NEXT STEPS: Understanding children and young people’s experiences of navigating life after their families leave the Armed Forces

In this issue, we interviewed Dr Anne Chappell and Dr Ellen McHugh (Brunel University of London) about their new research in the ‘Next Steps’ study.

The ‘Next Steps’ research project aims to understand the experiences that children and young people aged 8-21 have before, during and after the transition of their Serving parent/guardian to civilian life.

Why is this research important, and why now?

There are estimated to be over 120,000 children and young people with at least one parent/guardian Serving in the Armed Forces in the UK. Despite considerable research focussing on Serving and ex-Service personnel, and occasional research with partners (1), the unique experiences of children and young people, including before, during, and after the transition of their Serving parent/guardian out of the Armed Forces, remain underexplored. The lack of understanding leaves a critical gap in research, policy, and practice, with limited knowledge and evidence available on which to base tailored support for children during this transition.

The Next Steps project, funded by the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT), is essential in addressing knowledge gaps by exploring the experiences of children and young people before, during, and after their parent/guardian transitions out of the Armed Forces community. This project will explore the areas this group indicates need consideration, and the generated knowledge will be used to identify existing good practice in supporting them, as well as any further development needed. This project originates from the premise that this is a heterogeneous group from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences, both positive and negative, and with expertise about their own lives. By directly involving children and young people in the design of the research and process, the study will provide a rich, authentic, detailed and nuanced understanding of the unique opportunities and challenges they experience. Specifically providing insights from this particular transition point in the Serving parents’/guardians’ career and their family life.

What is the problem in the world that this aims to address?

Our recent research (2,3) highlighted that transitions are experienced as multiple and complex with relocations and lifestyle changes. This includes those at the point of the Serving parent/guardian leaving the Armed Forces or the association ending for other reasons. These transitions have practical, physical, and emotional implications, as they potentially involve children and young people leaving behind established communities, adjusting to new environments, and navigating disrupted relationships. On an individual level, the transition point, as the parent/guardian leaves Service, is experienced by some children and young people as positive, where, for example, the family benefits from increased stability, resulting from lower levels of mobility. However, the family transition to a ‘civilian’ life can also leave a child feeling isolated and unsupported. The impact of these transitions varies widely within and across the different branches of the Armed Forces community, based on the nature of the work, postings, deployment, and separation. Our research also indicates that the perceived impact varies between siblings in the same family who experience transitions differently. For some, their lives and stability improve, but for others, the transition is marked by significant disruption and a lack of structured support, particularly when compared to the reintegration programmes available to Serving personnel. Children and young people feel abandoned by the systems intended to support them, as reflected in their testimonies of being left to navigate new schools and civilian life with little guidance or understanding.

What questions will the research aim to answer?

The research will examine the following four research questions:

1. What are the lived experiences of children and young people aged 8-21 from Armed Forces families in relation to the practical, physical, and emotional implications that arise before, during, and after their parent/guardian leaves the Armed Forces?
2. What are the unique opportunities, challenges, and outcomes associated with these transitions and the impact on identity, wellbeing, and sense of belonging from the perspective of the children and young people, and stakeholders that work with them?
3. How do the experiences of these children and young people at this specific transition point compare with others in similar age groups, including those from outside the Armed Forces?
4. What evidence-based recommendations can be developed to improve support for children and young people and those who work with them before, during, and after the transition?

How will it answer these questions (the research method in lay terms)?

This project will employ a multi-methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. It will provide a comprehensive and nuanced understanding by working with, rather than on or about, children and young people aged 8-21 years to explore their experiences of their parents’/guardians’ transition out of the Armed Forces. Children and young people will be fully involved in the co-design of the project to ensure their voices are central to the research design, implementation, and outcomes.

The project will be delivered in two distinct phases to ensure a thorough and methodologically sound participant-centred approach:

Phase 1: Planning, Co-design, and recruitment

1. A Youth Advisory Board (YAB) will be established with 12 young people (aged 12-19) from diverse Armed Forces backgrounds. YAB members will co-design research tools and materials, including the questionnaire and interview guides, ensuring they are age-appropriate and inclusive.
2. There will be regular meetings of the YAB throughout the two-year project to enable their contribution to research design, participant recruitment, and the review of findings.

Phase 2: Data Collection

1. A large-scale questionnaire (n=500) with children and young people (aged 8-21) from Armed Forces families will explore the impact of parent/guardian transition on key aspects of their lives: the impact of the family transition away from the Armed Forces; changes in identity, wellbeing, education, social networks, and sense of belonging, over time resulting from the practical, physical, and emotional implications of transition; and the role of protective factors and support systems in shaping experiences and outcomes.
2. Qualitative interviews with children (n=30) to capture their perspectives on transitions.
3. Qualitative interviews with parents/guardians (n=20) to explore their view of the impact of transition on the experiences of children and young people.
4. Qualitative interviews with key stakeholders (n=10) to explore their understanding of children’s and young people’s experiences and the broader support systems.
5. Eight focus groups with children and young people focusing on common opportunities, challenges and coping mechanisms during and following transition.

What are the intended outcomes and impact of the research?

The findings will provide knowledge and enhance understanding to inform the development of policies, strategies and practices, including those at UK and national levels. This research will address the intergenerational impacts of transition from the Armed Forces, ensuring that these children and young people are no longer overlooked but are recognised, understood, and supported through evidence-based and effective strategies. The resulting targeted policy and practical interventions will ensure that stakeholders and service providers are better equipped to support the children, young people, and their families based on evidence rather than assumption. The findings will contribute to international discussions taking place about support for families connected to the Armed Forces, as well as providing the foundation for future research by identifying what else we need to know.

Who is conducting the research and who has funded it?

The project will be led by Dr Anne Chappell (Principal Investigator and Reader in Education) and Dr Ellen McHugh (Co-Investigator and Senior Lecturer in Education) from the Department of Education at Brunel University of London, in conjunction with Meg Thomas from Forces Children Scotland, and Dr Amanda Carr and Dr Liz Spruin from Academic Consulting and Education Services (ACCESS) and Dr Liam Satchell from the University of Portsmouth. It is funded by the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT).

What are the project's key milestones (e.g. recruitment, analysis, results available)?

The study will start in September 2025 and is a 2-year project. The key points in the timeline are:

• Autumn 2025: Ethical approval;
• January-March 2026: Co-design workshops of research tools and materials;
• April-September 2026: Online questionnaire participant recruitment/data collection;
• June-January 2027: Interviews with children and young people, parents/guardians, and stakeholders, and focus groups with children and young people;
• February-June 2027: Data analysis;
• September 2027 and beyond: Final report, dissemination of findings, and stakeholder engagement.

References

[1] Walker, J., Selous, A. and Misca, G. (2020) Living In Our Shoes: Understanding the needs of UK Armed Forces Families. Link 

[2] Chappell, A., McHugh, E., Ince, C. and Bhuyan, M. (2025) ‘Grown Up’ Children from Armed Forces Families: reflections on experiences of childhood and education, Uxbridge: Brunel University of London. Link 

[3] Ince, C., Chappell, A. and McHugh, E. (2021) University Students from Military Families: the same but different, Uxbridge: Brunel University of London. Link