Study looks at innovative support being offered to families following 'the Knock'
Anglia Ruskin University's International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI) has published findings linked to an innovative project designed to support the families of people being investigated for online child sexual abuse offences.
The team at IPPPRI have been influential partners in a major project to explore ways in which family members, including children, can be better supported following 'the Knock' – the term given to describe the moment police officers execute a search warrant at the home of a suspected offender.
Their latest research, led by Dr Theresa Redmond, in consultation with people with lived experience of this, has shown the clear, positive impact of a new role introduced at Lincolnshire Police. The role is specifically designed to provide this support, and evidence has shown the significant wellbeing impact on both family members and police officers.
Lincolnshire's Indirect Victim Support Officer (IVSO) role was embedded in the Lincolnshire Paedophile OnLine Investigation Unit (POLIT) in 2022. It is the first role of its kind in the UK, and was created in response to the profound distress and harm being experienced by families in the aftermath of 'the Knock' – and the clear need for a service to support them.
It follows work pioneered by Thames Valley Police, also evaluated by IPPPRI, in which an automatic referral system was established, directing all families impacted to the Family Matters charity that provides help and support.
Between September 2022 and September 2023, the IVSO at Lincolnshire Police was able to directly support 51 families who otherwise would not have received any tailored support following 'the Knock'.
