The SMILES programme is all about fun and engagement for bereaved British Forces children and young people. It includes activities, gifts and group events, which have the purpose of making bereaved Forces children and young people smile again and reminds them they aren’t alone and are part of a supportive community.
SMILES Programme
Scotty’s Little Soldiers Founder Nikki Scott’s original vision for the charity was to provide opportunities for bereaved Forces children to smile again. All the fun and engaging activities within the Smiles programme have been created to help the children and young people do exactly what it says on the tin, smile!
Because the activities year after year, it means we are able to build a trust and a long term relationship with the families we support. This makes it so much easier for them to reach out if they need additional help at any time.
Here are just some of the ways we do our best to #HelpTheirChildrenSmile.
If you know a child or young person who has experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces, they could be eligible for specialist bereavement support from Scotty's Little Soldiers. Hundreds of bereaved military children aren’t getting the support they need but we are here to help.
- If you are seeking support for a bereaved military child or young person, click here.
- If you are the parent or carer of a bereaved military child or young person, click here.
- If you work with bereaved children & young people, click here.
- If you are a bereaved young person seeking support, click here.
Smiles
Support
The SUPPORT programme looks after the emotional health and wellbeing of the bereaved military children and young people we support. It includes information and guidance on childhood bereavement for parents and carers, and 1:1 professional bereavement support for children and young people.
Strides
The STRIDES programme focuses on the education and development needs of bereaved Forces children and young people. This includes promoting a positive attitude to learning and providing opportunities to develop life skills. It also includes a range of small educational grants.
Springboard
The SPRINGBOARD programme provides support to young adults ages 18-25 who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the Armed Forces. It assists with opportunities to develop their education and learning, build a career and enhance life skills.
Case Studies
How Scotty's helped me cope with the death of my military dad
21-year-old Steven Murphy was just three when his dad, bomb disposal expert Lance Corporal John Murphy, died by suicide.
Steven has no memories of his dad, but the emotions he felt during and after his father’s death have stayed with him as he has grown up, shaping the young man he has become.
Here, Steven shares the challenges he’s overcome after the death of his dad, and how support from Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity for bereaved military children, changed his life.
Bereaved military teenager’s Caribbean adventure in memory of his Mum and Dad
By the time he was 15 years old, Scotty Member Callum had experienced the devastating death of both his parents. In 2010, his dad, Sgt Steven Darbyshire of the Royal Marines, was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan. 12 years later, in 2022, his mum, Kate Darbyshire, tragically died from cancer.
Callum, now 17, has endured huge hardship for someone so young, but with the help of his brother Ryan and his Grandma and Grandad, along with the support and opportunities offered by Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity for bereaved military children, he has been able to do some truly incredible things.
With the help of Scotty’s Allowance, a yearly grant offered to all our members for extracurricular activities, Callum recently got to spend an unforgettable 17 days in Jamaica, where he taught rugby to disadvantaged children, took part in a rugby sevens tournament and even competed against the Jamaican under 19’s national team.
