Definition

Family assistance is the provision of services and information to address the concerns and the needs of the aircraft accident victims and their families. International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) family assistance plans ensure that the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of victims involved in civil aviation accidents and their families is ensured to help their long-term recovery.

ICAO Doc 9998 Aircraft Accident Victim Assistance Policy and its Families and Doc 9973, Manual on Assistance to Victims of Air Accidents and their Families, define concepts relating to family assistance.