Research Recap: School Experiences of Children in Military Families

Abstract: There are more than 64,000 children growing up in military families in Canada. Many of these children experience high mobility, as studies show that military families move three to four times more often than their civilian counterparts. While most military families are highly adaptive and resilient during relocations, a growing body of research has found that these frequent moves can have an impact on family well-being.
While frequent moves can affect multiple aspects of family life, some research suggests that the greatest disruption on youth is related to school and school-related activities. Parents in military families are aware of these disruptions, with more than half (54%) of surveyed military spouses agreeing that “military children are at a disadvantage because civilian public schools do not understand military life.” However, research also shows that a child’s school environment can facilitate the transition and have a positive impact on the well-being of youth in military families.