The Welsh Government’s Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams, has announced that £200,000 will be provided to support the children of Armed Forces personnel in Wales following the closure of a Ministry of Defence fund…
Up until March this year schools in Wales were able to bid for funding from the MoD’s Education Support Fund (ESF) which was open to schools across the UK and provided targeted support for Service children.
As the fund has now come to an end, a new interim £200,000 Supporting Service Children in Wales Fund will be established. This will be administered by the Supporting Service Children in Education (SSCE) Project and hosted by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA).
Schools are being invited to bid this term for funding ready for the new term in September.
Kirsty Williams said: “Our national mission is to raise standards, reduce the attainment gap and deliver an education system that is a source of national pride and confidence. For this to happen, every learner in Wales must be able to achieve their full potential.
“Service children often have to move schools at very short notice, and can also face the anxiety of having a parent away on active service. That’s why we need to ensure schools are there to support them.”
Ant Metcalfe, Wales Area Manager for The Royal British Legion said: “Having a parent in the Armed Forces can have a tremendous impact on the wellbeing of some service children. We welcome any additional support that benefits the children of Armed Forces personnel in Wales and helps them gain access to the help they need due to their unique circumstances.
“In October 2017 the Legion launched a guide for Service children and families in Wales to improve awareness of the support available to them and we hope the establishment of this fund will further increase the help available for service children across Wales.”
