Forces Children Scotland 10 hours ago
This week, the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) launched a pilot Family Transition Pack in Scotland. We’re so excited about this collaborative effort, which includes a Ruby Boots resource co-designed with children and young people.
A new way home is an interactive workbook for children and young people transitioning to civilian life—available in the pack and online for Forces children everywhere.
We’ve often heard from young people that there isn’t much guidance for children going through this change. Leaving the Armed Forces affects the whole family, but too often, children’s needs and experiences are overlooked.
CTP is the official resettlement service for the Armed Forces. Their pack brings together information for service leavers, partners, parents, carers, and crucially, Forces children, so the whole family has support as they move from military to civilian life.
Working in partnership with CTP and drawing on our co-production expertise, we have contributed an interactive, supportive workbook.
This work has been led by our Ruby Boots Coordinator, Heather Douglas, who reflected: “I met Vanya, the CTP Integration Manager, last year, and it quickly became clear that we shared the same ambition and passion for making meaningful change. What started as a ‘what if?’ conversation has become a very real and significant project.”
The project has also been supported by Nina Collins, Participation Manager, and our dedicated Ruby Boots volunteers.
To develop our resource for the pack, we asked children and young people aged 8 to 16 from across Scotland what it should look like and what it should contain. Their ideas shaped everything in it. Transition looks different for every child, even within the same family, so we’ve aimed to make it practical, inclusive and useful for ages 5 to 20.
CTP will be distributing the Family Transition Pack to families who need it, beginning with 75 packs at Regional Resettlement Centres across Scotland. We hope it helps families talk openly about what’s changing, helps children feel seen and supported, and makes sure they’re part of the conversation.
We’re also sharing A new way home online for anyone who needs it, along with a tool to help parents have conversations with their children.
Thank you to CTP and everyone involved with this work, including the children and young people at the heart of the Ruby Boots project.
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