Staffordshire Police is not effectively safeguarding children in
the region and urgent improvements are needed, a new report has
found.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue
Services (HMICFRS) found some areas of effective practice and
said there are dedicated officers and staff committed to
keeping children safe.
However, the inspectorate said fundamental changes are needed to
improve the force’s overall approach to child protection.
HMICFRS said the force needs to make urgent improvements,
including:
- recognising that missing children are
particularly vulnerable;
- sharing information about online child abuse promptly; and
- speaking to children to record their behaviour and demeanour,
listen to their concerns and views, and then use that information
to make decisions about their welfare.
Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams
said:
“Staffordshire Police has some areas of effective practice in
child protection, and the force has shown that it understands the
benefits of working closely with other local safeguarding
organisations.
“However, Staffordshire Police urgently needs to make fundamental
changes to improve many of its child protection arrangements and
practices. While officers and staff who manage demanding child
abuse cases are doing their best, some don’t have enough
knowledge or understanding of good child protection practice. The
effectiveness of the force’s systems and processes must also be
improved to better support its staff.
“We have made a series of recommendations which, if acted on,
will help to improve outcomes for children in Staffordshire. We
will be closely monitoring the force’s progress.”
