Communications
The Hydrant Programme communications team is made up of a Head of Communications, a Communications Lead and a Digital Communications Officer, who provide strategic and tactical communications supporting the delivery of the Hydrant Programme Strategic Objectives. Hydrant communicates with a wide range of audiences both internal and external, working proactively to planned milestones and objectives, but with the ability to flex and react to emerging operational requirements.
The expertise of the communications team is drawn upon formally within the Peer Review and Peer Support function; attendance on Gold Groups for complex or highly critical incidents within a force; and informally by communications teams across UK forces seeking critical friend advice around developing or delivering communications strategies and activities for local child Protection and abuse investigations. The communications team also work proactively on campaigns and messages to promote the work of the programme and to share the voices of victims and survivors.
The Vulnerability Communications Hub
During 2020 Operation Hydrant provided communications support to the Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) Programme and, at the end of the year the Vulnerability and Knowledge Practice Programme (VKPP) requested similar support. The decision was made to create a Vulnerability Communications Hub supporting all three programmes. The Vulnerability Communications was launched in July 2021. A Head of Communications oversees work across the three national work streams which are each supported by a Communications Lead. The programmes share many of the same audiences with overlap where key messaging and overarching strategic aims are concerned. Bringing the communications function together via the hub has ensured resilience and a coordinated approach, reduced duplication, generated efficiencies, and designed-in a more holistic approach, which is hugely beneficial from a national perspective.
Recent Projects
In October 2024 the Vulnerability Communications Hub released a national campaign on behalf of the CSE Taskforce called 'When You Are Ready' this campaign was developed alongside the Marie Collins Foundation's Lived-Experience Group so that any work developed and delivered put the voices of victims and survivors at the heart of this work and the policing response to child abuse and exploitation.
The campaign aim was clear – we wanted to ensure victims and survivors felt seen and heard, and to encourage them to reach out for support, whenever they are ready to do so.