The Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has written to all forces asking the information after learning that 650 10- to 17-year-olds were strip-searched by the Metropolitan Police over the course of two years.
Since 2018, police forces in England and Wales have been obliged to report the number of children subjected to “intrusive and stressful” strip searches by officers.
The Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has written to all forces asking the information after learning that 650 10- to 17-year-olds were strip-searched by the Metropolitan Police over the course of two years.
In the wake of the Child Q scandal, where a black 15-year-old schoolgirl was strip-searched while on her period because she was mistakenly accused of smuggling cannabis to school, she requested the statistics from the police department.
In over a quarter (23%) of instances, strip searches were conducted without an “appropriate adult” present. They also demonstrated that black boys were searched disproportionately.
Dame Rachel stated on Friday that she will request additional information from other police departments between 2018 and July 2022 “to ensure that these problems are not more common.”
She stated, “I am a firm believer that a police authority as intrusive and distressing for children as a strip search must be handled with the utmost care and accountability.
“It must also be accompanied by a robust and open system of oversight to protect and safeguard children at risk.”
She said that a complete analysis of the data will be provided early next year.
Dame Rachel has reportedly visited with the incoming Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, and is “working constructively” with him.
The revelation of the Child Q case in March of this year prompted outrage and protests.
The adolescent was strip-searched by female officers of the Metropolitan Police Department in 2020 without another adult present and with the knowledge that she was menstrual, according to a safeguarding report.
Officers being investigated
The City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP) ruled that the strip search never should have occurred, was unreasonable, and that racism “was likely to have had a factor”
According to the report, the secondary school student experienced “deep” and “evident and ongoing” consequences.
Family members have characterized her transformation from a “happy-go-lucky girl” to a “timid recluse who seldom speaks” who now engages in self-harm and requires therapy.
The Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating four Met Police officers for gross misconduct in connection with the event.
Scotland Yard has apologized and stated that the incident “should never have occurred.”
A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police Department stated, “Protecting any youngster subject to a search is our priority.” We made a mistake with Child Q, and we are making substantial efforts to ensure that our approach places the child at the center of all decisions.
“We have listened to our communities and partners and have made adjustments to strike a balance between the police necessity for this type of search and the significant impact it may have on young people.
We will gladly work with the children’s commissioner and share our progress in this area.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council stated, “The police play a crucial role in protecting the protection of young and vulnerable individuals.” It is essential that any engagement with the police is handled with sensitivity, and that any search of a child is conducted by policy. In the uncommon event that a more comprehensive search is required, extra precautions are in place. The Codes of Practice provide for the presence of a suitable adult in all save the rarest of circumstances, such as where there is an immediate risk of harm to a young child.
The statement said, “We acknowledge this communication from the Children’s Commissioner. Each chief of police takes this matter extremely seriously and will respond appropriately. As always, we appreciate the chance to continue collaborating with all of our partners, including the children’s commissioner, to gain a thorough understanding of their findings and to assist in implementing good change wherever it is necessary.”
