Celebrating The Strength and Resilience of Military Children
April marks the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognise and celebrate the incredible resilience, strength, and sacrifices of children growing up in Armed Forces families.
Military children grow up in a world shaped by service.
They understand goodbyes more deeply than most. They learn to introduce themselves with confidence. They adapt to new schools, new homes and new friendships, often with little warning. And yet, time and again, they demonstrate extraordinary resilience, empathy and maturity beyond their years.
Being a military child is not simply about mobility or deployment cycles. It’s about belonging to something bigger, a community built on service, sacrifice and solidarity.
At Troopr, we believe military children deserve recognition not just during national awareness weeks, but every day. And importantly, they deserve meaningful support that reflects the unique rhythm of forces life.
Why Military Children Deserve Recognition
Military children grow up in a world of constant change. They face:
- Frequent relocations - often moving schools and leaving friends behind and needing to make new ones..
- Long periods of separation from one or both parents during deployments.
- Emotional and mental health challenges, including anxiety and uncertainty.
- Unique educational hurdles due to curriculum differences between schools.
Despite these challenges, military children develop resilience, independence, and an incredible ability to adapt. They grow up with a deep sense of community and an understanding of sacrifice beyond their years. Poppy (13) and Alfie (11) say:
“Being a military child is both fun and challenging at the same time. We love the fact that we get to explore new places when we move house, but we find it really difficult to leave friends behind and have to start again. We hate it when Daddy goes away, especially for a long time, the house always feels so empty and sad.”
The Strength of the Military Child
Behind every military child is a story of perseverance. They learn to build friendships quickly, adapt to new environments, and support their families through tough times. Many develop strong leadership skills, empathy, and a global perspective from their diverse experiences.
But they also need understanding and support to thrive. Whether it’s through schools providing tailored resources, communities embracing them, or families finding ways to stay connected despite the distance, small actions can make a big difference in their lives.
Former Troopr Partnerships Manager, Aaron Clark, shares his experience of being a military child.
"Having spent 18 years immersed in military life while my father, both grandfathers, and great uncles served across all three services, I know firsthand what it means to be a military child. I’m grateful for the experiences, adventures, and independence it gave me – seeing the world, adapting to change, and learning to thrive in any environment. But it wasn’t always easy. The uncertainty of when, or if, I’d see my dad again, and the unspoken responsibility of looking after my mum and brother, shaped my journey. It was a unique childhood – challenging yet rewarding – and one I’m proud to have lived.
Where Can You Find Help and Support for Military Children?
Organisations like our partners Forces Children Scotland, FAB Family Memories, Scotty’s Little Soldiers and Little Troopers; are all dedicated to ensuring military children receive the support, stability, and opportunities they deserve.
Forces Children Scotland: Championing the Future of Young People
Forces Children Scotland has been dedicated to supporting children and young people from serving and veteran families for over 200 years. Their mission is to provide tailored assistance to help each child thrive and reach their full potential. Some of their key initiatives include:
- Mental Health & Well-being: The Your Mind Matters Programme provides counseling and peer support along with a digital well-being hub to help children cope with anxiety, stress, and the emotional impact of military life.
- Deployment Rollercoaster: Provides support whilst a parent or loved one is away on deployment by helping you navigate the different feelings associated with the journey.
- Education Support: Guidance and financial assistance to help military children access education without barriers caused by mobility or family circumstances.
- Participation Programmes: Empowering young people to share their voices and influence decisions that affect them, helping them build confidence, skills and leadership qualities.
Through these initiatives, Forces Children Scotland ensures that military children receive the support they need to navigate the complexities of military life with confidence.
Scotty’s Little Soldiers: Supporting Bereaved Military Children
For children who have lost a parent who served, Scotty’s Little Soldiers provides a vital support network. Inspired by the experience of its founder, Nikki Scott, after losing her husband in combat, the charity offers practical and emotional support to bereaved military children. Their mission is to ensure that bereaved military children never feel alone. They offer:
- Smiles Programme: Providing fun activities, holiday breaks, and special gifts to brighten a child's day and remind them they aren’t alone and are part of a supportive community.
- Support Programme: Looks after the emotional health and wellbeing of the bereaved military children and young people we support. It includes information and guidance on childhood bereavement for parents and carers, and 1:1 professional bereavement support for children and young people
- Strides Programme: Focuses on the education and development needs of bereaved Forces children and young people. This includes promoting a positive attitude to learning and providing opportunities to develop life skills. It also includes a range of small educational grants.
- Springboard Membership: Supporting older children as they transition into adulthood with mentoring, career guidance, and financial assistance.
Through these initiatives, Scotty’s Little Soldiers ensures that every bereaved British Forces child has access to the very best emotional support, outstanding development opportunities, and the chance to smile again.
Little Troopers: Keeping Families Connected
Little Troopers is a charity that focuses on helping military children stay connected with their deployed parents and navigate military life. Their programs are designed to offer emotional and practical support to military children, ensuring they feel connected and understood. Key projects include:
- Separation Pack: A toolkit to help children cope with a parent’s deployment, featuring activity sheets, countdown charts, and a special journal.
- All Together Online Workshops: Virtual sessions that bring military children together to share experiences and build friendships.
- Therapy Programme: Supports the mental health and well-being of children whose parents serve in the British Armed Forces
- Fun and engaging events ensure that military children have special moments of joy and community.
- Little Troopers at School: Resources for teachers to help them understand and support military children in the classroom.
With these tailored programs, Little Troopers ensures that children feel seen, valued, and connected, no matter where they are.
RAF AFC Kidz – Built for the RAF Family
RAF AFC Kidz is a unique childcare charity created to meet the early years needs of RAF and wider military families across the UK. Rather than being a commercial childcare provider, it exists to deliver high-quality, affordable, and nurturing childcare close to where service families live and serve.
Operating fully OFSTED-registered nurseries at RAF stations nationwide, RAFAKidz understands that the everyday lives of military children are shaped by mobility, deployment and unpredictability. Its approach is centred on creating experiences where every child can grow, learn and flourish, regardless of their background, ability or circumstances.
FAB Camps – Creating Joy and Lifelong Friendships
Families’ Activity Breaks (FAB) is a tri-service charity providing fun, supportive and challenging activity camps across the UK specifically for bereaved military families. FAB offers something many families deeply need: space to breathe, connect and feel understood. These camps are designed for children and young people aged 19 or under (on the first day of camp) who have lost a serving loved one in the Armed Forces. Importantly, FAB strives to be inclusive rather than exclusive. If a family’s circumstances fall slightly outside the core criteria, the committee considers cases individually, recognising that grief rarely fits neatly into categories.
Their camps and activity programmes provide safe, inclusive environments where children from forces families can relax, explore, and simply be themselves. Whether through outdoor adventure or creative activities, FAB Camps recognises that connection with peers who “just get it” can make all the difference.
Reading Force – Strengthening Bonds Through Storytelling
Separation is one of the hardest aspects of military life — particularly for children. Reading Force addresses this in a beautifully simple way: through shared reading.
By providing book packs and encouraging families to read together — even across distance — Reading Force strengthens emotional connections during deployments and transitions. Stories become a bridge between home and duty, offering comfort, routine and shared experience.
Celebrating Forces Families – Sharing Stories That Matter
Celebrating Forces Families shines a light on the lived experiences of military households, amplifying stories of resilience, diversity and everyday achievement. The incredible Awards Night (April 24th) os dedicated to recognising the extraordinary contributions of military spouses, partners, children and extended family members. It is a moment to pause, reflect and publicly acknowledge the emotional labour, adaptability and unwavering support that families provide every day.
RAF Families Federation – Giving RAF Families a Voice
The RAF Families Federation (RAF FF) exists to represent the views and lived experiences of RAF personnel and their families. Independent of the chain of command, the Federation works to ensure that the concerns of families — including issues affecting children and young people — are understood and acted upon.
Whether it’s education transitions, childcare provision, housing, employment for spouses, or the broader impact of mobility and deployment, RAF FF advocates for positive change. By gathering feedback directly from RAF families and raising it with decision-makers, the Federation plays a vital role in shaping policies that affect everyday life.
For military children, this advocacy matters. Stability in schooling, improved support during deployments, and accessible community services are not abstract policies — they shape real experiences.
RAF FF also provides accessible information and guidance, helping families navigate the complexities of service life. In doing so, it strengthens not only individual households but the wider RAF community.
Schools Leading the Way
Support for military children isn’t limited to charities and national organisations — schools are increasingly playing a vital role too. For Month of the Military Child, Hazlegrove Prep School is hosting a dedicated assembly to highlight the experiences of its military pupils, giving them the opportunity to share how their lives may differ from their peers. That afternoon, they will bring families together for a tea.
Military children have also been set a “Life Journey” project, mapping the places they have lived and schools they have attended. These will be displayed to celebrate their experiences and help other pupils better understand the realities of service life.
How Can You Get Involved?
There are many ways you can help to recognise and support military children:
- Raise awareness about the challenges they face and celebrate their resilience.
- Encourage schools and communities to offer tailored support for military kids.
- Help children stay connected with their deployed parents through communication and activities.
- Create a welcoming environment for military families in local communities.
- Acknowledge their experiences and the strength it takes to grow up in a military family.
A Time to Celebrate
The Month of the Military Child is not just about recognising challenges, it’s about celebrating the bravery, adaptability, and incredible spirit of military children. These young individuals play an essential role in the Armed Forces community, showing strength beyond their years.
This April, let’s take a moment to appreciate their journey, share their stories, and ensure they feel valued. Whether through a simple message of encouragement, community events, or supporting initiatives that uplift them, every effort counts.
Military children may not wear a uniform, but they serve in their own way, through strength, sacrifice, and unwavering resilience.