Between 2020-2026 CMWR have produced the largest body of UK evidence focused on the needs and experiences of women veterans, with the aim of helping UK veteran support services to better tailor their support to this group. This research theme brings together these projects, which span across support needs and experiences of mental health, physical health and broader well-being services and support.
Despite their service, women veterans have too often found themselves invisible within the systems designed to help them; from NHS healthcare pathways and mental health services to government support programmes and the charitable sector. This body of research, spanning physical health, mental wellbeing, and service provision, shares a single driving purpose: to understand the distinct needs of women veterans and ensure that the support available is genuinely designed with them in mind. Grounded in the landmark We Also Served scoping study — commissioned by the Cobseo Female Veteran Cluster Group and NHS England — this work identified critical gaps in knowledge and laid the foundation for a sustained, evidence-based programme of research. From co-designing guidance for mental health professionals to supporting the development of the Female Veterans Transformation Project toolkit, our projects translate lived experience directly into practical change. This programme of work is building the evidence base that policymakers, commissioners, and practitioners need to ensure they can provide genuinely tailored support.
The Female Veterans Transformation Project (FVTP) seeks to transform service provision for female veterans through the production of a toolkit for use by the statutory, charity and commercial sector. It…
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Little is known about UK female veterans’ physical healthcare needs and support preferences. To address this gap, CMWR led a collaborative research project with four partner organisations, King’s Centre for…
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The Cobseo Female Veteran Cluster Group, supported by NHS England, commissioned this scoping study to map the existing evidence base, identify critical research gaps, and set out a framework for…
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In collaboration with the Military Wives Choirs (MWC) and the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research (CIMTR) at Anglia Ruskin University, this project seeks to identify barriers and incentives to…
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This project set out to build an in-depth understanding of how women veterans experience government and charity provision, alongside their broader experiences in military and civilian life. Funded by the…
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This project set out to understand women veterans’ mental health needs and their experiences of care, in order to co-design practical guidance for the professionals supporting them. Funded by the…
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UK evidence focused on the needs and experiences of women veterans, with the aim of helping UK veteran support services to better tailor their support to this group.
Our ongoing work to improve health outcomes across the lifespan and ensure women’s experiences are reflected in future research and services.
Our research examines the experiences of military and ex-military women who have encountered sexual and domestic violence and abuse.
Our research on how women’s roles in military and uniformed public services have been overlooked by traditional, male-dominated histories.