Forces in Mind Trust has awarded £249,645 to a consortium to fund its commission into children and young people from Armed Forces families.
The project will be led by the Department of Education at Brunel University of London, in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth, Forces Children Scotland, and Academic Consulting and Education Services (ACCESS).
The two-year study will explore the unique challenges and opportunities faced by children and young people aged 8-21 whose parents or carers are transitioning out of the military and into civilian life.
While much is known about the experiences of veterans, there is little evidence about how this major life change impacts their children. The new project will address this gap, capturing the voices of young people to inform better policy and support systems for Armed Forces families across the UK.
Dr Liam Satchell, Lecturer in Psychology from Portsmouth's School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences , will support the research team. He said: "Children in military families do share in the complex emotional and social changes of a parent leaving the Armed Forces. However, we know very little about the challenges or benefits they might experience in this move to civilian life. This project will place their voices at the centre of the research, helping to ensure future support services truly reflect their lived experience. I'm excited to be working with this experienced and passionate team to deliver meaningful change."
There are estimated to be over 120,000 children with at least one parent serving in the Armed Forces in the UK.
"Children from Armed Forces families often benefit from opportunities and experiences through being part of a military family," said Michelle Alston, Chief Executive of Forces in Mind Trust. "However, they also face distinct challenges. While some of those challenges and opportunities are known, there remain significant gaps in our understanding of Service children as they navigate their own transition away from the military community. Therefore, FiMT is proud to be funding this project, which aims to bridge those gaps in knowledge and help drive meaningful change in the support for Service children."
The research is underpinned by these key research questions:
- What are the experiences of children and young people before, during and after parents/carers leave the Armed Forces?
- What are the unique opportunities and challenges associated with the transition from the Armed Forces community and the impact on children and young people?
- How can support be most effectively organised and implemented for these children and young people before, during and after transition?
The project will use a co-design approach to ensure that the voice of the children and young people is central in shaping the way the research is designed and conducted, and in the research outcomes and publications.
Anne Chappell and Ellen McHugh, from Brunel University of London, said: "As a project team that includes Amanda Carr, Liam Satchell, Liz Spruin and Meg Thomas, we are delighted to have been awarded this research funding from FiMT. It provides an exciting opportunity to work innovatively with children and young people to co-design and develop research into their unique experiences at a particular transition point in their family life. The evidence from this research will be used to identify the most appropriate support and provide recommendations for embedding the support in both policy and practice."
The 24 month project will begin in September 2025.
