Social and emotional wellbeing of children from Australian military families: Insight from early childhood educators

During their careers, many Australian early childhood educators will teach children from military and veteran families; one in 20 households includes someone with military experience. Children from these families are impacted by the stressors of military family life, including frequent relocations, parental absences, and potential parental injuries. This mixed-methods study explored the perceptions of 27 educators about supporting young children (aged 2–5 years) from military families, their understanding of children's responses to unique stressors, and their confidence in providing support. Educators generally evaluated the social and emotional wellbeing of these children positively. However, approximately 25% reported some children struggled with adaptation to change, and 25.9% were only partially confident in understanding children's responses to military-specific stressors. Most educators (77.8%) received no relevant training, and 59.2% lacked access to quality, research-based Australian resources. Qualitative data provided further insights into children's responses to military family stressors. Findings highlight the need for targeted professional development and accessible resources for educators supporting children from military families. Despite positive overall assessments, significant gaps exist in educator training and confidence. Quality resources would enhance educators' capacity to support the unique needs of these children, especially in rural communities with limited services.