Agenda item

There was one question in respect of Child Q, as follows:

In March 2022 the City and Hackney Safeguarding Partnership (CHSP) published a Practice Review of Child Q’s experience in a Hackney secondary school.  The report concluded that the school girl (Child Q) was strip searched by Metropolitan police officers on the school premises and that, significantly, there was an absence of a safeguarding approach. The review made fourteen separate recommendations including advice on training and anti-racism programmes.  A Member asked what action would the the City of London take to disseminate the learning from the  CHSP Practice Review and implement training across services for children and the City of London Police?

The Director advised that the next meeting of the Safeguarding Sub Committee, on 12 May 2022,  would receive a joint report of the City of London Police and the Director of Community and Children’s Services.   The report responds to the recommendations and findings and the plans for moving forward  The Senior Safeguarding Advisor from the City and Hackney Safeguarding Partnership would  be in attendance at the meeting, together with officers from the City of London Police.  Any Members of this Committee would be welcome to attend the Sub Committee. 

The Chair advised that she had signed a petition in respect of Child Q, in her personal capacity, and was happy to forward the link to Members on request.

The Director advised that the ‘adultification’ of black girls had been raised at the recent Heads Forum and the Department would be taking this forward in terms of training and future direction.   Members noted that the Safeguarding Scrutineer was being very thorough in this matter and the Safeguarding Partnership had asked all of its agencies to map out their responses.