Serving in the armed forces is a role that brings pride and honour for most military personnel, but it can add certain challenges for families.
Factors such as irregular shift work, frequent relocation and long-term deployments can make it difficult to maintain a family unit, especially when it comes to having children.
In 2020, it was estimated that there were around 180,000 service children in the UK, with 79 per cent of service personnel being parents.
Because of the instability that can often come with being part of a military family, seeking consistent childcare is an important part of providing children the secure environment that every parent wants for their child, and ensuring that they don’t miss out on the early years education that is such an important foundation for children’s learning and development.
Kyle’s story
Kyle is 27 and has served in the Royal Air Force for four years. When he and his partner, who also serves in the RAF, decided to start a family they knew that they wanted to look for childcare early on to ensure both of them could return to work and continue with their careers.
Starting the search for military childcare when they were 8 months pregnant, Kyle and his partner chose a setting that was located closest to where they live and although he describes it as a “fairly easy process”, Kyle does also say that it was a problem finding the right support to suit their work schedules. “The nursery didn’t do long enough hours, but we worked around it as it’s very important to have consistent childcare”.
As well as struggling to cover their working hours, Kyle also says that there are additional factors that can impact on achieving consistent childcare.
“Short staffing issues sometimes means not being able to go into work, but booking leave in term time can help”.
When talking about finding a balance between childcare options and work, Kyle comments that “it’s more so just having an agreement in place with your workplace that will help accommodate the hours the nursery is open for too”.
Kyle says that for their family, the “hardest thing is finding childcare with suitable hours that doesn’t cost a fortune”.
What childcare options are available for military families?
Military personnel in the UK have access to the same childcare options as civilians.
Childcare options include:
- Day nurseries
- Pre-schools
- Nursery schools
- Children’s centres
- Childminders
To find out more about each setting and what they offer, read our article here.
Some childcare settings offer specialised support for children from military families to help with the additional challenges they face. It’s a good idea to tell your chosen setting that you are a military family to find out more about how they can help, even if this is simply to be aware that your child may benefit from additional support during difficult times for your family.
Financial help
Wrap around childcare
Wrap around childcare (WAC) was originally rolled out as a pilot across six sites in 2020, and was made available for over 20,000 children across the UK from September 2022. The scheme forms part of the Armed Forces Families Strategy 2022-2032 and is expected to save parents who claim WAC funding around £3,000 per child each year.
In November 2024, it was reported that the scheme would be extended to also include personnel who are deployed overseas.
The scheme offers up to 20 hours per week of free childcare before and after school times for eligible military parents with children aged between 4 and 11 years. The number of hours you are entitled to is capped based on what region you are living in, and is only available during term times. Wraparound childcare is also referred to as ‘Out of School Care’ in Wales and ‘School Aged Childcare’ in Scotland.
Overseas Nursery Authority (ONA)
If your family has been relocated to an overseas location, you can apply for a reimbursement of nursery fees if the place you are living doesn’t have MOD schools or other settings available through the ONA.
Parents can apply for a refund for up to 30 hours free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year.
To apply and make a claim, take these steps:
- Research childcare providers in the area and find a suitable setting that is in accordance with the Defence Instructions and Notices (DIN) criteria.
- Completed applications should then be forwarded to their overseas Command/Commander/employing unit for their sign-off. Once approved, Service personnel will be able to use Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) to arrange a reimbursement.
- Keep any relevant receipts or other supporting evidence.
Please note that this is only applicable if there are no MOD schools or other suitable settings a reasonable distance from where you are living, resulting in you covering the cost of childcare in an alternative setting. In MOD schools and nurseries overseas, 15 and 30 hours of free childcare for three and four-year-olds is already provided free of charge.
Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA)
Many service families choose to send their children to boarding schools to provide them with a consistent education and to protect them from the upheaval of relocating on a regular basis, but they can be expensive and often out of reach for a lot of families.
The Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) helps with the cost of boarding schools for children eight years old and above.
The CEA rates per term (Summer 2023-Summer 2024)
CEA Board – Junior: £6,998
CEA Board – Senior: £8,692
The amount you receive will depend on your specific circumstances, including the cost of the school chosen. You may not be entitled to the full amount, and you must notify the relevant people if anything changes.
An additional CEA is available for children who have special educational needs – Special Educational Needs Allowance (SENA). If you think you are eligible for SENA, you will need to contact the UK Education Advisory Team (UK EAT) and make an application from there.
CEA Guardians Allowance
To help minimise the disruption that comes with different postings, some families choose for their child(ren) to live with a guardian, such as a family member or trusted friend, on a temporary basis. This option is particularly beneficial if the schools or other education settings in the location of the posting don’t follow the same curriculum as the setting the child currently attends.
CEA Guardians Allowance provides financial assistance to cover the additional costs of living away from home such as postage, telephone calls and stationery.
Note: CEA Guardians Allowance is not intended to cover the cost of school fees.
Day School Allowance (North Wales)
In Wales, teaching in English is often only available at independent schools. Day School Allowance provides support to families living in North Wales to help them access education In English. This is available for all children of statutory school age and helps to ensure that those from England receive a consistent education in their home language.
Additional help
As well as financial help aimed specifically at military families, you may also be eligible for schemes available to everybody living in the UK.
This includes:
- 15 hours free childcare
- 30 hours free childcare
- Tax free childcare
See the help and support section at the end of this article to find out more about each scheme and how to apply.
Organisations and charities
Little Troopers
Initially created in 2011, Little Troopers are a registered charity providing support to children with one or both parents serving in the British Armed Forces. They offer initiatives and resources to help children through challenges related to being part of a miliary family, and help parents to support their children through difficult times, including a letter scheme to keep in touch with other military children and a separation pack to help children to stay connected with their parent during a deployment, no matter the duration.
NSPCC
NSPCC are a children’s charity in the UK. They work to prevent abuse, help rebuild children’s lives and support families.
The NSPCC offers a range of support for military families, including:
- Drop-in services for parents and children under five-years-old
- School lunch clubs
- Group work for children with anxiety and emotional problems
Home Start
Home Start provides help to military families with young children, particularly during challenging times such as relocation and deployment. This includes financial assistance as well as personal support.
To find out if Home Start is in your area, you can call the team: 0116 464 5450.
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