Written by: Rachel Brauner
Military service often comes with unseen costs—not only for those who serve, but for the families they return to. A recent study by Lakdawala and Bharadwaj (2022) sheds light on how the severity of service-connected disabilities in veteran parents can profoundly shape the well-being of their children. For military service providers, understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing supportive programming and intervention strategies that help break the cycle of intergenerational hardship.
Key Research Findings
- Children of more severely disabled veterans are more likely to experience educational setbacks, including being late for grade and being less likely to attend private school.
- Rates of childhood disability, especially cognitive difficulties, increase significantly with parental disability severity.
- Older children may take on caregiving roles, affecting their ability to work or focus on schooling.
- Parental disability contributes to lower household income, despite increased VA or SSI benefits, due to reduced labor force participation.
Implications for Military Families
Parental disability, especially when tied to military service, introduces both emotional and economic strains. These effects are not isolated—they influence the developmental trajectories of children, impacting their education, mental health, and long-term opportunities.
6 Tips & Strategies for Service Providers
- Integrate Whole-Family Approaches: Ensure family-centered services address both the service member and veteran’s needs and the developmental needs of children. Consider wraparound models that bring educational support, counseling, and financial planning into the same service network.
- Identify and Support Young Caregivers: Implement screening tools during intake to detect if children are assuming caregiving responsibilities. Offer respite care programs or teen-focused support groups to reduce the burden on adolescent caregivers.
- Coordinate with Schools and Educators: Promote awareness in schools serving military communities about how parental disability may affect academic performance and behavior. Encourage families to advocate for individualized educational plans (IEPs) or 504 Plans when appropriate.
- Help Families Access Financial Stability: Educate families on how to optimize VA and other benefits. Connect families to employment programs for spouses or caregivers who may be balancing work with care responsibilities.
- Promote Mental Health Support: Encourage trauma-informed care for both parents and children. Address the ripple effects of conditions such as PTSD or TBI on family dynamics and child development.
- Normalize Conversations Around Disability: Create safe spaces for families to talk about disability and its impact without stigma. Provide age-appropriate educational materials for children to understand a parent’s service-connected disability.
This research reaffirms that military-connected families, especially those managing the challenges of disability, deserve nuanced, compassionate, and evidence-based support. By focusing on both the service member or veteran and their children, providers can play a critical role in fostering resilience and ensuring no one is left behind.
Reference
Lakdawala, L. K., & Bharadwaj, P. (2022). The relationship between parental disability and child outcomes: Evidence from veteran Families. PLoS ONE, 17(11), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275468
Photo source: iStock photo ID 1158080461; adamkaz
