Our stakeholder engagement activities
The Birmingham Military Families and Communities Network brings together researchers, policymakers, Defence representatives, charities, practitioners and members of the Armed Forces community to share evidence, exchange experience and identify priorities for action. Our stakeholder engagement activities support collaboration and co-production, helping to inform research, policy and practice for Armed Forces families and communities.
Insights from our first stakeholder workshop
Meeting the needs of UK Armed Forces families in a time of geopolitical uncertainty
On 14 November 2025, the Birmingham Military Families and Communities (BMFC) Network convened its inaugural stakeholder workshop and brought together representatives from Defence, academia, healthcare, the charitable sector, policy organisations and military family support services for its inaugural stakeholder workshop.
The event provided a valuable forum to share research, exchange experiences and explore the challenges and opportunities facing Armed Forces families. Participants highlighted the importance of collaboration across sectors, emphasising that stronger partnerships, better use of evidence and greater awareness of military family experiences are essential to improving support.
Discussions focused on the need for more coordinated policy and practice, robust data to inform decision-making, and meaningful engagement with military families to ensure their lived experiences shape future services. Attendees also stressed the importance of learning from existing good practice across the UK and creating opportunities for continued knowledge exchange.
Feedback demonstrated a strong appetite for ongoing collaboration and co-production to strengthen family wellbeing, improve service provision and support Defence capability.
“The importance of collaboration and partnership in supporting military families.”
“The key to unlocking some of the issues faced by those in the military is data and gathering the evidence to inform policy changes.”
The workshop marked an important first step in building a cross-sector community committed to improving outcomes for Armed Forces families through research, policy and practice.
Workshop 2: Supporting Armed Forces families at a time of geopolitical uncertainty
On 10 July 2026, the Birmingham Military Families and Communities (BMFC) Network welcomed researchers, policymakers, Defence representatives, charities, practitioners, and members of the Armed Forces community to its second workshop. The event brought together a diverse range of stakeholders to explore how military families can be better supported in an increasingly uncertain global environment. We were delighted to receive a welcome address from Louise Bennett OBE, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands, on behalf of the West Midlands Lieutenancy.
Discussions highlighted the close relationship between family wellbeing and Defence capability, emphasising that effective support for military families contributes to recruitment, retention, operational effectiveness and resilience. Participants explored emerging research, policy developments and examples of good practice, while identifying priorities for future action.
A key theme was the need for a Defence-wide "Think Family" approach, alongside greater awareness of military family experiences among civilian professionals and stronger use of evidence to inform policy and services.
Key Priorities
- Embedding a "Think Family" approach across Defence.
- Strengthening support for reservist families.
- Improving understanding of military family experiences across civilian services.
- Building a stronger evidence base for policy and practice.
- Enhancing collaboration between Defence, academia, charities and public services.
Opening the workshop, Dr Gabriela Misca challenged participants to move beyond discussion and focus on practical change.
Today is about recognising that supporting Armed Forces families and communities is not a peripheral issue. It is central to operational effectiveness, retention, recruitment and long-term resilience. Last November, we spoke about dialogue. Today, I hope we move one step further, from dialogue to action.
The workshop demonstrated a strong commitment to continued collaboration and co-production, helping shape future research, policy and practice to improve outcomes for Armed Forces families and communities.
"When one family member serves, the entire family serves."