The University of Chester – Service Children’s Transitions in Education.

The University of Chester received £59,894 for their project, ‘Service children’s transitions in education’. The project will investigate the educational risks and benefits associated with Service children’s transitions. It will explore the lived experience of Service parents and children in conjunction with investigating the challenges associated with transitions, to determine in what ways educational risks can be mitigated. 

The study will be completed by Service family academic staff working at the University of Chester’s Westminster Centre for Research in Veterans. Their experiences of regular moves and the educational impact on children will help provide a deep personal insight into the issues and will assist in reaching and engaging with fellow parents and their children.

Professor Alan Finnegan, the Principal Investigator, said: “Due to my military Service, my youngest daughter went to her fifth school when aged just 9 years old, and the impact of these constant moves is a story that needs to be explored further. 

“As an Armed Forces Community research team, we are extremely grateful to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for funding this incredibly important study. Most importantly, the research will provide a vehicle to clearly show to Service families that the best education for their children is of paramount importance. This study provides an opportunity for Service parents and children to shape and inform future policy, in both the short and long term, to help Service children reach their full potential.”