Military families experience unique challenges that can affect family and home life. This section provides resources for working with military families on topics such as adoption, child abuse and neglect, prevention, deployment, domestic violence, and mental health stressors, as well as information on an array of services that are designed to support military families.
- Supporting military families
- Child abuse, neglect, and prevention
- Adoption
- Dealing with deployment
- Domestic violence
- Behavioral health
Children Against the Backdrop of War: Addressing the Needs of Military Families
Crosson-Tower (2012)
In Exploring Child Welfare: A Practice Perspective. Sixth edition
View Abstract
Examines the impact of military culture on the children in military families is explored, including the types of military families and the issues that they face and the specific issues faced by children of military families. A strength-based approach to working with military families is proposed. Critical thinking questions, a practice test, case studies, and suggestions for additional research are included.
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness
U.S. Department of Defense, Penn State & U.S. Department of Agriculture
Provides training and technical assistance, evidence-informed practices and resources to support the professional capacity of those working with military personnel and their families.
Coming Together Around Military Families
ZERO TO THREE
Highlights increased awareness and collaboration throughout the military community so that parents and professionals can care more effectively for very young children and their families and recommends resources including newsletters and videos for families.
Military Child Initiative
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health & Johns Hopkins Center on School, Family and Community Partnerships
Assists public schools with improving the quality of education for highly mobile and vulnerable young people with a special focus on military children and their families by providing national, State, and local education agencies with information, tools, and services that enhance school success.
Military Children, Families, and Communities: Supporting Those Who Serve
Davis, Blaschke, & Stafford (2012)
Pediatrics, 129
View Abstract
Emphasizes the need for pediatric providers to understand the unique concerns of military families, such as the stress of parental wartime separation, and the specific resources available to these families in order help prepare providers to meet the needs of this population regardless of where a medical home is established.
Military Families Knowledge Bank
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Provides resources to assist military family members and their health care and service providers.
Research and Resilience: Creating a Research Agenda for Supporting Military Families With Young Children
Silver Williams & Mulrooney (2012)
Zero to Three, 32(4)
View Abstract
Reviews relevant studies that contribute to knowledge of how to best support military families with young children around deployment, injury, and loss. In addition, the article expains ZERO TO THREE's Research and Resilience initiative, which serves as a call to researchers for continued studies specific to military families with young children.
A Support and Resource Guide for Working With Military Families (PDF - 7,557 KB)
National Resource Center for Healthy Marriage and Families (2013)
Presents a guide to help service providers better understand military structure and culture; connect with existing resources for military service members and their families; and learn about the role that core marriage and relationship skills play in work, school, family, and military environments, including strategies for integrating healthy marriage and relationship skills into service delivery systems for military service members and their families.
Views from the Homefront: The Experiences of Youth and Spouses from Military Families
Chandra, Lara-Cinisomo, Jaycox, Tanielian, Han, Burns, et al. (2011)
Examines the functioning of a sample of youth in military families who applied to a free camp for children of military personnel and to specifically assess how these youth are coping with parental deployment.
Working with Court-Involved Military Families: The Effects of PTSD and Substance Abuse (PDF - 510 KB)
Meyer (2012)
Summarizes different types of treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUDs) and highlights the Seeking Safety program as the only empirically supported integrated treatment for both PTSD and SUDs. Federal responses to family violence in the Armed Services are then discussed, including the Support and Family Education program in the Veterans Health Administration.