially where a child may return during an important examination course or at a key transition point.
Educational supportability assessments
All children aged from birth to 18 who will accompany a parent on an overseas assignment require confirmation of educational supportability.
The assessment considers whether suitable education and any necessary additional support are available in the proposed overseas location.
It also gives the receiving school or setting advance information about the child’s needs, allowing it to prepare for the child’s arrival and support a smoother transition.
Families will normally be asked to provide information from their child’s current school, nursery or early-years setting. This may include school reports, assessment records, information about additional needs, safeguarding information and reports from external professionals such as speech and language therapists or occupational therapists.
The process should be started as early as possible. Delays in supplying information or identifying a suitable school can affect the wider arrangements for an overseas assignment.
Children who will remain in the UK, including those attending boarding school or living with a guardian, do not normally require overseas educational supportability confirmation.
What the restructuring means for families
The disappearance of the CEAS name does not mean that specialist educational support for Armed Forces families has ended.
Instead, its former responsibilities have been divided between two teams:
For UK education enquiries: contact the Education Advisory Team (UK).
For overseas education and supportability enquiries: contact the Overseas Education and Supportability Team.
The restructuring is intended to provide more clearly defined routes for families seeking advice, although older MOD forms, guidance documents and online information may still contain references to CEAS.
Families should therefore make sure they are using the latest Defence Children Services guidance rather than relying on archived CEAS material or previously saved contact details.
Contacting the new teams
The Education Advisory Team (UK) can be contacted at:
The Overseas Education and Supportability Team can be contacted at:
Families should include relevant details about the child, the current or proposed posting and the nature of their education enquiry. They should not send sensitive personal or medical information unless requested through an appropriate and secure process.
The latest forms, policy documents and guidance are available through Defence Children Services and GOV.UK.
For Armed Forces families, postings can bring significant educational decisions as well as practical challenges. Contacting the correct team early can help parents understand their options, complete the necessary processes and protect the continuity of their children’s education.
