Leadership, accountability and partnerships

Indicators

• There are objectives concerning the diversion of vulnerable adults and children away from custody. These are promoted and accessible to staff.
• There is an effective management structure that ensures appropriate policies and procedures for the whole custody process are in place, fully implemented and reviewed regularly to ensure compliance with legislation and relevant human rights standards. Policies and procedures are accessible and staff understand them.
• There are sufficient resources to carry out the custody functions to ensure the safety and well-being of detainees. Custody suites are staffed with personnel (including contracted staff) who are trained, with the right skills and security clearance, who understand how to respond to detainees and whose training needs are assessed, met and evaluated to perform the requirements of the role.
• Services provided externally to support custody are monitored and scrutinised to hold providers to account.
• There is a clear whistle-blowing procedure in place and all staff know how to raise concerns.

Indicators

• Safeguarding of children is embedded at a strategic level, supported by clear policies and procedures specific to the needs of children. Border Force staff are trained to recognise child abuse and to understand the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, and are supported to do so. Relevant authorities are notified if children are detained in custody (see section 3).
• There is a robust safeguarding policy for vulnerable adults (see section 3).
• Staff are provided with training in awareness of human trafficking, sexual abuse (including exploitation), extortion, grooming and smuggling. All staff are alert to the signs that a detainee has potentially been a victim of trafficking, sexual abuse or grooming, know how to report it and do so appropriately, including to the National Referral Mechanism.

Indicators

• Accurate data (including custody throughput, demographics, adverse incidents, strip-searching, use of force and complaints) are routinely collated and analysed to identify trends, and used to inform organisational learning and improve outcomes for detainees in Border Force custody.
• The central custody directorate receives all relevant management information and data, including on the use of force and equality and diversity.
• Border Force has mechanisms in place to assure itself and the public that the use of force in relation to arrest, detention and custody is strictly necessary, safe and proportionate.
• Quality assurance processes promote the safe and respectful treatment of detainees and continuing professional development of staff. 
• Effective mechanisms are in place to learn from adverse incidents and to identify and share good practice within and across Border Force and relevant partnerships.

Indicators

• There are effective monitoring systems to identify discrimination in treatment, including analysis of data on custody throughput.
• Assessments are conducted across custody operations, including an element of external challenge to identify whether services deliver fair and equal treatment.
• An equality governance and accountability framework is established, linked to the Border Force risk register.
• Where staff come across unfair or discriminatory treatment, they are able and required to take action in challenging, eliminating and reporting it (see section 3).
• Equality monitoring, and any other monitoring required for protected characteristics, are communicated to all staff and staff understand how they can implement and monitor appropriate action.
• Staff have been trained to recognise and meet the needs of people who have one or more of the protected characteristics under equality legislation.
• There are policies and procedures in place to ensure staff understand their obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

Indicators

• Border Force responds to issues and complaints raised by Independent Custody Visitors (ICV). This includes dealing with immediate complaints and issues raised during visits.
• Feedback is used appropriately by Border Force and there are regular and formal opportunities for issues to be raised with senior officers.

Indicator

• There is constructive engagement with all relevant partner agencies (including relevant safeguarding boards, ICVs, health care providers and commissioners, local authorities, youth offending services, criminal justice agencies, escort providers, immigration authorities, ambulance service, courts, etc) to protect and divert children and vulnerable adults from custody, where possible, and to support the safe and respectful delivery of custody. Outcomes can be clearly demonstrated.