Essex – National Child Protection Inspection Re-inspection
Summary
Protecting children is one of the most important tasks the police undertake. Only the police can investigate suspected crimes, arrest perpetrators and monitor sex offenders. Police officers have the power to take a child who is in danger into a place of safety, or to seek an order to restrict an offender’s contact with children. The police service also has a significant role working with other agencies to ensure the child’s protection and well-being, longer term.
HMIC published an initial report in March 2016 on the child protection work of Essex Police. This concluded that, at the time of the inspection, the force was not adequately protecting all children who were at risk owing to widespread serious and systemic failings. The leadership and senior management oversight needed to improve to ensure the weaknesses in practice identified during that inspection were addressed. In September and October 2016 inspectors carried out a full re-inspection – the findings are in the report below.
Get the report
Essex – National Child Protection Inspection Re-inspection (PDF document)
Get the press release
Child protection in Essex is improving but there is still more to do