Group Work with Military Families Experiencing Parents' Deployment

Forced separation of a parent from the family because of military service creates a crisis for all family members. A series of children's single-session briefings involved talking with parents and children in a large group, talking with children in small groups while their parents observed and then large group discussion with parents. The children were encouraged to express feelings related to separation and parents were assisted in developing strategies for coping with the family changes resulting from the deployments. The children's briefings were organized pre- , mid- and post-deployment and utilized lecture, slides, and coloring books. The groups were led by two clinical social workers and a chaplain.

U022016