As Christmas and a New Year approaches, like many of us my mood tends toward the reflective, and, without doubt, this year there is much to reflect on.

This year has seen a great deal of high-profile and multiple arrests meaning that police custody suites have been extremely busy across the UK throughout the year. The news also heavily featured the crisis in prisons, in particular that of prison capacity, and policing has assisted in the response to this crisis by using some spaces in police custody, putting pressure on custody suites in some areas. The Baird enquiry detailed deeply troubling treatment of vulnerable detainees, and we are glad to have worked with the enquiry, and subsequently with the scheme in Greater Manchester on improvements to custody and scrutiny which are well in train.

Throughout the year, and in this challenging context, our members have reported issues with staffing of police custody suites throughout the year, both in terms of police staff and healthcare have been reported. Also noted have been issues with the availability of appropriate adults and identification of detainee vulnerability and issues with the quality of recording in custody records, meaning that ICVs are unable to be satisfied that detainees have received appropriate care and that the PACE Codes have been met.

Of course, with the challenges that policing has faced, and the rightful scrutiny on issues of concern, there are also a great deal of ongoing examples of good practice in custody reported by independent custody visitors (ICVs). Each quarter we ask the ICV schemes to report on issues of good practice and each, and every, quarter we get multiple reports of where staff have treated detainees with dignity, empathy and considered the individual needs of detainees. We have seen custody suites introducing distraction items, items to meet the needs of neurodiverse detainees such as noise cancelling headphones, stocks of reading materials and glasses being improved, pilots for in-cell technology and more. It is incredibly important for us to share these areas of good practice and positive feedback, as they not only demonstrate the work undertaken in suites, but also the work of the ICVs, who give their time for free to ensure the rights, entitlements and wellbeing of detainees.

Team ICVA this year have much to be pleased with, and I am very lucky to lead such a dedicated staff group of 3, supported by our Chair and Board. We have worked with members on workstreams to improve the care for women in police custody who may be experiencing perimenopause/menopause symptoms, continued work on strip searches for welfare purposes including releasing an update report on our recommendations, providing new training and online events for ICVs, a scheme managers conference and set up a new immigration detention network in addition to existing networks for TACT and schemes.

Next year we are very excited to be working on delivering our digital transformation strategy, ensuring that we give the members the very best support that we can with a new members site and a new E-Learning platform so that the ICVs can have more interactive up to date training. We will also be continuing to work on the area of immigration detainees in police custody, launching round three of our Quality Assurance Framework and continuing to provide a service to our members that I am extremely proud of.

To our members, the brilliant ICVs (many of whom will continue visiting across the festive period), to my amazing team and all of our stakeholders, thank you. I could not do my job without any of you, and I am honoured to work with you all. I know that together, we make a difference.

Sending you all the very warmest of festive wishes.

Sherry.