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Have you had enough of hearing about Black children excluded from education, forever tragic stories of Black and Brown children suffering in communities, stripped searched, over-representation in the criminal justice system, and does it move you enough to do something or do you just look away and do nothing?

If you are moved and you have emotion, use it to help power change.

It is way overtime we did something that dug a deeper path that cannot be dusted over and ignored.

SO, we needs YOU to help maintain the path we are digging, help us to dig even deeper and then keep the path clear to move ahead so Black lives matter!

Black KiDs Lives STILL Matter.

CHANGE MUST COME...CHANGE WILL COME

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CHILD Q



March 2022 BLACKLIVESMATTER.UK we to at least 14 people in office to share parents and the nations shared outrage of the treatment and lack of safeguarding for Child Q. We still have grave concern for Black children’s human rights and dignity. Sadly their rights, safeguarding and protection are all to often denied in institutions, from bodies in environments having power of them. It’s not uncommon for our child to be left unprotected from harm whilst they are in the care and supervision of authority, care and services.


The outright lack and care from professionals in this instance is heinous, and all involved must not get away with treating children with little respect and human dignity even on a basic level.


A review found racism played a part in the unlawful strip search of a Child Q at a school and with teacher and police shared and equal involvement, responsibility and both failed dismally. Each step of the way the so call ‘professionals’ showed inadequacy to check each other in their positions having duty of care, and now they must to be held accountable.


Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review

Racism
5.63 Finding 8: Having considered the context of the incident, the views of those engaged in the review and the impact felt by Child Q and her family, racism (whether deliberate or not) was likely to have been an influencing factor in the decision to undertake a strip search.


This outraged was nationwide, highlighted with protests taking place at Stoke Newington police station of Friday 18th and Sunday Hackney Town Hall 20th March 2022.


While our email is being passed along to another Home Office’s Direct Communications Unit we are sharing letter received with you, see below.



Child Q -

Hackney Council

Response


Email Letter Format: 25/03/2022


Dear whom it may concern


Thank you for writing to the Council regarding the Local Child Safeguarding Practice review into the case of Child Q. As Group Director for Children & Education, I am responding on behalf of the
Council.


My thoughts are first and foremost with the child and her family. We know that there will have been a traumatic impact on this girl, her family and those closest to her. Please be assured that the Council is continuing to offer support to Child Q and her family, who are our utmost priority.


The anonymity of Child Q is paramount and anything said or done to identify her would be wrong....



Jacquie Burke
Group Director (Children & Education)

2nd Floor, Hackney Town Hall
020 8356 8032
Executive Support Officer:

rebecca.coveney@hackney.gov.uk



Child Q -

Education Department



Email Letter Format: 11/04/2022


"Dear Correspondent


Thank you for your recent correspondence following the publication of the local child safeguarding practice review on 14 March 2022, and the concerns you have raised on behalf of Child Q.


I hope you will appreciate that, whilst many people have contacted the department to find reason and justice on Child Q’s behalf, it is of paramount importance that the anonymity of Child Q and her family, and that of the  chool, are preserved. The department is in touch with the local authority, and they are supporting Child Q.

I am sure you will also appreciate that the ongoing Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation means it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on the actions taken by the police.


Nothing is more important than a child’s welfare and everyone who comes into contact with children has a role to play in ensuring that their welfare considerations remain paramount. There is a shared responsibility between organisations and agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in a local area at all times. Further, it is the duty of the statutory safeguarding partners, police, local authority and health  to join up the activities and policies of all multi-agency partners to ensure children are safe..."


Department for Education


Unmonitored.ACCOUNT@education.gov.uk


'To contact the Department for Education please call the National Helpline on 0370 000 2288 or use the contact form which can be found at www.gov.uk/contact-dfe. We will endeavour to provide you with a response within 15 working days, or 20 working days if your request was made under the Freedom of Information Act.

If you have concerns that a child is at an immediate risk of harm, please contact your local authority or the Police on 101.


If you are concerned about extremism in a school or organisations that works with children, or if you think a child might be at risk of extremism, contact the National Helpline.'


Child Q -

Home Office

Response


Email & Letter Format: April 2022


Dear Sir/Madam,


Thank you for your email of 17 March to the Minister for Safeguarding about the deeply
concerning report released by City and Hackney Safeguarding Partnership into the strip
search of a 15-year-old schoolgirl (Child Q) by police officers in 2020. Your email has been passed to the Home Office’s Direct Communications Unit for a reply.


This experience will have been traumatic for the child, her family and the community, and the impact upon her welfare should not be underestimated. Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and the law is very clear that the use of police powers to search must be fair, respectful and without unlawful discrimination. Any use of strip search should be carried out in accordance with the law and with full regard for the welfare and dignity of the individual being searched, particularly if that  ndividual is a child.


If police judge it operationally necessary to strip search a child, they must do so in the presence of the child’s appropriate adult.


Stephen Gearing

Email: Public.Enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk


Direct Communications Unit
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Tel: 020 7035 4848

www.homeoffice.gov.uk



IOPC - Child Q -

IOPC calls for review of police strip search powers following Child Q investigation



Published:14 Sep 2023


The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is calling for a substantial review of policing powers under the laws relating to the strip searches of children, to improve safeguarding and prioritise the welfare of minors.

It’s one of a series of learning recommendations we’re making to the Home Office, National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing (COP) to review and make changes to national guidance, policy and training relating to searches involving the exposure of intimate body parts.

The recommendations follow independent investigations into multiple incidents where children have been strip searched by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), including the search involving the exposure of intimate body parts of a 15-year-old Black girl – known as Child Q – at a school in Hackney, north-east London in 2020.

The investigation into the ‘strip search’ of Child Q, which began in May 2021 after the MPS referred complaints to us made on behalf of the child and the school, was recently completed. We can now confirm that four MPS officers will be facing disciplinary proceedings for their actions and conduct during the incident.

The search of Child Q occurred on 3 December 2020 after police were called to the school following suspicions by staff that Child Q was in possession of cannabis. This followed a search by staff of her bag and outer clothing where no drugs were found.

The child was subject to a search involving the removal of clothing by two female officers under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, while two male officers and school staff remained outside the room where the search took place. No drugs were found during the search.

Our investigation looked into whether the grounds for the search and the conduct of officers complied with relevant local and national policies, procedures, guidance and legislation.

We also investigated whether officers treated Child Q differently because of her race and sex, and the officers’ communication with school staff during and after the incident.

Following the conclusion of our investigation, we determined that three MPS officers should face a gross misconduct hearing for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour relating to duties and responsibilities, conduct, and equality and diversity.

Some of the allegations the three police constables face are that:

• the decision to undertake the search was inappropriate
• there was no consultation with a supervisor to obtain authorisation before carrying out the search
• there was no appropriate adult present during the search
• Child Q was discriminated against by officers because of her race and sex

A fourth officer, a police constable will face a disciplinary meeting relating to there being no appropriate adult present during the search. They will also undergo the reflective practice review process to consider further learning opportunities.

We have recommended that the MPS consider sending formal letters of apology to Child Q and her mother.

IOPC director Steve Noonan said: “The ‘strip search’ of Child Q, a 15-year-old girl, at her school in Hackney caused widespread concern. We have investigated the circumstances surrounding how this child was treated that day as fully as possible.

“We’ve found that four officers involved in the incident should face disciplinary proceedings for the parts they played. Ultimately it will be for that disciplinary panel to decide whether the allegations against them are proven. We will now be liaising with the Met Police around disciplinary proceedings. We’ve kept Child Q’s representatives and the officers involved updated throughout our investigation.

“Since this incident came to our attention, we have investigated four other incidents following referrals from the Met where children were strip searched in custody.

“Any person subject to a search involving the exposure of intimate body parts is in a vulnerable position and they are entitled to be treated with respect and courtesy. While strip searches can be necessary for the safety of both the subjects and officers, it’s important that it’s only carried out when absolutely essential, particularly when used on children.

“As a result of our investigations, we have identified a series of recommendations that we believe are pivotal to make effective changes to legislation and improve national guidance and training for officers to ensure the safety and welfare of children are prioritised when subject to searches involving the exposure of intimate body parts.

“One of the areas of learning we’ve identified is around ensuring that officers across England and Wales understand their duties and responsibilities regarding the role of an appropriate adult during a strip search.”

These recommendations follow learning recommendations we previously issued to the Met Police last year while our investigations were ongoing. We also held a roundtable meeting earlier this year with relevant policing bodies and key stakeholders concerning strip searches of children to discuss how organisations need to work together ensuring the wellbeing and safeguarding needs of children are met.

We have begun consulting with relevant policing bodies and the Home Office on our latest national recommendations on the use of searches involving the exposure of intimate body parts and these will be published in due course.


IOPC Staff

Media Team Member


 
 
 
 
 
 
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