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Recruitment information pack

Published 15 November 2022

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Offensive weapons homicide reviews: independent chairs

November 2022

Background

Introduction

Every homicide is a tragedy, and the Government wants to do all it can to prevent them and to tackle serious violence. Homicide rose by about a third between 2014 and 2021 and has become the fourth leading cause of death for men aged 20-34 (behind suicide, drug overdoses and car accidents). The cost of homicide is significant and is annually estimated to be more than £2.5bn.

We are concerned that many of these homicides are not currently formally reviewed by multi-agency partners to learn and share lessons to help to prevent further tragedies, in the way that happens when a young person aged under 18 dies, when a vulnerable adult dies, when a person dies due to domestic violence, or when someone in receipt of mental health care commits homicide. Of the 692 offences initially recorded as homicides in 2021, we estimate that around a third of the unreviewed homicides involved an offensive weapon (222).

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 introduced a requirement on the police and local authorities in England and Wales and the integrated care boards in England and local health boards in Wales to review the circumstances of certain homicides where the victim was aged 18 or over, and the events surrounding their death involved, or were likely to have involved, the use of an offensive weapon. The purpose of these reviews is to ensure that when a qualifying homicide takes place, local partners identify the lessons to be learnt from the death, to consider whether any action should be taken as a result, and to share the outcome. The intention is that these new reviews will improve the national and local understanding of what causes homicide and serious violence, better equipping services to prevent weapons-enabled homicides, and in so doing, save lives.

The Offensive Weapons Homicide Review (OWHR) legislation requires a pilot to be carried out ahead of a decision to roll out the OWHR policy across England and Wales. Following the laying of the necessary secondary legislation and guidance being published, the Government has committed to run an 18-month pilot of the OWHR process starting in early 2023. The pilot will be carried out in several local authority areas in London, the West Midlands, and Wales.

The purpose of Offensive Weapons Homicide Reviews

The purpose of the review is to identify the lessons to be learnt from the death, to consider whether any action should be taken as a result, and to share the outcome. Local and national implementation of these lessons will help tackle homicide and serious violence by allowing review partners to identify trends in homicide, increasing knowledge of how the threat from serious violence is evolving, and allowing for stronger policy or operational interventions.

How to ensure independence

OWHRs are best served by the appointment of an independent chair to perform the primary delivery role. Independent chairs should be tasked with the delivery of the methodology of OWHRs, including interviewing and collection of information, authoring the final report and presenting it in a way which adheres to the requirements of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The chair should also be the primary contact for the victim’s and/or alleged perpetrator/s’ family and/or next of kin (if they wish/it is appropriate for them to be involved) to maintain independence in this relationship.

Recruitment of independent chairs

We are seeking to establish a pool of up to 30 individuals to independently chair and undertake OWHRs during the pilot. We are looking for individuals who have the qualities and experience needed, coupled with a strong commitment to improve practice and who can work effectively with local partners including the police, local authorities and health bodies, among others.

This opportunity is not limited to those residing in England and Wales but please note the detail on travel/expenses included under the ‘time commitments and remuneration’ section below.

Key responsibilities of an independent chair

The description below gives a brief overview of the key roles of an independent chair:

• chair OWHR meetings and facilitate discussions;

• ensure the OWHR runs within an agreed timeframe;

• liaise with family members and informal networks about the OWHR and, should the family/networks wish, enable them to contribute to the review;

• write an objective, succinct and clear report (with actions) that accurately and comprehensively reflects the issues and themes pertinent to the review; and

• provide confidence for practitioners and the community that the OWHR is being led by someone independent from the criminal investigation and the background of the case.

The above is given as a broad range of duties and is not intended to be exhaustive.

Further information on the scope of the role is provided at Annex A. It is important to note that the responsibilities may change to meet the evolving OWHR process.

To ensure a successful review and OWHR process, the independent chair must be impartial, neutral, objective and transparent when carrying out all functions associated with their role.

Time commitment and remuneration

Those who are invited be an OWHR independent chair will be asked to do so for an initial period of three years. However, this could be extended by the Home Office subject to evidence of effective working and continued adherence to values and guidance.

Individuals invited to be an OWHR independent chair must complete the required training. Applicants should be aware that, while the training will be free, they will not be remunerated for the time spent undertaking the necessary training.

Independent chairs will work for the relevant review partners in conjunction with the local oversight body on a self-employed basis (regardless of their employment status in another role). The maximum payment per chair per review will be £8,688. Only in exceptional circumstances, and with prior agreement, will payments above this level be made. Payments will be non-pensionable.

Individuals will be responsible for invoicing for their time, and this will be paid directly into a bank account.

Independent chairs can be reimbursed travel costs for reasonable business purposes, but this must be agreed as part of the terms and conditions with the contracting area and will form part of the overall fee for the review. Home to office mileage/travel will not be paid. It is expected that, in the majority of circumstances, meetings with be held virtually.

There is no guarantee of any minimum level of work. The Home Office will develop a comprehensive training package for independent chairs designed for the delivery of OWHRs. The list of individuals who have completed this training will be made available to review partners on request. Local review partners will then be responsible for sourcing independent chairs from this list of individuals. Should an independent chair not wish to remain on the list, the Home Office requires a period of advanced notice of a minimum of three months.

Flexibility will be needed, depending on the demands of the reviews taking place. Applicants should be aware that there may be occasions where they might be required to conduct work outside normal office hours. Given the need for flexibility, this role may be more suitable for those that are not in full-time employment. Those interested in applying should consider carefully (including with their employer, if appropriate) whether they can meet the potential time commitments and offer the necessary flexibility. The time needed to chair each review will depend on its scope and complexity,

Should an independent chair be unable to perform their role fully, through reason of unsuitability, poor performance or failure to complete the necessary training or similar, the Home Office and/or local areas will take appropriate action to address this. This could ultimately mean that the independent chair is removed from their role.

Probity and conflict of interest

There may be occasion where an independent chair leading a review could find matters or incidents relating to them, which previously attracted no attention, becoming matters of legitimate public interest once the person concerned is working in their role as chair. Information which might be relevant could include prominent activities, for example, in voluntary or political organisations. Any conflicts of interest must be declared in your application.

Further information

Individuals wishing to learn more about the role before deciding to apply may contact either Jo French or Andy Arnell at the OWHR-Team@homeoffice.gov.uk.

If you have any questions about the application process, you should contact either Jo French or Andy Arnell at the OWHR-Team@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Role description

Job title

Offensive Weapons Homicide Review – independent chairs.

Commitment

Part time – You will be expected to work the time necessary to oversee an effective review process and produce a report relating to the review. As review periods will vary, it is not possible to state the number of days which will be required.

Remuneration

All reviews will be subject to a remuneration limit of £8,688.

Appointment

Three year term.

Location

Flexible within the United Kingdom. Meetings may be required at the offices of the local area taking forward the OWHR.

Reporting to

The relevant local partners organising the review

Key responsibilities:

The following are the key requirements and skills sought from those seeking to be an independent chair:

a) good knowledge of addressing one or more of the following areas: homicide, serious violence, street gangs, serious and organised crime, exploitation, safeguarding, the criminal justice system, anti-social behaviour or mental health;

b) an understanding of the role and context of the main agencies likely to be involved in an OWHR;

c) leadership experience in order to provide the appropriate strategic vision required;

d) good investigative, analytical, interviewing and communication skills;

e) effective interpersonal skills for liaising with families and those who have experienced trauma;

f) an understanding of wider statutory review frameworks such as domestic homicide reviews and child or adult safeguarding reviews;

g) have relevant links into the community, or an awareness of how to make those links, in order to engage with a wide range of partners;

h) an awareness of safeguarding, diversity and inclusion;

i) an understanding of data protection requirements and relevant information sharing legislation alongside an awareness of disclosure concerns in regard to ongoing criminal cases and prosecutions and how this will be essential in their role as an independent chair;

j) willingness to complete the appropriate OWHR training course, as well as to seek out additional knowledge, where needed, relating to the specialist areas which may need to be addressed by an OWHR.

Person specification

Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria. In your application you should demonstrate clearly how you meet each of the essential criteria for these posts. If shortlisted, your responses will be further explored by the Panel at interview stage.

Part One - Essential criteria:

• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work collaboratively and effectively with others in a professional decision-making committee or forum, constructively contributing to discussions, negotiating between conflicting opinions and values and generating options to reach consensus.

• The ability to objectively and critically analyse, synthesise and evaluate evidence from diverse sources and identify key issues, learning and messages.

• The ability and confidence to deal with difficult situations sensitively.

• Professional curiosity with a drive for continuous learning, keeping updated with relevant legislative, policy and societal developments in the areas of safeguarding, homicide prevention, serious violence and public protection.

In addition to the above, you must be able to demonstrate experience or knowledge in one or more of the areas listed below:

• Local Government

• Public Health

• Police

• Education

• Voluntary and Community Sector

• Probation

• Crown Prosecution Service

Part Two – Knowledge, skills and attributes

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to effectively chair meetings and oversee the conduct and progress of the review.

• The ability and confidence to make and be accountable for impartial, effective and timely decisions.

• The ability to recognise and draw appropriately on professional expertise with self-awareness.

We value and promote diversity and are committed to equality of opportunity for all. Appointment will be made on merit following an open, fair and transparent competition.

Due diligence

Please note that as part of the recruitment process, due diligence, including social media checks will be undertaken on the appointable candidates.

Response instructions

The closing date for applications is 11pm, Tuesday 6 December 2022.

Please submit the following 3 documents, clearly labelled, by email to: OWHR-Team@homeoffice.gov.uk

1. A comprehensive CV (maximum two sides A4, minimum 11 font) setting out your career history and including details of any professional qualifications.

2. A short supporting statement (maximum 1500 words) giving evidence of the strength and depth of your ability to meet the essential criteria for the role. Please provide specific examples to demonstrate how you meet each of the experience, qualities and skill areas identified in the person specification.

3. Please complete and return the equality monitoring form at Annex C.

Please include the heading ‘Application - Offensive Weapons Homicide Review– independent chairs’ in the subject box.

Please submit your application documents as 3 separate attachments (and note that short-listed candidates will also be required to complete and return a separate form in relation to referees and nationality information).

Please note the following:

• We cannot accept applications submitted after the closing date.

• Applications will be assessed on the documentation provided. Please refer to the advert and checklist to ensure you have provided the necessary documentation We will assess it based solely on documentation provided.

• Applications will be acknowledged upon receipt.

• Feedback will only be given to unsuccessful candidates following interview.

Further information

If you have any queries about this role or about the recruitment process, please contact the OWHR-Team@homeoffice.gov.uk

Indicative timetable

Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change.

Advert closing date

11pm, Tuesday 6 December 2022

Short list meeting

Expected w/c 12 December 2022

Final panel interviews

Expected w/c 3 January 2023

Selection process

The panel for the recruitment will be chaired by senior managers within the Home Office.

The Home Office Recruitment Team will acknowledge your application on behalf of the Home Office and keep you updated on the progress of the competition.

At the short-listing meeting the selection panel will assess each application against the essential criteria and decide who to invite for interview. Interviews are expected to take place at online, and to last for between 30 and 45 minutes. Further details about the format will be provided to you in advance.

We encourage a diverse workforce and welcome applications from all suitably qualified people.

Please note: Expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed except in exceptional circumstances and only when agreed in advance with the Home Office Recruitment Team.

Terms of appointment

Nature of appointment

You are not an employee of the Home Office, the OWHR or the relevant local partners leading the OWHR. Terms and conditions relevant to your appointment as an independent chair will be issued by the local partners organising the OWHR.

Disability

Applicants who meet the minimum criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview. Selection will be on merit. If you wish to apply for consideration under this scheme, please complete the form in Annex C. It is not necessary to state the nature of your disability.

You can contact us if you want to discuss the criteria for the role or have questions regarding your application.

Diversity

The Home Office is committed to providing equal opportunities for all, irrespective of race, age, disability, gender, marital status, religion, sexual orientation and transgender.

As part of the application process we ask candidates to complete equal opportunities monitoring information. This will help us to monitor selection decisions to assess whether equality of opportunity is being achieved. The information in Annex C will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes only. The form will not be treated as part of your application.

Complaints

If you are not completely satisfied with the way your application is handled at any stage of the competition, please raise any complaint in the first instance with the Recruitment Team at OWHR-Team@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Annex A: OWHRs and the role of independent chairs

The OWHR legislation provides for relevant local partners to delegate a number of their required OWHR functions to one of themselves or an independent chair. Independent chairs are roles seen in other homicide review processes including domestic or safeguarding reviews and can provide an additional layer of confidence for practitioners and the community that the review is being led by someone independent from the criminal investigation or the background of the case. This is also an opportunity to introduce an individual who is trained and experienced in delivering reviews, may have specialist understanding for example in mental health, gangs, exploitation etc and the context in which the incident occurred.

It will be for the relevant local partners, with the support of their local oversight process, to commission an OWHR to an independent chair, including clarifying which functions they wish them to undertake. It is suggested that they be tasked with the delivery of the methodology of OWHRs including interviewing and collection of information and authoring the final report by presenting it in a way that adheres to the requirements of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 Act. The chair should also be the primary contact for the victim’s and/or alleged perpetrator/s’ family and/or next of kin (if they wish to be involved) to maintain independence in this relationship.

The Home Office will develop a comprehensive training package for independent chairs designed for the delivery of OWHRs. The list of individuals who have completed this training will be made available to review partners on request. Local partners will then be responsible for sourcing independent chairs from this list of individuals.

Further information - scope of role

This is a challenging role in a complex environment, given the sensitive subject matter and the fact that the chair, as indicated below, will not only engage with a wide range of organisations but will be the main contact during the review, for family and friends of the victim’s and/or alleged perpetrator/s’ family and/or next of kin (if they wish/it is appropriate for them to be involved)

chairing OWHRs will include:

• Developing the scope and terms of reference for the review

• Providing indicative timeframes for the review to meet the suggested timeframes as set out in the OWHR statutory guidance.

• Contacting statutory partners and other organisations and/or individuals within the area that may be relevant to the review.

• chairing OWHR Meetings and facilitating discussion.

• Co-ordinating the review.

• Engaging with family members, friends and wider informal networks (colleagues, employers, neighbours etc.) of the victim and, where appropriate, alleged perpetrator/s, advising them of the review and inviting them to participate at relevant times and where appropriate.

• Liaising with front line staff in relevant agencies to enable them to contribute to learning from the review.

• Offering appropriate guidance to individuals/agencies involved in the OWHR.

Reporting and monitoring

• Writing an individual report and action plan for the OWHR that is compliant with the OWHR legislation and statutory guidance;

• Working to ensure that the report accurately and comprehensively reflects the issues and themes pertinent to the particular case;

• Briefing the families on the content of the report once agreed;

• Ensuring accuracy, confidentiality and security of information storage, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR); and,

• Liaising with the OWHR Oversight Board Secretariat where necessary.

Why become an independent chair of an OWHR?

This is an opportunity to be part of the new Offensive Weapons Homicide Review process in the pilot areas of England and Wales. You will also contribute to the support and protection of potential victims of homicide by highlighting and promoting good practice.

The chair will be integral to ensuring independent and objective analysis of each case, demonstrating and promoting professional curiosity, highlighting promising practice and identifying where change is needed.

The chair will also be central to engaging with friends and family members. The chair will advise the family on the progress of the review and, should the family wish, to be involved in the review, meet them to gain further insight and critical information.

Through the OWHR, the chair will help identify the lessons learnt from the death and to consider whether it would be appropriate for any specific agency to take action in respect of those lessons learnt.

Who can become a OWHR independent chair?

An applicant must demonstrate that they have the skills required and complete the appropriate training. Key skills include chairing meetings, following legislative requirements, providing guidance on the process, managing competing priorities, facilitating communication, collating and presenting information, analysing, and drawing conclusions from a wide range of complex information. The key skills will be assessed through an application form, sift and interview.

Potential applicants should note that the nature of Offensive Weapons Homicide Reviews, the information that will be received in conducting the review, and the necessary engagement with bereaved individuals is likely to be distressing.

Do you need to belong to a particular profession to become a OWHR chair?

This process is open to a range of applicants on the basis of their individual skills and experience.

As the chair will be part of an Offensive Weapons Homicide Review process that could be challenged, successful applicants must be prepared for their personal expertise, conduct and independence to be open to legal scrutiny.

What training do I receive to become a OWHR chair?

Before working as a OWHR chair, applicants who accept the role must complete the required training.

The aim of the training is to prepare individuals to operate credibly and effectively as an independent Offensive Weapons Homicide Review chair. It seeks to familiarise them with relevant legislation, policy and practice, and with those that will oversee and contribute to the reviews.

The chair will be expected to complete identified training within agreed timescales.

Annex B: The seven principles of public life

The principles of public life apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder. This includes all those who are elected or appointed to public office, nationally and locally, and all people appointed to work in the civil service, local government, the police, courts and probation services, NDPBs, and in the health, education, social and care services. All public office-holders are both servants of the public and stewards of public resources. The principles also have application to all those in other sectors delivering public services.

Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.

Integrity

Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.

Objectivity

In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Openness

Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the public interest clearly demands.

Honesty

Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

Leadership

Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.