DEPARTMENT FOR
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (114/07) issued by The
Government News Network on 9 October 2007
Humanitarian
Assistance in the UK: Current Capability and the Development of
Best Practice, a research report commissioned and funded by the
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was today launched
by Tessa Jowell, the Minister responsible for Humanitarian Assistance.
The research was undertaken as part of the Humanitarian
Assistance Unit's work to better understand local capability
in this field.
Tessa Jowell said:
"The results of this report will, I hope, guide us in doing
better for individuals who are the innocent victims of disasters.
For example, so that in future, in the aftermath of a disaster,
survivors do not have to struggle to access the support they deserve."
The report distils its evidence into key themes, and contains a
number of recommendations for central, regional and local
government. It also identifies and outlines areas of good
practice and cites twenty two cases - of the many identified
during the research - which demonstrate the sorts of activity
taking place across the UK. In addition, the researchers
highlight three areas that might benefit from a better
understanding of key principles: joint working between police
family liaison officers and humanitarian response teams; the
provision of psychosocial support services; and planning around
exit strategies for those services.
The report highlights a number of innovative developments in this
field, and demonstrates that examples of good practice can be
found across the whole of the UK. However, as well as drawing
attention to examples of commendable progress, its findings
support the need for further development in this area. Some of the
key findings were:
* Most Local Reslience Forum (LRF) and Local Authority
respondents have a lead responder in place for Humanitarian
Assistance, and arrangements in place for welfare response.
However, planning activity tends to focus on short term rather
than longer term needs and recovery strategies;
* Most LRF respondents do have a humanitarian sub-group in place
to lead on planning for humanitarian assistance, however there are
varying views on how LRFs are working and about levels of preparedness;
* There is huge variation in the organisation, experience,
training and establishment of humanitarian response teams, with
much reliance on volunteers and calls for more guidance,
consistency and standards relating to this work.
Notes to Editors
1. Humanitarian Assistance in the UK: Current Capability and the
Development of Best Practice was written by Dr Anne Eyre, Viv
Brunsden and Jamie Murphy. It was commissioned by DCMS in April
2007. For a copy of the report please go to: http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Publications/archive_2007/haintheuk_researchreport.htm
2. For the purposes of this report, Humanitarian Assistance is
defined as referring to 'those activities aimed at meeting
the needs of people affected by emergencies. In particular this
includes those elements of planning, training and exercising aimed
at meeting people's practical and emotional needs; response
activities focussing on meeting people's needs during and
immediately after emergencies; and the coordination and provision
of psychological and social aftercare for those affected in the
weeks, months and years that follow'.
3. Following ministerial changes on 28 June 2007, Tessa Jowell
became Olympics Minister, based at the Cabinet Office. She retains
her role as Minister for Humanitarian Assistance, responsible for
ensuring that the needs of British victims of major emergencies,
and those of their families, are understood and considered
properly within Government.
4. For more information about the Humanitarian Assistance Unit at
DCMS please visit http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/Humanitarian_assistance/
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