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Two police officers in the street
Child holding teddy
Police line tape in front of a crime scene
Hooded child on bench
Man in handcuffs

Supporting child protection
and abuse investigation

About the
Hydrant Programme

The Hydrant Programme is a national policing programme supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Child Protection and Abuse Investigation Working Group. Originally established in 2014 to coordinate the response to non-recent child sexual abuse, but now supporting forces across all child protection and abuse investigation issues.

Hydrant develops policy and strategy on behalf of the NPCC, develops and delivers best practice advice including a learning, review and improvement function, provides a strategic analysis capability and partnership engagement with key stakeholders and partners.

About us

The future of any society is in the hands of today’s children. So we need to invest in children, we need to listen to them, allow them to grow, and give them the opportunities they deserve for a bright future. This cannot be achieved in a world where children are abused and exposed to harm.
ACC Becky Riggs- National Police Chiefs' Lead, Child Protection and Abuse Investigation

What we offer

review

A Peer Review, Peer Support, CPD and Debrief function working across all elements of child abuse and child protection, which forces can access at no cost.

partnership hub

A Partnership Hub which supports key stakeholders and organisations with operational child protection and safeguarding issues.

research team

An Analysis and Research Team who work in collaboration with the Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme and the National Crime Agency to enhance understanding of the prevalence of child sexual abuse and exploitation and the risk and harm it presents. The aim of this is to address identified gaps in policing’s national capability highlighted by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and others.

communications

A Communications Team with the ability to coordinate issues of national operational criticality within the vulnerability portfolio when this is appropriate, for example policing’s response to incidents like the Everyone’s Invited movement and the football abuse scandal.

Our work

News & events

  • When you are ready 1

    23rd Oct 2024

    When You Are Ready- CSE Taskforce National Campaign

    The CSE Taskforce has launched a new national campaign, ‘When You Are Ready’, that focuses on encouraging victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation to reach out for support.

  • Op Greenjacket

    25th Sep 2024

    Op Greenjacket- Hydrant Programme working with forces

    This morning (Wednesday 25 October) Greater Manchester Police (GMP) carried out a series of warrants in connection with Operation Greenjacket – which was established in May 2019 to investigate allegations of child sexual exploitation in south Manchester.

  • pier23 01318

    30th Aug 2024

    Ten Year Anniversary Reflections from Simon Bailey

    Simon Bailey QPM, DL, CBE is the former National Police Chief Council Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigations. In this blog, Simon reflects on the origins of Hydrant (formally known as Operation Hydrant) and his personal reflections having lead the portfolio for seven years.

  • When you are ready 1

    23rd Oct 2024

    When You Are Ready- CSE Taskforce National Campaign

    The CSE Taskforce has launched a new national campaign, ‘When You Are Ready’, that focuses on encouraging victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation to reach out for support.

  • Op Greenjacket

    25th Sep 2024

    Op Greenjacket- Hydrant Programme working with forces

    This morning (Wednesday 25 October) Greater Manchester Police (GMP) carried out a series of warrants in connection with Operation Greenjacket – which was established in May 2019 to investigate allegations of child sexual exploitation in south Manchester.

  • pier23 01318

    30th Aug 2024

    Ten Year Anniversary Reflections from Simon Bailey

    Simon Bailey QPM, DL, CBE is the former National Police Chief Council Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigations. In this blog, Simon reflects on the origins of Hydrant (formally known as Operation Hydrant) and his personal reflections having lead the portfolio for seven years.

News & Events