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HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS)
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Durham Constabulary works well with safeguarding partners and needs to improve its child protection investigations

Durham Constabulary performs well in some areas of child protection and needs to improve in others, the police inspectorate has said.

Get the report : Durham Constabulary: National child protection inspection

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) graded Durham Constabulary’s performance across five areas, assessing how well it safeguards children who are at risk. It found the constabulary was ‘good’ in two areas, ‘adequate’ in two areas and ‘requires improvement’ in one area.

HMICFRS said the constabulary makes sure there are enough officers and staff to provide effective safeguarding services for children and their families and has a range of measures in place to support the well-being of its officers and staff.

The police inspectorate found the constabulary works well with safeguarding partner organisations and most officers and staff can identify vulnerable children and understand the importance of sharing information with safeguarding partners.

The inspectorate also found several areas in which the constabulary needs to improve. This includes making sure it has the right resources, processes and plans in place to protect children and that officers and staff use the powers available to them to deal with perpetrators who have harmed or pose a risk to children.

The constabulary should also make sure all officers, staff and supervisors investigating online child sexual exploitation have the right knowledge and skills and that children at risk of sexual exploitation are correctly flagged on constabulary systems.

His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Kathryn Stone said:

“I am pleased with some aspects of the performance of Durham Constabulary in safeguarding children at risk.

“For example, it works well with safeguarding partner organisations, has enough officers and staff to provide an effective safeguarding service and has good well-being support in place for officers and staff.

“There are several areas Durham Constabulary needs to improve in. The constabulary needs to make sure it is using its powers to identify and pursue perpetrators to better protect children, and it should make sure everyone investigating online child sexual exploitation has the right knowledge and skills.

“I am reassured that the constabulary has responded quickly and comprehensively to our feedback and I will continue to closely monitor its progress.”

Get the report : Durham Constabulary: National child protection inspection

Notes

Channel website: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/

Original article link: https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/news/news-feed/durham-constabulary-works-well-with-safeguarding-partners-and-needs-to-improve-child-protection-investigations/

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