Guides and Toolkits for Children, Youth and Teens

The right resources help you provide the right support. Find toolkits and guides to help you deliver high-quality services to service members and their military-connected children, youth and teens.

Parenting, education and transition support

Thrive — The War Department, in partnership with the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, developed this free parenting-education program. Thrive’s interactive resources promote positive parenting, stress management and healthy lifestyle practices for children from birth to 18. Supplemental modules, including content for exceptional families, grandfamilies, anger management, adolescent mental health and more, are added regularly.

EFMP/Special Needs service provider and leader topic center — Find resources, online learning, tools, products and reports to help military families who have a family member with special education or medical needs.

War Department/Youth Sponsorship Toolkit — Installations can use this planning guide and step-by-step outline to start a successful Youth Sponsorship Program. The toolkit, which includes resources that serve as road maps for planning and implementation, is designed to be used collaboratively by service providers, youth, schools and youth-serving installation agencies.

ZERO TO THREE Early Childhood Resource Center —  ZERO TO THREE is an early childhood development organization that offers parents practical resources to help them connect positively with their babies to ensure babies and toddlers get a strong start in life. ZERO TO THREE resources for early childhood educators and support professionals help keep learning current and provide networking opportunities.

Deployment and crisis support

Little Listeners in an Uncertain World: Coping Strategies for You and Your Child During Deployment or When a Crisis Occurs — This downloadable pamphlet, published by ZERO TO THREE, is designed to help military families understand how separation and deployment affect young children.

Sesame Workshop “Deployments” — Planning in advance, communicating openly and creating new routines can help military-connected families handle the stresses of deployment and separation. Find videos and printable activities to help young children prepare for deployment, connect during deployment and process their feelings.

Parent’s Guide to the Military Child During Deployment and Reunion — This guide, sponsored by the Educational Opportunities Directorate of the War Department, helps parents support their children during deployment. Discover additional Military OneSource deployment resources for service providers and leaders.

Caring for Kids After Trauma and Death: A Guide for Parents and Professionals — This guide, developed by the Institute for Trauma and Stress, provides insights and suggestions on how parents, school professionals, and mental health and family program service providers can help children facing trauma and death.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network — The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has created an informational booklet and webinar for Supporting Military Children With Traumatic Grief, which educators and medical providers can use to better serve military children who have suffered a loss and who may be experiencing traumatic grief.

• Information for Educators
• Information for Medical Providers

OneOp professional development

OneOp is a virtual professional development platform designed to help service providers build upon their skills to be better prepared to support military families. Find training offered throughout the year, as well as on-demand courses and webinars.

The Military Family Readiness Academy is an annual programming series that covers a multidisciplinary topic that military families face, such as youth well-being, economic well-being and family readiness, and building strong communities.

Service providers receive free continuing education credits for DOW-approved programming and have access to a network of like-minded professionals for discussion and support.