Hannah has never directly experienced the horrors of war, yet as the daughter of two military veterans, the shadow of conflict loomed ominously over her upbringing.

Years on, she’s still struggling with the emotional fallout – and she’s not alone.

Members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and veterans often encounter distinct mental health challenges due to the demanding nature of their roles.

Recent findings reveal that the children of these service members are also facing significant mental health issues.

On Census night in 2021, it was noted that among the 238,000 children living with at least one veteran parent, approximately 8.3 percent were dealing with a mental health condition.

That’s equivalent to almost 20,000 kids and young people.

By comparison, 5.8 per cent of children living with non-veteran parents had a mental health condition.

Mental health conditions were also the most common long-term health conditions affecting children of veteran parents, according to the report.

Mental health conditions are especially prevalent among older dependant children, affecting about half of all veterans’ children aged 15 and up with a long-term health condition.

Dependent children of ex-serving women and ex-service members who left ADF for involuntary medical reasons also showed a higher prevalence of mental health conditions.

Hannah’s mum and dad both served and she struggled with depression and anxiety throughout her childhood and teenage years, due in part to the mental scars her parents’ service left on them.

Their service affected the whole family, bleeding “tension, emotional distance, and sometimes fear” through their home.

But when your parents are scarred from serving their country, it can be difficult for a child to ask for support with their own anxieties.

“It’s hard to talk about feelings when your parent is dealing with so much,” Hannah told 9news.com.au.

“Seeing them battle anxiety, depression and PTSD made me constantly feel on edge, like I had to walk on eggshells.”

She faced constant anxiety about her parents’ wellbeing, as well as pressure to stay strong for them and not add to their stress as veterans.

Few could understand her experiences as the child of veterans, specialised mental health support services were practically non-existent, and she was left feeling isolated and alone.

“Most counsellors at school didn’t know how to relate to ADF family dynamics or the effects of PTSD on children,” she confessed.

“I often felt invisible, like my struggles weren’t serious enough compared to my parents’.”

Legacy Brisbane community services manager Claire Lyon said no one should be surprised by these new statistics.

“Anxiety and depression, PTSD and emotional regulation difficulties are very common in the children that we support,” she told 9news.

“These children grow up in environments shaped by trauma, transition and uncertainty”

And there aren’t adequate mental health support services that cater to these kids, or the children of veterans who are still alive and able-bodied.

Services specifically for veterans’ families often have a limited scope and minimal resources.

Meanwhile, the general mental health support system is already under immense strain, with long wait times and high costs making it difficult for young people to get help.

It leaves many children of veterans struggling with mental health challenges with nowhere to go.

Australia needs more resources specifically targeted at and dedicated to the needs of children of veteran parents and the specific challenges they face.

“The families serve alongside the veteran and their health and wellbeing is vitally important to the health and wellbeing of the veteran, it’s all intertwined,” Lyon said.

“And the earlier we can get children support the better the outcomes will be.”

Hannah was eventually able to access professional mental health support and is able to better manage her long-term mental health concerns now.

But she said more needs to be done for children of veterans so the next generation don’t suffer in silence as she did.

“We need more mental health services that specifically address our unique experiences,” she said.

Hannah called for more counsellors trained in military family dynamics and trauma-informed care, school programs, outreach efforts and holistic support for veteran families.