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Service children Service children's experiences
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Service children film

This film shows Service children across Wales providing examples of the kind of experiences they have faced and how these have made them feel.

Listening to our Service children findings (2020).

77% of Service children have moved to a new house and 37% have lived abroad.

Service parent/carer survey (2021).

54% of Service children have attended at least three schools.

UNCRC

Article 12: I have the right to be listened to and be taken seriously.

Stories

These films show a number of Service children across Wales talking about their experiences of being part of an Armed Forces family. They give information about what they like and dislike about those experiences and share details of what made things easier for them to deal with certain challenges.

Dylan's story

"It can be scary when he’s away when you don’t know what’s happening."  

Shana's story

"Moving so often has had an big impact, I’ve had to make time to make friends which is hard but you get used to it."

Alice & Prasna's story

"I was nervous about learning Welsh, but now I can speak Nepali, English and Welsh."

Beth's story

“I feel sad because mum isn’t with me a lot but happy because daddy’s with me.”

Chloe's story

"When I was younger it affected me a lot more, because I didn’t understand why we were moving."

Georgia's story

"It’s nice talking over Skype and stuff, but sometimes you just want a hug from your Dad."

Sianed's story

"I’m used to my Dad being here and I’m used to him being away. I just learn to live with what I’ve got."

Sanjog's story

"I only get to stay here for 5 years then I have to move again."

Dan's story

"I thought I would get bullied."

Harry's story

"I’ve enjoyed going to lots of places around the world because its adventurous, exciting going to new places and meeting new people."

Lewis's story

"He signed off last week, he’ll be done by the end of this year. He’s been in for 24 years. I find that better he’s going to be around a lot more because I’ve got rugby on Monday and Tuesday and he likes to watch us play."

Ashim's story

"My dad served in the Gurkha’s he went to Afghanistan about 6 times, I used to be really sad I used to smell his clothes and cry."

 

Ieuan's story

"It’s being part of an enormous family that spans the entire length of the UK, Germany, Afghanistan anywhere else we are in."

Ryan's story

“I might be going to boarding school so I don’t change schools every two years.”

Mia's story

“My mum got a chalkboard, and it says, ‘daddy’s home in…’ and then you put how many sleeps on it.”

Aiden's story

“I think I’ve been to four schools, I’ve moved about six times.”

 

Piaras's story

“If I’m going to a different place entirely, they don’t know anything about me and that’s a big restart and that’s really good for me.”

Chloe's story

“Every school I’ve gone to I’ve made really good friends but then I have to move at short notice.”

Riley's report; courtesy of BBC Wales Today

"Everytime he left it made me feel anxious and I was worried if I was going to see him again."

Brecon High School (Powys) - Understanding Service children experiences and challenges

Read more
See more case studies here

Service children’s quotes

"As soon as we get used to a house, you get moved - I’ve been to four schools and moved six times."

Aiden

"I lived in Nepal, then we went to Brunei, then Malaysia."

Ashim

"In my eyes, you have hundreds of friends in different places."

Chloe

"I’m used to moving now and mixing with the children... I’ve done it so many times, it’s just a normal thing now."

Chloe

"It's ok talking over skype and that, but sometimes you just want a hug when Dad is away."

Georgia

"I’ve enjoyed going around to lots of places around the world, it's adventurous and exciting."

Harry

"In my eyes, you have hundreds of friends in different places."

Ieuan

"My mum got a chalk board and it says how many sleeps on it with chalk, every minute it’s getting closer for him coming home."

Mia

"I don’t want him to get promoted... I want him to get promoted but I don’t want to leave."

Oliver

"I might be going to boarding school so that I don’t change schools every few years."

Ryan

"I've been to seven different schools; I’ve not stayed put in one school long enough."

Shana

"He has been away for six months and he is back for two weeks, then he goes away again."

Sianed

"My parents were in the Army. My mum is a like a nurse and my dad went to the war in Afghanistan. I actually didn’t really know what he was doing so I was like, ‘Cool Dad, go there,’ but then I found out and thought, 'Thank God he came back alive.'"

Sanjog

"He signed off last week, so he will be done by the end of this year. He’s done 24 years. I find that better because he will be around a lot. He likes watching us playing rugby, so he will get to see us more."

Lewis

"I’m going to a new place entirely. They don’t know anything about me and that’s a big restart and that’s really good for me."

Piaras

"I moved to Wales because my dad was posted in the Army. I thought I would get bullied and I was shy when you meet new people, but I made some friends."

Dan