Community Safety Strategy - Research Paper Example

Community Safety Strategy 1. Background Community safety is the primary concern of the fire and rescue service but deliberate fires is beyond safety standards and fire fighting as it involves anti-social behaviours that the services cannot solve alone. For this reason, the Local Government White Paper for community safety emphasizes the importance of partnership between different stakeholders in the community including local authorities, the police, youth offenders, probation boards and fire and rescues service (Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006, p.5). The task includes creation of an effective and robust strategy to reduce the number of deliberate fires instigated by local youth groups, which the local Fire and Rescue is experiencing and responding recently. The objective is to reduce the number of deliberate fires, damage to property, and other anti-social behaviour generally causing problem for local residents. 2. Principles of Working with Others As mentioned earlier, there are community safety problems that cannot be solve by a single agency and these include deliberate fires instigated by some youth groups possessing anti-social behaviours. For this reason, government initiated local area agreements requiring the fire and rescue service to work together in effective partnership with other agencies in order to deliver effective and efficient community services (Communities and Local Government, 2008, p.35). The term community for the UK government is a robust and powerful idea that requires teamwork, mutual relationship, and justice (Squires 2006, p. 192). Moreover, the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and accompanying regulation requires every Fire and Rescue Service in the United Kingdom to work in many areas such as emergency, incident response and planning, and information sharing thus working in partnership with other agencies is unavoidable (Com Chief Fire and Rescue Advisers Unit, 2008, p.38). These include innovative schemes to work with young people to enhance fire safety awareness, decrease the occurrence of anti-social behaviour, and others in partnership with relevant stakeholders in the community such as parents, schools, and local authorities (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2006, p.111). As part of POP or Problem Oriented Partnership working, the law requires local authorities including police services to work have effective partnership working since “no single organization can hope to reduce the incidence of crime” (Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships 1998 in ASB online, 2011, p.4). Similarly, the Fire and Rescue Service must work with other services in order to develop comprehensive solution to enhance community life. 3. Solving Problems Through Partnership Community safety strategies using partnership as a means to attain its goals and objectives often consider it as a key part of risk management framework in order to have an integrated approach to making people safer. In the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service’s community safety strategy for 2009-2014 for instance, the first step taken is outlining the nature and extent of risk within their area. Consequently, they can identify which agency can be helpful and which resources is required. Moreover, the information about these risks are shared with other agencies allowing the Police, Schools, Health and other social services to access and coordinate their effort with the Fire and Rescue Service (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2009, p.14). In fact, the purpose and priorities indicated in the service’s Risk Management Plan for 2011-2013 is to deliver prevention, protection, and emergency response service using their influence in the community and working in partnership with other associated agencies (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service 2011, p.9). Generally, fire and rescue service works with local partners in order to reduce deliberate fires and anti-social behaviours. They worked with local authority and schools to deal with children setting fire to cars, bins, and making hoax calls to the local fire station. With the help of local youth workers, the fire and rescue service manage to work things out with young people and engage them in positive activities at the local fire station. Activities include building young people’s sense of community responsibility and achievement by training them to fit and maintain smoke alarms in houses and understand the negative consequences of fire (Home Office, 2009, p.95). Some fire and rescue service like the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service even established programmes to actively engage young people such as the Prince Trust Team Programme, Young Fire-fighters and FIREFLY that are also linked to their Integrated Risk Management Plan. FIREFLY addresses young people’s anti-social behaviour such as hoax calls and aggression against fire fighters. It is delivered using one full time community liaison officer and a number of volunteer fire fighters in partnership with the youth offending team (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2005, p.147). Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the partnership approach to community safety suggest that willingness on the part of the community to work for change is very important. This is because such willingness to work with authorities and the trust provided by the community can make such partnership happen and succeed. Moreover, making the issue of youth fire-setting and anti-social behaviour a local problem that can be managed locally can make people feel better and more in control of the situation. Youth management instead of crime prevention or reduction is a much better term in this context since constructing young people as people to be feared is not a logical approach since it can only increase the youth’s anti-social behaviour. Therefore, the partnership between teachers, youth workers, private enterprises, parents, fire and rescue service, and the young people themselves will work more effectively if people feel right about living in their locality (Hughes et al. 2002, p.72). 4. Inter-relationship of the Fire and Rescue Service and other Emergency Services in Community Safety In terms of deliberate fires attributed to young people, the inter-relationship of the fire and rescue service may be wider compared to normal fire prevention initiatives seeking fire safety at home. This is because anti-social behaviours, as mentioned earlier, are a concern for not only parents, teachers, and local authorities but also the youth themselves who needs guidance. According to Goldson & Muncie (2006), community safety partnership work regarding youth is a delicate matter since they may resist and contest the implementation and delivery of community safety strategies that often categorized them as marginalized, vulnerable, outcast and angry young people (p.158). For this reason, the relationship that must be built by the fire and rescue service to address this problem should include not only associated local agencies but also those with direct responsibility over the youth’s current perception of themselves. These may include the media, local youth workers, and leaders of youth groups. Partnership work with young people should also consider the role of parents who by themselves requires attention. For instance, the situation of young people with anti-social behaviours living with substance misusing parents or families affected by domestic violence. The fire and rescue community safety strategy in this context should undoubtedly take into account partners with relevant experience in this particular matter such as the police and local voluntary domestic violence and drug service (Cleaver, 2007, p.149). Local education authorities and the fire and rescue service are also inter-related in safeguarding and promoting young people’s well-being and welfare since under the Children Act 2004, local authority education services is required to have active participation in multi-agency group or partnership work aim to contribute towards pupil welfare, well-being and safety. In relation to the fire and rescue service, education services involvement should include participation in community safety partnership, drug action teams, domestic violence and local authority emergency planning forums (Baginsky 2008, p.28). In general, the fire and rescue service may need to connect and make “problem oriented partnership” with relevant agencies to address youth fire setting and other nuisance caused by anti-social behaviours. Primarily, the fire and rescue should consider the benefits of information sharing in delivering shared understanding of the issues and creation of shared solutions. For instance, correct information enables community safety partners to carry out evidence-based, targeted community safety interventions. According to the Home Office (2010), the outcome of an intelligence-led, problem-solving approach to community safety can be achieved when partners have access to relevant and up to date information from various sources. This is because sufficient amount of information related to certain community safety problems can help these partnerships make better decisions that can effectively respond, prevent, and reduce crime, disorder and anti-social behaviours, reduce re-offending, address issues associated with drug misuse, and enhance public confidence in the local services to improve community safety (p.6). 5. Ways youth can be engaged in diversionary activities Strategic objectives of community safety strategy based on problem-oriented partnership may be summarized as follows: Actively engage children and young people Prevent and reduce fire setting by children and young people Formulate and create diversionary activities for young people particularly those having crime and anti-social behaviours Educate young people in fire safety skills and make them aware of their responsibility Ensure staff working with young people are trained, effective, and professional Considering the above objectives, it may be necessary to engage the youth in diversionary activities that can cover all the objectives at the same time. Moreover, since the aim is to prevent young people from further involvement in crime such as fire setting, hoax calls, and anti-social behaviour, the diversionary activity strategy may include removing the causes of the problem through early intervention while enhancing parenting through extended schools and Children’s Centres. For instance, the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service problem-based oriented partnership community safety strategy consider the “prevent and deter” approach and developed a “Respect Action Plan” that will address anti-social behaviour by direct intervention and removing it causes. These include working in partnership with health providers, local area agreements for funding, and several programmes covering the needs of children and young people in order to realize four main levels of intervention – diversionary prevention, early prevention, heavy end prevention, and restorative prevention (p.1-11). From the above information and example, the local fire and rescue service may engage young people in activities that not only can reduce fire-setting occurrence but also enhances life chances by developing them into better and responsible citizens. For this reason, the following are recommended: Teach young people fire prevention skills Knowledge young people would gain from this initiative enable them to understand the dangers of fire setting and the consequences of fire. Make them aware of the consequences of anti-social behaviours Young people should understand the important role of the fire and rescue service in keeping the community safe and the consequences of anti-social activities such as hoax calls and fire-setting to the service’s resource use and effectiveness. Make them role models Young people can greatly influence those around them thus, they are potentially useful as safety influence to others. Similarly, the community recognizes the role of the fire and rescue service thus, it is a good source of motivation and example for young people to follow to become good citizens. Promote and reward their achievements Further motivation may be needed to ensure young people’s consistency towards change and for this reason, promoting and rewarding achievements of young people participating in fire and rescue service led activities may be helpful. 6. Potential Key Partners As mentioned earlier, reducing fire-setting occurrences and anti-social behaviour among young people requires multi-agency effort. Moreover, considering the requirements to make young people engage in diversionary activities, the fire and rescue service may need to work together with parents, local educational authorities, youth workers, health services, and youth leaders. Parents, particularly those that are influential in their children’s anti-social behaviour may need similar attention thus, it may be necessary to work in partnership with local police and primary care. Since local educational authorities under the Children Act 2004 should be always concern with young people’s welfare and multi-agency working, support from these groups is valuable particularly in terms of education, communication, and implementation of fire and rescue service initiatives within schools. Similarly, the support, knowledge, and expertise of youth workers are valuable in understanding and implementing the right approach for young people. Moreover, since the knowledge of fire and rescue service about young people behaviour is limited, experienced youth workers can make engagement to diversionary activities easy as they have better understanding of youth reactions in such matters. The support of health workers may come in handy in situations when the target groups are involve in alcohol and drug misuse as the fire and rescue initiative may not progress if the youth and their parents (for some) continue with this unhealthy practices. Finally, youth leaders particularly those with good reputation in the community may be use as role model helping the fire and rescue service in its quest for a safer community. 7. Community Safety Strategy using POP or Problem Oriented Partnership Following the notion that to achieve a truly community-based multi-agency approach, the strategy should engage as many local agencies and voluntary groups. Moreover, since successful partnership requires transparency, accountability, trust, and favourable working environment, the strategy should be equal, positive, respect the views of others, open and honest, and sensitive to the needs and well-being of the community (ASB, 2009, p.4). The Problem Oriented Partnership approach to youth’s anti-social behaviour is summarized below. The Demand Anti-social behaviour is causing the fire and rescue service unnecessary use of resources due to hoax calls and fire setting. It is causing nuisance as well as threat to life and damage to property. The fire and rescue service needs to do something about it to avoid further complications and waste of taxpayers’ money. The Problem By analysis, the problem at hand is the youth’s fire-setting activities and alcohol drinking in public places due to development of anti-social behaviour in their early years. The Aim The aim is to reduce fire-setting and other disturbing activities by preventing the development of anti-social behaviours with multi-agency problem oriented partnership working. Partners Potential partners who would share their expertise and resources are local educational authorities, youth workers, youth leaders, health services, and parents. Research Result Research shows that deliberate fires involve anti-social behaviour requiring multi-agency working which legislations and other associated regulations require for community safety initiatives. These include the Fire and Rescue National Framework’s emphasis on effective and efficient community services through effective partnership with other agencies. The need for innovative schemes while working with young people as specified by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to enhance fire safety awareness, reduce anti-social behaviours among youth, and partnership with relevant stakeholders in the community. The importance of the notion that no single organization is capable of reducing the incidence of crime as stated in the 1998 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership regulation. The inclusion of partnership working in the fire and rescue risk management plan as in the case of the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service sharing risk information with the police, schools, health, and other social services. The different programmes initiated by the Great Manchester FRS to actively engage young people in diversionary activities. Taking advantage of local educational authorities’ role under the Children Act 2004 in safeguarding youth’s well-being by participating in multi-agency partnership. The Analysis Examination and analysis of the problem reveals the following: Deliberates fires are attributed to young people with anti-social behaviours The problem cannot be address by a single agency or the fire and rescue service alone thus multi-agency working is required Diversionary activities can help develop young people into good and responsible citizens Options The only option is to come up with a community safety strategy involving as many agencies as possible to ensure reduction of anti-social behaviours Responses Implement measureable problem oriented partnership Engage young people to productive diversionary activities Monitor progress and impact of the community safety strategy Evaluation and Review Evaluate the impact of the community safety strategy and determine what can be done to make it more effective Review problem oriented partnership structure and determine the impact of each stakeholder to the success of the strategy. Appendix: Use uploaded attachments References: ABS, 2011, Anti-Social Behaviour: Problem Oriented Partnership Working (POP), available online at absonline.org.uk Baginsky M, 2008, Safeguarding Children and Schools, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, UK Cleaver H, 2007, Child Protection, Domestic Violence, and Parental substance misuse: Family experiences and effective practice, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, UK Com Chief Fire and Rescue Advisers Unit, 2008, Environmental Protection: Fire and Rescue Manual, Volume 2, Fire Service Operations, The Stationary Office, UK Communities, Local Government, 2008, Fire, Rescue National Framework 2008-11, Communities, and Local Government, UK Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006, Strong and Prosperous Communities: The Local Government White Paper, The Stationery Office, UK Goldson B. & Muncie J, 2006, Youth, Crime, and Justice: Critical Issues, Pine Forge Press, UK Home Office, 2009, Protecting the public: Supporting the police succeed, The Stationery Office, UK Home Office, 2010, National Support Framework: Delivering Safer and Confident Communities- Information Sharing for Community Safety, Home Office, UK Hughes G, McLaughlin E, & Muncie J, 2002, Crime Prevention and Community Safety: New Directions, SAGE, UK Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2009, Community Safety Strategy : 2009-2014, Lancashire FRS, UK Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2001, Risk Management Plan 2011-2013, Lancashire FRS, UK Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2005, The Fire and Rescue Service: Session 2005-2006, The Stationery Office, UK Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2006, The Fire and Rescue Service: Session 2005-2006, The Stationery Office, UK Squires P, 2006, Community Safety: Critical Perspectives on Policy and Practice, The Policy Press, UK Suffolk County Council, 2007, Children and Young People- Our Strategy, Suffolk FRS, UK Read More