This new resource is a toolkit designed to help guide forces in developing how they communicate with and support families so that they feel heard, valued, informed and know where to seek wellbeing support for their loved ones if they need it.
It has been developed in collaboration with Merseyside Police, North Wales Police, Bedfordshire Police and Staffordshire Police who have all provided their experience and ideas based on their own successful work in reaching and supporting police families.
It is intended to help bolster the support that forces currently have available to strengthen connections with police families and acknowledge the vital role they play, whilst often managing their own busy careers and commitments.
The toolkit currently includes 16 suggested approaches that have been tried and tested. As our knowledge and understanding of this area deepens, we will continue to update the toolkit, so it remains an up to date and valuable resource.
All the resources developed in our OK Family Life programme are underpinned by independently conducted research and engagement work built on crowdsourcing the real-life experiences of police families.
We’d like to thank the Open University and Met Friendly for working with us and sharing their research.
You can access the toolkit in the Family Life section of the website.