Ten projects by nurseries and childcare settings across the UK have been awarded a share of £300,000 in grants to help forces families access early years education – in the latest round of grants from the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund.
The projects, which will also provide development and upskilling opportunities for early years staff, will work to further improve educational experiences for young children from service families as part of the Fund’s Early Years programme.
“Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s Armed Forces Families Fund: Early Years programme. These projects and the meaningful change the funding will create, allows the organisations to enhance their services to mitigate the challenges faced by young Service children and their families, due to military life” – Debra Barton, Early Years Specialist Lead, Ministry of Defence.
Providing better learning environments
- Each project will address at least one of the following outcomes:
- Increased capacity to accommodate more service children.
- Enhancing learning environments by improving provisions and resources to support service children with special educational needs/or disabilities (SEND).
- Providing targeted environments for early years practitioners to better meet the unique needs of service children.
Enriching learning experiences
Serving Aldershot garrison, the Aldershot Garrison Preschool will use their award of £23,960 to provide specialist training for all staff – through a series of specialised training sessions to support staff in gaining more confidence in their roles and becoming better prepared to handle a wide range of situations. This approach will lead to improved outcomes for the children both academically and socially.
CEO, Julie Mounfield, told us:
“We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this significant funding, which will provide our early years staff with specialised training, including SEN training and behaviour management.
“This investment will enhance staff confidence, improve professional standards, and create a more supportive and inclusive environment for the children in our care. By equipping our team with the skills they need, we are ensuring better quality standards in the workplace and making a lasting impact on both our staff and children.
”The difference this will make is truly incredible, and we are excited to see the positive outcomes for everyone involved.”
Inspiring creativity and imagination
Creating exciting, engaging and holistic opportunities for young service children is at the heart of RAFAKidz Honington’s mission, and their award of £13,334 will transform an outdoor space designed to support children with special educational needs (SEND).
The preschool has service children who require additional support with behaviour, speech and language and separation anxiety speech and language and separation anxiety, particularly those affected by parental deployment. This funding will enable the creation of a space equipped with tailored resources that promote the development of muscular strength, gross motor skills, concentration, critical thinking, and hand-eye coordination.
Supporting the emotional cycle of deployment
RAF Lossiemouth is the UK’s second-largest operational base, with around 2,500 serving personnel stationed there and numbers expected to rise. Deployments vary in length, and limited communication often leaves children feeling uncertain and disconnected. This recurring cycle can heighten anxiety and impact a child’s sense of security, making tailored support in early years settings essential.
The ‘Development Creative Play Kit Training’ project will focus on supporting children through this emotional impact of deployment. With Moray Council awarded £49,954 to create play kits for military families.
Speaking on the vision of the project, Hazel Sly, Early Years Service Manager shared:
“We are delighted that Moray Council has been awarded funding through the Armed Forces Family Fund: Early Years Programme. In partnership with Starcatchers and with strong links to both RAF Lossiemouth and 39 Engineer Regiment, we will be developing creative play resources and delivering meaningful professional learning for early years practitioners. The project will begin in one area and grow from there, with a focus on sharing learning across Moray where Armed Forces families are part of many local communities. This project complements wider work already happening across the council to ensure Armed Forces families are supported throughout their child’s learning journey, from early years through to secondary and beyond.”
Giving every child a great start
Anna Wright, CEO of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, concluded:
“For armed forces families, access to early years education and childcare – from settings which really understand the unique experiences and needs of children in those families – is absolutely vital to giving every child a great start. We’re looking forward to seeing all of these projects start their work with the very youngest members of the armed forces community, and for all of the related benefits they bring for families across the country.”
