A new report by the children’s commissioner for England and Wales, Rachel de Souza, has revealed that while the number of strip-searches conducted on children has decreased, significant concerns remain about the practice, particularly regarding safeguarding procedures. The report, released on Monday, highlights ongoing issues with compliance and the disproportionate targeting of black children.
In the year leading up to June 2023, police conducted 457 strip-searches on minors, equating to one child being searched every 19 hours. This figure represents a 42% decrease from the total in 2020, which de Souza recognized as a “clear and positive change.” However, she warned that the practice is still being overused and lacks proper oversight, calling into question the necessity of such intrusive searches.
The report noted that black children are four times more likely to be strip-searched than the overall child population, a statistic that has drawn repeated criticism for its racial bias. Additionally, half of the cases in 2022-23 resulted in no further action, raising doubts about whether the searches were justified in the first place.
De Souza’s report is the third on this issue in two years and follows the high-profile case of “Child Q,” a 15-year-old black schoolgirl who was strip-searched by female officers in 2020 after being wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis. The incident occurred despite the officers being aware that the girl was menstruating. The Metropolitan Police later apologized for their conduct, and three officers now face gross misconduct charges.
In her assessment, de Souza made a “firm recommendation” that strip-searches of children should only be conducted when there is a “clear and immediate danger” to the child or others. She also noted that most searches are related to suspicions of drug possession and suggested that many could be avoided.
The report calls for urgent reforms to strengthen guidance on strip-searches, ensure proper oversight and inspection, and address a culture of non-compliance within the police force. According to the guidelines in England and Wales, strip-searches should only be performed when necessary and with an appropriate adult present, except in cases where there is a risk of serious harm.
The new Labour government has pledged to implement safeguards proposed by the previous Conservative administration to improve enforcement of these guidelines. An interior ministry spokeswoman acknowledged that while there have been improvements, “standards are not always being followed as they should.” She added that the government would “carefully consider” the commissioner’s recommendations to ensure that no child is strip-searched without proper justification.
