Understanding the school education experiences of students who regularly relocate with a parent in the Australian Defence Force

Understanding the school education experiences of students who regularly relocate with a parent in the Australian Defence Force

School students who relocate with a parent in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) often experience substantial mobility. The regular relocation that typically occurs through military postings has been found to introduce academic and social– emotional challenges for school-aged students, yet the voices of these Australian students have been largely unheard. The purpose of this study was to understand the school student experience of education alongside regular relocation with a parent in the ADF. Aligned to a social–constructivist perspective, this research is framed by a conceptual framework specifically developed to understand the education experiences of the military-connected students in this study. Qualitative semistructured interviews were utilised to understand the firsthand perspectives of 18- to 23-year-old participants who reflected on their experiences of school education alongside ADF mobility. Findings generated from reflexive thematic analysis revealed that students experienced inconsistent support structures and significant challenges while transitioning in and out of school. Students were required to make substantial social–emotional and academic adjustments to integrate into each school and to find a sense of stability. Although these challenges presented an opportunity for students to develop a distinctive skill set, the potential for positive outcomes was typically unrecognised at the time and therefore underutilised. The study makes an original contribution to knowledge, presenting the perspectives of Australian students who regularly relocated with a parent in the ADF. Further, an original mobility model is presented, representing this specific student mobility experience of education alongside ADF relocation. The study findings should provide useful guidance for Defence and education policy development and promote a more equitable provision of education for these students.