‘Grown Up’ Children from Armed Forces Families: reflections on experiences of childhood and education
This report investigates the experiences of ‘grown up’ children from Armed Forces families, focusing on how their childhood and education shaped their lives and seeking their advice to inform current support for Service children.
This report investigates the experiences of ‘grown up’ children from Armed Forces families, focusing on how their childhood and education shaped their lives and seeking their advice to inform current support for Service children. It centres on understanding the long-term impact of growing up in an Armed Forces family and using this knowledge to improve support for current Service children and those working with them.
The SCiP Alliance defines a child from an Armed Forces family as someone whose parent or carer has served in the Regular Armed Forces or as a Reservist at any point during the first 25 years of their life. The research addresses a gap in policy and practice, as the existing focus remains on serving personnel, veterans, and school-aged children rather than adults who have grown up in these families.
The study aimed to:
- Understand how childhood and education were experienced by ‘grown up’ children from armed forces families and the perceived impact of these experiences.
- Gather advice from ‘grown up’ children on how to better support current service children and those working with them.
- Use these insights to inform policies and practices for schools, families, armed forces charities, and government.
Key findings highlight the challenges and opportunities of hyper-mobility, identity and pride, friendships, communication with parents, stability/instability, and the transition to civilian life. The report underscores the diversity of experiences within this group and the need for ongoing, long-term support.
