Children's Bureau Express

Strengthening Military Families

As our nation's military personnel continue to support overseas missions and face the challenges of multiple deployments, it is important that child and family-serving organizations are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to effectively support military families. The latest Virginia Child Protection Newsletter discusses the strengths and needs of military families and describes programs to support those families in Virginia and nationwide.

While growing up in the military can offer children several social and emotional benefits, military families also face unique stressors that may place children at greater risk for maltreatment. The newsletter cites two recent studies whose findings indicate increases in substantiated cases of child maltreatment immediately before and after deployment, as well as higher rates of neglect and physical abuse by nonmilitary parents during deployment.

To address the risk of child maltreatment, the newsletter includes articles on some of the many services offered by the military to strengthen families, such as shared parent-child reading programs, child development centers, new parent support programs, in-home child care services, and school-age and youth programs. Other articles address combat stress and family advocacy.

The issue, "Strengthening Military Families," Virginia Child Protection Newsletter, Vol. 86, was edited by Joann Grayson, and is available online:

http://psychweb.cisat.jmu.edu/graysojh/volume%2086.pdf (2,750 KB)

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