By the Numbers - July 22, 2013
2 Million
The number of children under the age of 18 who have at least one "active duty parent," according to a new report from Child Trends, a nonprofit research institute focused on "the well-being of children and youth." Of these 2 million children, roughly 500,000 are under the age of five, according to the report, Home Front Alert: The Risks Facing Young Children in Military Families.
Key Findings/Implications
- The reunion of a deployed parent with his or her family can be accompanied by new risks and challenges—particularly if the returning parent has serious physical or mental problems.
- Young children’s well-being typically mirrors the well-being of their caregivers. When their parent or other caregiver is depressed, anxious, or angry, they are likely to be unwell, or to have behavior problems. In some cases, these young children may be at risk for harm (maltreatment).
- A key strategy for supporting the well-being of children in military families is to see that the non-deployed parent has good emotional, social, and practical support.
- Military families are increasingly diverse, and their needs are likewise. Among the circumstances that may contribute to stress are frequent moves, difficulty finding child care, and poor access to health care, particularly mental health care.
- Families with a deployed National Guard or Reserves member are comparatively underserved, lacking the formal, and informal, supports typically available to their on-base peers.
- Many of these children will continue to have exceptional needs as they grow older.
2 Million
The number of children under the age of 18 who have at least one "active duty parent," according to a new report from Child Trends, a nonprofit research institute focused on "the well-being of children and youth." Of these 2 million children, roughly 500,000 are under the age of five, according to the report, Home Front Alert: The Risks Facing Young Children in Military Families.
Key Findings/Implications
- The reunion of a deployed parent with his or her family can be accompanied by new risks and challenges—particularly if the returning parent has serious physical or mental problems.
- Young children’s well-being typically mirrors the well-being of their caregivers. When their parent or other caregiver is depressed, anxious, or angry, they are likely to be unwell, or to have behavior problems. In some cases, these young children may be at risk for harm (maltreatment).
- A key strategy for supporting the well-being of children in military families is to see that the non-deployed parent has good emotional, social, and practical support.
- Military families are increasingly diverse, and their needs are likewise. Among the circumstances that may contribute to stress are frequent moves, difficulty finding child care, and poor access to health care, particularly mental health care.
- Families with a deployed National Guard or Reserves member are comparatively underserved, lacking the formal, and informal, supports typically available to their on-base peers.
- Many of these children will continue to have exceptional needs as they grow older.