Family Liaison

The views of the families in individual cases are a most important factor when we conduct our case assessments: this whole initiative begins and ends with the families of the victims.

In every case, we ask families what are the issues that concern them. These are many and varied but our goal is to try to bring honest answers to them all, irrespective of whether a case can be progressed or not.

The views of the families in individual cases are a most important factor when we conduct our case assessments. If, for example, they request no further action, this is likely to be very persuasive.

An exception would be where a particular incident is part of a linked series. Some aspects may have to be re-examined peripheral to other cases or there may be clear evidence to connect someone to a death.

These are the sorts of circumstances in which the role of individual family liaison officers is crucial. Our view is that this whole initiative begins and ends with the families of the victims.

To that end, our starting point is to include in every review an acknowledgement of what outstanding issues have been raised by the families, and every closure process includes a response to address those matters.