Scotty’s Little Soldiers is well known for providing vital support to bereaved military children and young people, but what is less widely recognised is that the charity also supports parents and carers – providing essential guidance, respite, and a supportive community to help them navigate their children’s grief.
A key part of Scotty’s work since its inception in 2010, this support ensures the whole family knows they aren’t alone.
To date, Scotty’s has supported over 800 children and young people, but just as importantly, the charity has also worked directly with over 500 parents and carers. In 2024 alone, 81 parents and carers received direct 1:1 support through the Scotty’s SUPPORT Programme and 166 adults participated in Scotty Breaks, which offer respite and family cohesion.
“Grief doesn’t just impact children – it affects the whole family,” said Charlie Houlder-Moat, Head of Support at Scotty’s Little Soldiers. “Parents and carers are not only dealing with their own grief, but they’re also trying to guide their children through all the challenges that come with growing up after the death of a parent. That’s why we provide a community for the whole family – where they can connect with others who truly understand, and where both children and their parents/carers can access specialist bereavement support tailored to their needs.”
Scotty’s events are not just about supporting children – they provide a crucial lifeline for parents and carers too. While children build friendships and enjoy new experiences, their parents have the chance to connect with others who truly understand their struggles. These moments of shared understanding help ease the isolation that many bereaved parents and carers experience. By forming bonds with others in similar situations, parents gain emotional support, practical guidance, and reassurance that they are not facing these challenges alone. In 2025, Scotty’s has teamed up with the four Widows Associations to organise a series of events across the country, open not only to children and their extended families but also to adults who are members of the Widows Associations.
Beyond peer support, Scotty’s bereavement specialists offer a range of services to help parents and carers feel empowered and equipped to support their children. This includes:
- 1:1 Support – providing a listening ear, express emotions, or simply sit in silence alongside someone who understands.
- Workshops – covering topics such as parenting through grief, coping strategies, and collaborating with other organisations to offer specialist support around a range of topics.
- Psychoeducation – helping parents and carers understand their child’s grief reactions, normalising experiences, and providing skills and strategies to support their children.
- Drop-ins and peer support – creating opportunities for parents and carers to connect with others and share experiences.
- Guidance on wider challenges – including finance, housing, inquests, and navigating military-specific issues such as queries around medals and transitioning from service accommodation.
- Empowerment and advocacy – helping parents advocate for themselves and their children, whether through signposting to or collaborating with external services.
Holistic care is at the heart of Scotty’s approach. The charity recognises that bereaved families face a complex mix of emotional, practical, and social challenges. By providing tailored support, Scotty’s helps parents and carers feel more confident in their ability to support their children while also looking after their own wellbeing, as highlighted by feedback from parents:
“I feel so relieved that I have someone I can turn to and ask questions about navigating bereavement with my daughter. I haven’t been judged and slowly built confidence that my gut feelings about things were good ones. I know that there will be difficult times ahead and I’m so relieved and grateful that I have access to such incredible support.”
“The support with guidance, workshops, vouchers, the holiday week has been a lifeline to help get us through our first year. [Child’s name] is still so young, but I have been so grateful for the support and listening ear and guidance on how to handle some very challenging situations but also have someone who could help me know how I can support [child’s name].”
A member of Scotty’s spoke about how the charity has helped his mum, as well as him:
“The emphasis at Scotty’s is all on the support for the children. However, for my mum, especially at the start with me being so young around the time of my father’s death, she didn’t really know how to talk to me about it, or how to support me in the way that she wanted to. Through Scotty’s, she was able to meet people, talk and be educated on how best to talk things through with me in a healthy way that meant I wasn’t scared or think it’s a taboo subject. My mum has been able to thrive and go on to talk to other newly widowed parents and give them guidance, especially through tough times. At the root of all this is Scotty’s.”
Scotty’s Little Soldiers estimates that each year, around 2,100 children become newly bereaved of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces*. The charity has already supported over 730 children and young people in 2025 and aims to provide ongoing support to over 1,000 children annually by 2030.
Scotty’s hopes to reach more bereaved military families and ensure no one faces their grief alone.
For more information or to support Scotty’s Little Soldiers, please visit www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk.
*Scotty’s Little Soldiers has produced estimates drawn from reliable national datasets (including the Census 2021 and MoD data).
