Kids' Support
Help for our smallest heroes.
About Kids' Support Programs
There is a hidden cost to today's long and repeated military deployments: the price paid by the children of disabled American Veterans. The Coalition recognized this, and created support programs for children of wounded soldiers, as part of the annual Road to Recovery Conference & Tribute.
The main stressor is the "impact of continuous deployment on our soldiers and families," says Delores Johnson, director of family programs for the U.S. Army's Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command. "Because of the continuous deployment of troops, this is much more common than it had been before. This seems to be coming from families dealing with back-to-back and extended deployments. Mothers are functioning very much alone and dealing with schedules and new babies and all the demands that go with that."
Children of deployed and injured service members are more likely to struggle emotionally. Some common reactions observed in children in these circumstances include, but are not limited to: depression, anxiety, withdrawal, anger, hyper-vigilance and somatic illness. While Mom and Dad participate in workshops and seminars during the Road to Recovery Conference's morning sessions, children are provided age-appropriate therapeutic interventions in small groups of their peers, who have had similar experiences. The interventions are both direct and indirect, according to the children’s comfort level, and are tailored to help our young heroes to better cope with the effects of war, deployments and the sacrifices they are asked to make every day. Participants will engage in therapeutic activities which highlight:
- Coping Skills
- Expression of Anger
- Feeling Identification
- Handling Stress & Anxiety
- Caring & Empathy
- Empowerment
- Dealing with Grief & Depression
For more information about the Coalition's support services for children of wounded heroes, please email us.
"During this challenging time for the military community and for the American people, it is critically important that we as a community pull together to support the children who have been touched by this war. These young Americans are patriots like their parents, and they are making great sacrifices for our country each day. I am proud of the work our schools are doing to support these students and their families, and I want the children to know that Congress and the nation support them.” - Senator Bob Etheridge