Children in care: We must get our response to this most vulnerable group right

NPCC Lead on Children and Young People, Deputy Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney, and NPCC Lead on Custody, Temporary Chief Constable Nick Ephgrave responded jointly to say:

“Children are children first and foremost, no matter what their background.

“Many ‘looked after’ children have experienced serious trauma or neglect. They are a vulnerable group with complex needs and a unique relationship with those around them. Equally, staff in residential homes must feel safe and supported.

“That is why the National Police Chiefs’ Council made children in care a key priority in our latest Children and Young People strategy. We are encouraging forces to move towards joint protocols with local authorities and keenly await the recommendations of Lord Laming’s review.

“It is vital that all agencies work together more effectively and more determinedly to get their response right. The police should not be called to minor incidents which would otherwise be dealt with in a family environment.

“If this is not appropriate, officers should consider tools such as restorative justice or community resolutions. Every effort should be made to avoid holding young people in police cells overnight.

“By engaging with ‘looked after’ children in non-crisis situations we can help build positive relationships and earn their trust.

“All of this will be impossible, however, without better data – which is currently lacking.”

The NPCC National Strategy for the Policing of Children and Young People is available here: http://www.npcc.police.uk/documents/edhr/2015/CYP%20Strategy%202015_2017_August%202015.pdf