152.Support & Resources for 2-8 year old Defence Kids

<p class="MsoNormal">On this week's Military Life *PARENTS EDITION* podcast episode, I check in with the University of New England’s Dr Marg Rogers to find out how the Children’s Family Resilience Programs have been going.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The programs and related resources were developed following Dr Rogers’ PhD studies and research that found there was a huge gap in the understanding and support of 2- 8-year-old defence kids.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Marg and I also talk about;</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Why giving 2- 8-year-old defence kids a voice was important.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-The lack of age and culturally-appropriate resources for defence kids.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Figuring out why support and resources were only available for school-age defence kids.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-The importance of supporting defence kids to build a sense of belonging in their formative years.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Focusing on deployment, separation, the impact and how to best support 2-8-year-olds.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Launching the pilot program and developing co-designed research-backed resources.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Listening to feedback from defence parents and kids so the programs & resources were on point.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Why it was important defence parents, and kids helped shape the final products.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-The 12 downloadable research-based story books (8 interactive) and related resources.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Staying focused on the overall goal, which is for defence kids to be well.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Being recognised and named the 2022 joint award winner for the Council of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences ‘Distinctive Work’.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Acknowledging the team effort with specialist consultants, a web team, Steering Committee, program authors, contributors and those with lived experience involved.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Why military support organisations in Canada are now looking to adapt the p