The Family Liaison Office assists whenever there is a crisis or emergency at post, including personal crisis such as divorce and death of a loved one, or an emergency situation which includes post evacuations. FLO assists families in understanding regulations and allowances during these times of crisis and assists families during their time in the USA on evacuation status. The Family Liaison Office is also the functional office for the Community Liaison Office program at embassies. FLO sets policy for and provides training and guidance to these approximate 170 offices. There are many Foreign Service Officers who are married to other Foreign Service employees.
Every effort is made to assign both members of a tandem couple to the same post at the same time.
There are times, however, when members of a tandem couple may be assigned to separate posts, or one member may opt to take leave without pay to avoid family separation. The Foreign Service strives to assist parents to meet the educational needs of their children, both financially and with advice and information about schools and educational programs. The Department of State aids approximately 175 American-sponsored schools around the world. These schools compare favorably with most schools in the United States. At posts without American-sponsored schools, local schools can often provide a good education for American children.