Children from Forces families will benefit from a scheme helping them to overcome challenges and succeed at school.
The £370,000 Dandelion Project is aimed at ensuring pupils with parents serving in the military thrive in education.
Members of the education, children’s and leisure services committee will be asked to approve the scheme next Wednesday.
The money is a grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund.
It will be used to employ a new educational support officer specifically for military families.
Their role will include being a single point of contact for those moving to Moray as well as families already in the area.
They will provide bespoke support to remove any barriers encountered by children because of their parents work responsibilities.
Employed by Moray Council, the support officer will work closely with welfare teams at the area’s two military bases as well as schools and other organisations.
£370k Dandelion Project
They will also provide staff training, increasing understanding of the needs and barriers facing children from Forces families.
Figures from 2020 show there are around 2,500 personnel based at RAF
Lossiemouth.
There are also 670 stationed with 39 Engineer Regiment at Kinloss Barracks, where there are plans for a £25 million accommodation block.
And there are around 2,200 military families with children attending school in Moray.
Those numbers are expected to climb as both bases grow.
The project has been delayed because of the Covid pandemic which has resulted in changes to the scheme.
This includes a move from a team dealing with military families to a single point of contact.
It is hoped this will provide a more streamlined approach and reduce the potential for conflicting advice or information being given out.
Supporting families has also become more complex, with an increase in the number of children transitioning to Moray with additional support needs.
In her report, business support team manager for education Lindsey Stanley said: “This requires significant input at all levels to ensure that any child moving school as part of a military posting has access to the appropriate resources and infrastructure to succeed.”
The Dandelion Project is expected to run for three years.
Conversation