When a Parent P Leaves the Military
resources to support children MCEC and the Bob Woodruff Foundation provide resources to aid veteran families in support of their children as they transition to civilian life.
Video Lessons for Children and Youth: STUDENTS LOOK AT THEIR PARENTS LEAVING THE MILITARY
While it’s imperative that adults acknowledge and address the issues facing veteran-connected children and youth, it is equally important that students understand the challenges that may affect their veteran-connected peers. The MCEC has created three student-centered videos, one each for elementary, middle and high school. The goal for each is to encourage school-age youth to recognize challenges and work to develop understanding and empathy for their veteran-connected peers. The videos use popular literature to create a connection between the characters and veteran-connected students who face unique transition experiences as new students. Who should view these videos? Although these may be viewed by individual students, it is recommended that they be watched in student groups and that teachers, counselors, parents and other child-serving professionals facilitate discussion around the topic and the solutions. It’s key to note that it’s not necessary to have military or veteran-connected students in a school; the message resonates wherever there is student mobility. The Literature Within. Age-appropriate lessons about transition and overcoming challenges are central to each of these books. — Elementary School (Grades K-5) Video: Teacup by Rebecca Young — Middle School (Grades 6-8) Video: Wonder by R.J. Palacio — High School (Grades 9-12) Video: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Why is this important? Research shows a civilian-military divide: • 71% of Americans say they have little understanding of the issues facing post-9/11 veterans. • 84% of veterans say that the public has “little awareness” of the issues facing them and their families. That divide makes transition a challenge for veterans as well as the employers who want to hire them, the universities that want to educate them, and the families and communities that want to reintegrate them. Source: George W. Bush Institute
Through the generosity of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, the MCEC has been able to address the unique needs of children and youth whose families are transitioning out of the military.
When a Parent P Leaves the Military For many military-connected children, transition is transition…no matter the cause. And, military-connected children certainly know transition! On average, they move six to nine times during their Kindergarten through graduation years. For some military children, change may be the only constant in their lives. But, one move – one transition – has proven to be different. The move from military to civilian life often presents additional stressors for children and youth, particularly when there are parental service-related injuries involved. Although there is not yet extensive research about the effects of this transition, child-serving professionals and students have helped identify the following possible challenges.
POSSIBLE CHALLENGES • Loss of military identity • Moves to non-military communities with few recognizable support services and long distances to the nearest military-connected services • Employment challenges that affect the entire family’s emotional and financial stability
Child-serving professionals must be prepared to understand and address these challenges. With the generous support of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, MCEC has developed three tools to best prepare all who work and learn with veteran-connected children.
• Other causes of financial insecurity such as high housing and transportation costs, out-ofpocket medical expenses and more
A Professional Development course, Supporting Veterans’ Children through Transitions
• Enrollment in school systems that don’t have an understanding of the military lifestyle
Two Professional Learning Community video lessons on the MCEC website and in TedEd, When a Parent Leaves the Military, and
• Social/emotional concerns for children moving to communities where teachers, administrators, childcare workers and peers don’t “get” the military • Changes to roles within the family that disrupt normal routines and expectations • Resultant changes in family communication When there are accompanying service-related injuries, additional stressors may include: • Loss or delays in available medical care for the new veteran • Misunderstanding from the new community about service-related injuries, especially those that are invisible or diagnosed at a later date, perhaps after the move • Changes in caregiver responsibilites
Three age-appropriate video lessons for elementary, middle and high school students, Students Look at Their Parents Leaving the Military
Professional Development Course:
SUPPORTING VETERANS’ CHILDREN THROUGH TRANSITIONS MCEC offers a one-day Professional Development course that was designed for youth-serving professionals, educators and parents. Through a series of exercises, group discussions and information sharing, participants learn about transitional issues that are unique to children when their parents separate from the military, especially when there are service-related injuries involved. Participants then develop strategies to address the challenges. For a more in-depth description of this six-hour course, see MilitaryChild.org/professionals/supportingveterans-children-through-transitions. A list of locations where the course is currently booked can also be found at this link. To inquire about scheduling a course in a different location, contact the Professional Development Program Manager at 254-953-1923.
Professional Learning Opportunities: WHEN A PARENT LEAVES THE MILITARY
MCEC knows that professionals and leaders want to know more about issues that affect the veteranconnected families who live, work and learn in their communities. Through two MCEC-developed video lessons, participants learn the basics and begin to develop strategies to support their veteran-connected children and youth. Access to the videos is free of charge; users may view the videos individually or in groups and then engage in in-depth discussions and explore more extensive resources through the attached TedEd links. Who should view these videos? Educators, counselors, other child-serving professionals, community leaders and parents. Although individuals will benefit from watching them, they are particularly well-suited for Professional Learning Communities, as well as staff and parent groups. These two companion videos provide: Video 1: AWARENESS of the issues involved in the transition from service member to veteran, and Video 2: UNDERSTANDING of the challenges for the veterans’ children and families MilitaryChild.org/When-Parents-Leave-the-Military
Resources
There are many additional resources available to military and veterans’ families in support of their children. The link below shares those that have a national presence. It includes valuable information and may also provide connections to local agencies. In addition, all communities have local, regional and state-level resources for their veteran-connected families. MilitaryChild.org/resources-to-assist-veterans-families