Police Committee responds to HMICFRS findings on Met’s approach to child protection

In response to the findings by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services that the Metropolitan Police Service’s approach to child protection is putting vulnerable children at risk, Caroline Russell AM, Chair of the Police and Crime Committee, said:

“Earlier this year, a report by the Police and Crime Committee warned that the Met was failing to appropriately identify and assess risk when a child is reported missing, hindering efforts to locate and safeguard vulnerable children.

“It is therefore disappointing, but not surprising, that the Inspectorate has issued a cause for concern over this same issue.

“We were also concerned to hear in our investigation that families and carers face frustrating delays when reporting missing children and sometimes receive inaccurate information from police call handlers.

“The Inspectorate’s finding of frequent use of victim-blaming language is unacceptable. Children who are missing and have been criminally exploited should be seen first and foremost as children and as victims and everything should be done to avoid the criminalisation of a child.

“When a child goes missing, they are exposed to the most appalling harms, including from gangs, sexual exploitation, violence and trafficking, and it is understandably a distressing time for their families and carers.

“It is vital that the Met makes improvements in this area to keep children in London safe. We will continue to scrutinise the Commissioner and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime to ensure that they reform the Met and rebuild trust among Londoners.”