Inclusivity and the Education of Children of Defence Forces Personnel: Exploring the Impact of Mobility and Interrupted Schooling

Australian Defence Force (ADF) members’ children present as a unique subpopulation of students. These students often experience schooling interruption as a result of posting (relocation) mobility inherent within the service requirements of their ADF parents. This chapter explores the impact of such mobility and interrupted schooling on educational achievement. Educational achievement consists of two key aspects: Social-emotional outcomes and Academic outcomes. Social-emotional outcomes are currently supported through the Defence Support Mentor (DSM) program. Academic outcomes are examined through the lens of Reading/Literacy testing results and Mathematics testing results. Academic achievement for ADF children impacted by mobility and schooling interruption remains largely unexplored within the Australian context. A conceptual framework is presented, which identifies potential causes of negative impacts upon ADF students’ academic achievement