North Yorkshire County Council appoints dedicated Service Children’s Champion

July 21, 2026

Service children needed support for their wellbeing and social development during periods of deployment and transition.

What was the situation?

North Yorkshire has a large Armed Forces community, with many Service children attending schools in the county. They can experience periods of uncertainty during the deployment of their serving parent(s), or when transitioning between schools or locations. These experiences can impact their emotional wellbeing and social development.

What made this Covenant disadvantage?

Due to the nature of Armed Forces life, Service children are more likely to experience lengthy parental absences, and more frequent relocations, than civilian students. These experiences may lead to more struggles with emotional wellbeing and social development, compared to civilian children who do not experience these aspects of Service life.

What was done to help?

To provide additional support for these Service children, North Yorkshire County Council created the Service Children’s Champion role. The Champions work in the area to support children and young people aged 5 to 18, by:

• Providing one-to-one support for Service children
• Delivering anxiety workshops and emotional first aid
• Strengthening the pupils’ voice by promoting the work of Military Kids Club Heroes, which is established in many schools in North Yorkshire
• Communicating between military bases and schools, including providing schools with notice of incoming Service families
• Providing support to serving parents whose children have additional educational needs
• Organising events and outreach activities for Service families

You can read more about this role here: https://servicechildrenschampion.co.uk/

What was the outcome?

Service children across North Yorkshire now have improved access to targeted emotional wellbeing and social support. The Service Children’s Champion role has helped to strengthen support networks for Service children; improve communication between schools and Service families; and ensured that Service children receive enough support during deployment and transition.

Wider information

You can read more widely about:

• Covenant disadvantage and special provision (the two types of case study in this database)
• Covenant support for the Armed Forces community: Education
• How schools can support the Armed Forces community and implement the Covenant

Disclaimer: This case study is part of the Covenant case study database. The database has been developed to illustrate examples of good practice for organisations in scope of the Covenant. It is intended to act as a guide for good delivery, providing practical insight into how fairness for the Armed Forces community can be achieved. Delivery of the Covenant may vary across the UK. This means there is no guarantee the solution outlined in this case study is available in your area.