U.S. Air Force Families with Young Children Who Have Special Needs
Abstract
A stable military force depends on the retention of qualified service members. A group of service members that is leaving the military at a faster rate than others is women with children (DACOWITS, 2005) . Increasing numbers of women are serving in the military, and family responsibilities are increasing for military men as well as women (Bourg & Segal, 1999 ; Military Family Resource Center, 2004). Examining the particular role strains on parents who serve in the military supports retention efforts tailored to this group . One such strain is the mobility of military families . Families who have children with special needs encounter specific challenges in managing mobility due to the geographically based differences in service delivery systems . This study surveyed Air Force families with young children who have special needs . A purposive sample from across the continental United States provided information regarding the types of needs experienced, the types of services desired, and the sources of services received . The 47 respondents provided information regarding the challenges they encountered in pursuing 112 services, the helpfulness of case managers and others, and their satisfaction with services . Additionally, they rated the perceived impact on the military career of having a child with special needs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 22, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA437151
Entities
People
- Carol M. Copeland
Organizations
- University of Louisville