Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity dedicated to supporting bereaved military children and young people, is proud to announce the appointment of Rob Ilett as the new STRIDES Programme Lead. Rob brings a wealth of experience in bereavement care for children and young people, particularly within school settings, and aims to further develop the educational and developmental support Scotty’s offers its members.
Founded in 2010 by Army widow Nikki Scott, following the death of her husband Corporal Lee Scott in Afghanistan, Scotty’s supports children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces. So far this year, the charity has already provided emotional and practical support to over 700 children and young people, with a goal to support over 1,000 annually by 2030.
Support is offered to members aged 0 – 25 years through three core Family Programmes: SMILES, SUPPORT AND STRIDES.
Each programme is tailored to meet the unique needs of bereaved military children. The SMILES Programme focuses on fun and engagement, offering respite breaks, activities, and group events that encourage friendships and a supportive community. The SUPPORT Programme provides emotional health and wellbeing support, including 1:1 bereavement care. Finally, the STRIDES Programme, which Rob will lead, is dedicated to helping young people achieve their full potential in education and development. It focuses on removing barriers to learning, building confidence, and providing the resources and support needed for young people to thrive.
Rob is an experienced Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, with a passion for helping families navigate bereavement. After qualifying from Birkbeck College, University of London in 2016, Rob has developed bereavement services for children and young people in several hospices across Essex and Suffolk, offering holistic care for families in their bereavement journey through counselling, practical support, education and peer support. Rob led on the development of compassionate communities in schools in East Suffolk and created education programmes for school staff to help them understand the needs of bereaved young people and create bereavement policies in schools.
Rob expressed his excitement about his new role, saying:
“I am honoured to have joined the Scotty’s team as I have always been inspired by the level of care and support the charity offers its members. In my time as the Strides Lead, I hope to raise awareness of the needs of bereavement military children in schools and to offer Scotty Members the opportunity to thrive and succeed in whatever future they choose. Not to forget their past, but recognise it as part of their journey and it not be a barrier to reaching their full potential.”
Rob will bring his experience of working in school settings and bereavement care to further develop the STRIDES Programme at Scotty’s. In his role as the STRIDES Lead, he will provide children and young people with the opportunity to progress in education by raising awareness of the needs of bereaved military children in schools though training and consultation with school leads, guide parents in understanding the financial support open to them, giving financial grants for extracurricular activity and resources to thrive, and facilitate ways in which bereaved young people can access mentoring and work experience opportunities to aid their social mobility.
Rachel Scott, Head of Service at Scotty’s Little Soldiers, said:
“We are thrilled to have Rob on board. His vast experience in bereavement care and his passion for supporting young people makes him a perfect fit for the STRIDES Programme. We are confident that with Rob’s expertise, we can continue to develop the educational and developmental opportunities available to our members, ensuring they have every chance to succeed and feel supported every step of the way.”
For more information, please visit www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk.
