Operational partnerships - Family liaison officers (O41a)

Governing Policy
O41 Family Liaison Officers

1. Summary of Changes

1.1 This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been reviewed in November 2023 and is the only SOP which should be followed.

2. What this Procedure is About

2.1. This procedure relates specifically to the deployment and welfare of Family Liaison Officers.

Compliance with this procedure and any governing policy is mandatory.

3. Purpose

3.1.1 The purpose of this procedure is to set out how the deployment and welfare needs of designated Family Liaison Officers (FLO) will be undertaken in accordance with the more detailed guidance laid down in the Major Crime Investigation Manual, College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice – Investigation of fatal and serious injury collisions and the Authorised Professional Practice and NPCC Practice Advice for Family Liaison Deployment 2020. In addition to compliance with the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales 2020.

3.1.2 It will detail the roles within family liaison work, definition of family, criteria of deployment, welfare, debriefs and recruitment.

3.1.3 This procedure acknowledges the pivotal role that these officers play in maintaining and establishing meaningful links between Senior Investigating Officers (SIO), who are PIP 3 trained officers, Lead investigating officers (LIO) in roads policing teams, Senior Identification Managers (SIMs) in disaster victim identification work and the family of the deceased.

3.1.4 It is acknowledged that the practices involved in the process of family liaison will vary depending on the nature of the incident or investigation. For the purposes of this policy the lead investigator in all incidents where an FLO is appointed will be known as the SIO/LIO/SIM regardless of the rank of the individual.

4. Family liaison roles and responsibilities

4.1.1 Force Family liaison coordinator
The Force lead for family liaison ensures overall strategic ownership for family liaison within the Force. They contribute to regional and national work and developments through chairing the executive group within force which provides the governance to family liaison work. They promote the work of family liaison and ensure there is appropriate support and development for FLO’s in conjunction with the team of family liaison coordinators.

4.1.2 Family liaison coordinator
The family liaison Coordinator (FLC) manages the deployments of family liaison officers (FLOs) and Family liaison advisors (FLAs) within a service and are responsible for providing or arranging support, guidance and development opportunities for the family liaison community.

4.1.3 Division Command Teams/Heads of Department will nominate a Family Liaison Co-ordinator (s) who will provide management support to the Family Liaison Advisors. A FLC may be of Inspector rank or PSE equivalent but also may be undertaken by those of lower rank if they have extensive FLO and FLA experience and are nominated and agreed by the FLO executive group.

4.1.4 Family liaison advisor
Family Liaison Advisors (FLA) provide tactical and operational advice regarding the deployment of Family Liaison Officers (FLO) to Senior Investigating Officer in cases of homicide, Investigating officers in cases of fatal road traffic collisions or Senior Identification Managers in cases of mass fatality. Family Liaison Advisors also supervise and support Family Liaison Officers in the effective delivery of their role.

4.1.5 Division Command Teams/Heads of Department will be responsible for appointing Family Liaison Advisors to co-ordinate FLOs on their Division/department. This officer should be a suitably skilled supervisor or those with extensive FLO experience and are nominated and agreed by the FLO executive group.

4.1.6 Family liaison officer
The primary purpose of a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) is that of an investigator. Their role is to gather evidence and information from the family to contribute to the investigation, preserve its integrity. The FLO also provides support and information, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, securing confidence and trust of families of victims of crime (primarily homicide), road fatality, mass disaster or other critical incident, ensuring family members are given timely information in accordance with the needs of the investigation.

4.1.7 As the role of the FLO is a voluntary role those that supervise that member (s) of staff in their daily role should maintain overall responsibility for their workload, and welfare and liaise with the FLA during a deployment to ensure the FLO is supported.

5. Training

5.1.1 Those deployed as an FLO must have completed a relevant FLO course, which meets the requirements set out in the College of Policing National Policing Curriculum. Following training the FLO will undertake a period of mentoring with an experienced FLO until accredited as 'independent'. The designated FLA will oversee this.

5.1.2 FLA’s and FLC’s also need to have completed the relevant course which meets the requirements set out in the College of Policing National Policing Curriculum.

5.1.3 There will be annual continued professional development for all existing FLOs/ FLAs/FLC’s.

6. Selection

6.1.1 Family Liaison Co-ordinators must ensure their division or department has sufficient FLOs to meet future demands. This will be overseen by the Family Liaison Executive Board.
6.1.2 Any staff employee selected and trained as a FLO, before deployment as such, will be asked to undertake an initial risk assessment with their FLA to ensure they are suitable and capable of acting as the FLO in that specific deployment.

7. Definition of Family

7.1.1 Family includes partners, parents, siblings, children, guardians and others who may not be related, but who have a direct and close relationship with the victim.

8. Deployment Criteria

8.1.1 Family liaison can be used across a broad spectrum of investigations, including:

• murder and manslaughter
• fatal road traffic collisions
• mass fatality incidents
• rail fatalities
• critical incidents where family liaison might enhance the effectiveness of the police response

8.1.2 Initial deployment is determined by a police investigation and not because a crime has been definitively determined.

9. Deployment

9.1.1 The decision to deploy a FLO sits with the SIO/LIO/SIM in all cases. The FLO is a voluntary role and will only be deployed in consultation with the FLC and the completion of a risk assessment. Due to the dynamic nature of incidents, it may be that an officer has contact with the family prior to appointment or arrival of the SIO/SIM. Even if that officer is trained as an FLO it should be understood that they are not formally deployed in a FLO capacity until agreed by the SIO/LIO/SIM. As such, they should not raise the family’s expectations in terms of not having to deal with other officers.

9.1.2 Consideration should be given to whether the FLO knows the person, their family, has ever worked with them or works on the same area.

9.1.3 The reason for this is that the appointment of a FLO should be a considered process, as outlined below, and an inappropriate deployment could jeopardise the investigation and/or the effective liaison with the family.

9.1.4 FLOs should not be deployed to deliver a 'trauma message'. This is a core policing skill. If the FLO themselves were to deliver this message, this may cause ongoing difficulties with the
relationship the FLO builds with the family.

9.1.5 The first stage in the deployment process will be identification of the “family” which may be complicated by the family being split through divorce or other internal dynamics. The SIO/LIO/SIM (especially in homicide investigations) will need to consider these family dynamics in detail to ensure the most effective and appropriate FLO deployment. The needs of the investigation will affect the type of FLO selected. The FLO will need to be a skilled investigator and statement taker playing a major part in the investigative process as there may need to be consideration as to whether an outstanding suspect/offender may be a family member.

9.1.6 For deployment in cases of homicide the FLO(s) should be PIP 2 trained.

9.1.7 It is not always necessary to call in and deploy a FLO at night where one is not available. It must be an informed SIO/LIO/SIM decision based on the specific circumstances and consideration should be given to the objective and benefit of immediate deployment. Often it can be more appropriate and beneficial to deploy the following morning.

9.1.8 As a general guide and best practice FLOs should be deployed in pairs particularly in protracted cases or with family groups (multiple deployments) to allow support for each other and cover for annual leave and other long-term commitments.

9.1.9 Care must be taken to ensure the accurate coordination of information flow to the family. In multiple deployments, the FLOs involvement should be considered in detail in order to ensure consistency.

9.1.10 In all cases, the SIO/LIO/SIM will consider a proportionate response to the deployment depending on the circumstances of the incident and the availability of appropriate staff.

9.1.11 In all cases the deployment decision will be recorded and will take into consideration the following as part of the deployment and ongoing risk assessment:

• Any recent bereavement or trauma the FLO has suffered.
• Workload.
• Frequency of recent employment in the role.
• Previous employment and performance in the role.
• Availability - annual leave, court commitments etc.
• Any previous contact or knowledge of the family.
• Family needs and circumstances - gender, race, sexual orientation, religion/culture, age or language barriers may be an issue for the family and the SIO/LIO/SIM must be sensitive to these matters.
• Any identifiable stress generators during recent or coming months, whether of a personal or professional nature.
• Skills requirements.

9.1.12 In the event of a deployment request, it is the responsibility of each individual FLO to bring to the immediate attention of the local Family Liaison Advisor any reason why they may not be suitable to be deployed to a specific incident.

9.1.13 A risk assessment will be completed in respect of each deployment by the FLA with the FLO and this will be recorded on the appropriate FLO risk assessment form. The SIO/LIO/SIM will consider the risk assessment and decide on suitability of the individual FLO. The SIO/LIO/SIM’s decision will be recorded in the investigation/identification policy file.

9.1.14 Once a FLO (s) have been identified following the relevant risk assessment the SIO/LIO/SIM will be responsible for setting a clear family liaison strategy which should be reviewed on a regular basis and include an exit strategy.

9.1.15 Where an FLO has not been deployed for a period of 2 years a review will be carried out by the FLA and FLC to determine whether the FLO should be deployed in the future. The FLA will agree a plan to ensure that the FLO has the necessary skills and knowledge to undertake the role.

9.1.16 At the end of a deployment the FLO and FLA will complete a formal debrief. This will be in the form of the 'Family Liaison Debrief Report'. As part of this debrief the SIO/LIO/SIM will be asked for comment regarding the deployment to be included in the debrief. Following this debrief the report will be forwarded onto the Family Liaison Co-ordinator for review and implementation of actions.

9.1.17 An FLO is a county resource and occasions may arise where a policing area or department does not have a suitable FLO for deployment. In these circumstances, the SIO/LIO/SIM (or the local Coordinator) will need to negotiate with another area/department to ensure a suitable FLO is found. Any difficulties or disputes may need to be referred to the force FLO Coordinator for resolution.

10. Family Liaison Officer Communication

10.1.1 FLOs must be provided with suitable means to effectively communicate with the family and the investigative team. Depending on the deployment’s circumstances, it will be the responsibility of the SIO/SIM to provide relevant equipment if not already available to the FLO.

10.1.2 All FLO’s will use FLO log books to record their interactions with the family which will be subject to CPIA.

11. Recruitment

11.1.1 Any staff member who is interested in becoming a FLO should be PIP 1 or PIP 2 trained and should contact their local FLA for consideration and undergo assessment for suitability.

12. Welfare

12.1.1 Family Liaison coordinators and advisors will ensure all deployed or deployable FLOs are subject to an annual psychological assessment, which will be conducted by Health and Wellbeing Services (H&WS). All new FLOs are required to undertake a H&WS assessment before attending the FLO training course.

12.1.2 Following review of the completed psychological assessment form, H&WS may request that the FLO attend a face-to-face meeting, should any issues be identified.

12.1.3 This will be compulsory and any person refusing to attend will no longer be deployed as an FLO. More frequent or specific welfare assessments will be arranged if deemed necessary by the FLC/ FLA, SIO/LIO/SIM or the FLO themselves.

12.1.4 H&WS offer all FLO’s and FLA’s a bespoke Feel well Live well programme.

12.1.5 The incidents at which an FLO may be deployed are varied in complexity, length and commitment. As such it is not possible to dictate a standard welfare response to each case. However, the welfare of the FLO is the ultimate responsibility of the SIO/LIO/SIM during deployment.

12.1.6 On a regular basis, when reasonably practicable to do so, the SIO/LIO/SIM or their deputy will be briefed by the FLO and the welfare of the FLO must form part of this exchange. The local Family Liaison Advisor should be involved in this process to ensure they are aware of all prevailing issues in respect of that FLO and the deployment. In certain cases, the SIO/LIO/SIM may decide to impose compulsory referral(s) to H&WS during the investigation.

12.1.7 In addition to the SIO/LIO/SIM's responsibilities above there is also an onus on the FLOs themselves to inform the SIO/LIO/SIM of any factors which make their continued deployment inappropriate, whether that be in relation to their own personal circumstances or views from within the family.

13. Equality Impact Assessment

13.1 An Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out and shows the proposals in this policy would have no potential or actual differential impact on grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, transgender, disability, age, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

14. Monitoring and Review

14.1 This document will be monitored and reviewed every two years by the policy owner and FLO Force Lead, Major Crime, SCD.

15. Governing Force Policy

S1800

16. Security

16.1. Kent Police have measures in place to protect the security of your data in accordance with our Information Management Policy (Policy W1000 – Information Management).

17. Retention and Disposal of Records

17.1. Kent Police will hold data in accordance with our Records Review, Retention and Disposal Policy (Policy W1012 – Records Review, Retention and Disposal).