Step 3: Family life
“The commitment made by the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces often requires great personal sacrifice and has an impact on families as much as those serving.”
“The all-encompassing character of a military lifestyle means service children can experience ‘growing up’ quite differently from their peers. The mobile lifestyle of many military families can be tough, with multiple school moves that leave them feeling unsettled and anxious about achieving good grades. For children with additional needs, moving around can add another layer of complexity.”
– KIN AND COUNTRY: Growing up as an Armed Forces child (17 July 2018) by the Children’s Commissioner, England (Anne Longfield OBE)
Resources: The Armed Forces Family Life
There are three Families Federations which support the families of Armed Forces personnel. They are the:
- NFF Naval Families Federation
- AFF Army Families Federation
- RAF-FF RAF Families Federation
They developed a presentation to provide an overview of Armed Forces family life. It includes a range of possible supports which are available to Armed Forces families.
Reflective questions
- To what extent does Armed Forces family life affect children and young people?
- How are you and your establishment enabling meaningful participation of Armed Forces families and their children?
- What examples of added value do Armed Forces children and young people bring to their new school?
- Look at slide 11. What do you consider to be the three most relevant messages and what implications do they have for your establishment?