I support INQUEST's commitment to promote change and fight for improvements to policy and practice, to safeguard the most vulnerable in our society. – Lord Patel of Bradford
INQUEST was founded by families, and continues to work with and support families. This may be in the form of legal casework, emotional support, campaigns, or with practical support regarding the investigative and inquest system. But it also goes deeper than that.
Families provide feedback on INQUEST’s service, share their experiences of the whole process which makes a unique and crucial contribution to its policy work and helps shape the political response to sudden death and its aftermath.
INQUEST firmly believes in encouraging families to engage in the political process, and argue that by providing cooperative support, and a single voice, families can be stronger in changing the system that has often failed them. There are a number of opportunities for families to work with each other to support themselves, challenge the authorities and to enable INQUEST to be an effective and representative campaigning voice. All are voluntary, and are based on an understanding that the trauma of a sudden death can have a longstanding impact on families. Contributing to the work with other families will only be undertaken if and when a family feels able to support others. INQUEST has found that mutual support, understanding and empathy can have a benefit for those that get involved.
