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East Lothian Council are aware of the unique educational needs of Armed Forces Children and Young People. The information below seeks to provide additional support to schools in their role of working with children and young people from this group.
Ministry of Defence
Statutory Guidance on the Armed Forces Covenant Duty
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation, founded on the unique obligations and sacrifices of those who serve, or have served, in the Armed Forces, that they and their families should be treated fairly. This was designed to ensure that the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces Community in the national interest should not come at significant cost when accessing goods and services in the UK.
To deepen your understanding of the Armed Forces Covenant, so far, there is a e-learning platform available. Click the button below to access:
The Armed Forces Covenant - Induction - A 15-20 minute 'e-learning' training module designed to raise awareness of the Armed Forces community and the Armed Forces Covenant.
Please click the image or the following link to access the full Statutory Guidance on the Armed Forces Covenant Duty
MOD Education Advisory Team
EAT (UK) is a Tri-Service organisation which supports operational effectiveness through the provision of support to Service and eligible MOD civilian families trying to secure appropriate educational provision for their children in the UK.
Our priority is the educational well-being of the children and young people whose families we advise and guide. All advice we give is child-centred and focused on the best interests of the individual.
The EAT(UK) team is comprised of qualified teachers and experienced case advisors. We have a deep understanding of both educational issues and the challenges of Service life.
The EAT(UK) Team can advise, guide and support families to make informed decisions in accessing high-quality educational experience for their children whilst in the UK, despite the challenges that Service life can present.
Month of the Miltary Child
Every April, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) celebrates the ‘Month of the Military Child’ - a time to highlight Service children and remind people of the positive impact they make in their schools and communities.
Six ways to celebrate the Month of the Military Child:
Enter the Month of the Military Child art and poetry competition
Hold an assembly to discuss Service life and the many things Service children have experienced.
25 April is ‘Purple Up! Day’. Wear purple to show your support for Service children and run an event on that day. Remember to use the hashtag #MotMC.
Brainstorm ideas with your children to create a permanent reminder in the school of your support for Service children.
‘Share your story project: ask children to think about their life experiences and how they might share this with the rest of the class.
Mark all the locations your Service children have lived on a map and build this into lessons.
For further ideas please click on the following link
National & Local Guidance
welcome-scotland-guide-service-personnel-families-scotland-updated-2024.pdfWelcome to Scotland : A Guide for Service Personnel and their families in Scotland
In Scotland we recognise the importance of ensuring close integration between the Armed Forces and local communities. This booklet has been designed specifically to help support with a move and provides practical information on key topics such as housing, education, healthcare and employment.
To access the guide, click on the image or the link below :
welcome-scotland-guide-service-personnel-families-scotland-updated-2024.pdf
East_Lothian_Armed_Forces_low_res__1_ (2).pdfWelcome to East Lothian : A Guide for Service Personnel and their families in East Lothian
East Lothian Council has made a pledge to support Her Majesties Armed Forces. As part of this pledge they have signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant. East Lothian Council has chosen to produce an information booklet to help those leaving the Armed Forces settle within their area. Their aim is to make transition as easy as possible should you choose to live in East Lothian. To download the guide, click on the image or the link below :
East Lothian Council Booklet link
A useful information leaflet "Worrying About Money" has also been produced to help to find available financial advice and support in East Lothian
For more information on East Lothian Specific Support Services please go the GIRFEC in East Lothian Site
For more information on East Lothian Specific Armed Forces Community information please visit the East Lothian Council Armed Forces Community Page
Overview-of-Scottish-Education-System.pdf
image_156598.pngUK comparison chart 156646.pdf
file156654.pdfUnderstanding the Scottish Education System : An Overview for Armed Forces Families
"Our education system is unique and we are proud of it. If you aren't familiar with it you may find it is quite different to what you are used to. We have produced this guide to give you an overview of how our system works and help you identify some of the key areas where there may be differences. Every teacher aims to give every child the very best education they can and the children from Armed Forces families are no exception. Your children may only be with us for a short while but we will try and do our very best for them whilst them are in our schools."
To download the guide, click on the image or the link below :
Understanding the Scottish Education System Guide
UK Qualifications Comparisons Chart
Education Scotland Parent Zone
Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)
ADES-2018-Leading-Education-for-AFCs.pdfFCE-teacher-toolkit_v5.pdf
The Forces Children’s Education website includes clear and accurate information for education professionals and Armed Forces families in Scotland, with information and resources being added regularly. This website was created by the Association of Directors of Education (ADES), in conjunction with the Scottish Government, Local Authorities across Scotland and the Ministry of Defence.
ADES Armed Forces Network Advice on CAMHS Waiting Lists position
Website link - https://forceschildrenseducation.org.uk/
General Contact - info@forceschildrenseducation.org.uk
Funding Guidance - https://forceschildrenseducation.org.uk/armed-forces-children-young-people-scottish-schools-funding-guidance
Funding Contact - nationaltransitionsofficerades@gmail.com
Free Poster on the benefits of welcoming Armed Forces children into your school
Learn to support Armed Forces Families as an educator
GIRFEC Improving Children and Young people's understand of their wellbeing
The Families Federations are three organisations which support the families of Armed Forces personal.
NFF - Naval Families Federation https://nff.org.uk/
AFF - Army Families Federation https://aff.org.uk/
RAF-FF - RAF Families Federation https://www.raf-ff.org.uk/
ADES-Funding-Guide-Scotland-2021-22_Issue-2.pdfADES-FCE-welcoming-AF-children-Poster-A3.pdf201902_GIRFEC-Toolkit_11Note-1.pdfFunding Support including The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust Grants
ADES-Funding-Guide-Scotland-2021-22_Issue-2.pdfThe Service Pupil Support Programme - Two year grants of £5,000 to £150,000. Funding to support educational pathways for service pupils aged 4 - 18 years. For more info click here
Armed Forces Families Fund : Early years programme 2025 - 2026 - Grants of £5,000 to £80,000. Funding for projects must benefit forces families with a child under 5. For more info click here
Collective Grants - No exact funding level given, enquiry form needs to be completed in the first instance. Funding to support improved individual educational outcomes. For more info click here
Armed Forces Education Trust (AFET) can support individual children who need funds to support their education.
The Alexander Duckham Memorial Schools Trust makes grants to people in financial need who have/had a child-parent relationship with a member/former member of the RAF.
Forces Children Scotland can support students, from Armed Forces communities enrolled in college and university courses across the United Kingdom in several ways.
ADES Funding Guidance - https://forceschildrenseducation.org.uk/armed-forces-children-young-people-scottish-schools-funding-guidance
ADES Funding Contact - nationaltransitionsofficerades@gmail.com
For further information on the full range on Armed Forces Grants please see the advisory document by click here or on the document to the left of this paragraph
Scotland and East Lothian Specific Financial Support
In East Lothian, various grants and bursaries are available to provide financial support to young people and families. These include free school meals, clothing grants, and Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs). Each grant or trust has specific eligibility criteria, which you can learn more about by clicking below :
FSM - https://www.mygov.scot/primary-school-meals
Clothing grant - https://www.mygov.scot/clothing-grants
EMA - https://www.mygov.scot/ema
Best Start and Best Start Food grants - https://www.mygov.scot/best-start-grant-best-start-foods
Scottish Child Payment - https://www.mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment
Benefits Calculator - https://www.mygov.scot/browse/benefits/help-to-apply/how-to-find-out
Financial Support Advice available in East Lothian - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mft0gadf_LKXZVZpsUfi7feUvX-eGGm5/view?usp=sharing
The Service Pupil Premium (SPP) provides extra funding to support service children in England only. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland do not have an equivalent SPP, but they have their own policies in place to support children from Armed Forces families. In Scotland, your child will receive robust support, as funding from the Scottish Government considers factors such as mobility and educational challenges, ensuring that Armed Forces children are fully included.
Forces Children Scotland - Resources & Mental Health Support
Supporting children and young people from armed forces and veteran families.
From mental health support, standing up for your rights, financial help, youth forums, and residential experiences to having a say in co-producing our projects to help others understand the lives that you lead, and much more.
Find out more about what we have to offer with regards to mental health click here
Your mind matters digital hub and suit of resources
To speak to the team email - admin@forceschildrenscotland.org.uk
Access a suit of resources on topics such as Deployment, Forces Life, Mental Health and more
Useful Resources for Transition
The National Parent Forum of Scotland - Transitions for Armed Forces Families
file156655.pdfADES Guidance for Armed Forces Families - Transition into Scottish Schools : Early Stages
file156656.pdfArmed Forces Children Learning Powers for Transitions
Giving Children and Young People a Voice on Conflict
Giving Children and Young People a Voice on Conflict
Never Such Innocence provides tools for children and young people (9-18) to reflect on the realities of war and conflict. They are nurturing the next generation of thinkers, leaders and peacebuilders through the arts; inspiring cultural exchange and dialogue. They amplify the voices of children and young people all over the world.
Never Such Innocence provides tools for children and young people (9-18) to reflect on the realities of war and conflict. They are nurturing the next generation of thinkers, leaders and peacebuilders through the arts; inspiring cultural exchange and dialogue. They amplify the voices of children and young people all over the world.
Click here for more information and to access their resources
Armed Forces Data via SEEMIS Instructions
All Head Teachers should have identified their children and young people of armed forces families, as far as possible.
Head Teachers should plan and action best ways of ensuring that these children and young people are supported in admissions, educational attainment & curriculum, child wellbeing, transport, attendance, and Additional Support Needs (ASN).
If you are unsure of who these young people are in your school you can access this via a custom report on SEEMIS.
Option 1 : Application > Reports > Custom Reports. You can create/edit any report, but need to add the Armed Forces fields (highlighted).
Option 2 : Pauline Smith set that up Armed Forces as a centrally created report and published across all sites now in case not all schools had it and to make sure all the conditions are still set up correctly.
When you go into custom reports you can open up the *HQ_Armed Forces Report and View the report to display a list of the pupils in their school to then extract into excel
Points of Contact
Education Central Team
Hannah McBride - hmcbride@eastlothian.gov.uk
DHT Equity & Inclusion - Armed Forces ELC Lead
Business Support Team
Calum Murray - cmurray2@eastlothian.gov.uk
Schools Support Admin - Admissions & Enrolments
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