Every child deserves to feel seen, understood and supported in school. For children from Armed Forces families, however, that journey can be very different from that of their peers.

In this latest episode I had the privilege of speaking with Amy Kennedy, whose passion and expertise shine a light on the lived experiences of military connected children. We discuss the impact multiple moves and missed SEND can have on education and career choices and together, we explored a simple but powerful question:

What do we wish every school knew about military children?

While military life is often associated with resilience, adventure and service, the reality for many children is far more complex. Frequent relocations, changing schools, long periods of parental deployment and the uncertainty that comes with military life can all have a significant impact on a child's education, wellbeing and sense of belonging.

During our conversation, Amy shared valuable insights into the unique challenges these children face, but also the incredible strengths they develop along the way. Adaptability, independence and resilience are qualities many military children possess, yet these strengths should never mask the need for understanding and support.

Thank you for listening to Mission Employable UK, a podcast dedicated to ensuring your journey from serving to civvy street is smooth.

Follow us, as we chat to service leavers, employers and everyone in-between to gain real insight into life outside the barracks.

In this episode I sit down with Adam 'Joe' Lawton who was just 17 years old and on his first deployment in the far East when his ship HMS Sheffield, got diverted to support British Forces in the Falklands conflict. It took a direct hit from an Argentine missile.

Some years later, after service, and when living in Australia, Adam found the events of 1982 replaying themselves in his head. Increasingly affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder he resolved to return to the Falklands to confront the demons from his past and then travel onwards to Argentina to meet the two fighter pilots carrying the Exocets, one of which sank HMS Sheffield.

He wrote a book called 'Journey to Peace' which documents not only the realities of war and survival, but also the long personal journey through trauma, reconciliation, and ultimately peace, receiving outstanding 5-star reader reviews.

This upcoming episode is an honest, powerful conversation about service, sacrifice, resilience, PTSD and finding forgiveness.

Adam talks eloquently about the importance of sharing lived experiences across generations to help those who have served in combat, lead a successful life outside of service.

Thank you for listening to Mission Employable UK, a podcast dedicated to ensuring your journey from serving to civvy street is smooth.

Follow us, as we chat to service leavers, employers and everyone in-between to gain real insight into life outside the barracks.

Ash Alexander-Cooper OBE is a former specialist military unit commander in the British Armed Forces, who has been shot and wounded multiple times during combat missions. During a two-decade career, Ash became one of the most operationally experienced officers of his generation, spending nearly 7 years deployed, and leading elite forces in some of the world’s most complex and hostile environments.

In addition to being a world-championship athlete, artist and musician, he’s an acclaimed author and global expert on high performing leadership.

He’s a passionate advocate of supporting charities and gives a great deal of his time to helping others.

Thank you for listening to Mission Employable UK, a podcast dedicated to ensuring your journey from serving to civvy street is smooth.

Follow us, as we chat to service leavers, employers and everyone in-between to gain real insight into life outside the barracks.