‘Requires improvement’: West Midlands Police told its child protection work needs to improve in three areas

An inspection into the way West Midlands Police manages its child protection work has been carried out by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFS).

The inspection looked at the force’s performance in five areas of child protection – leadership of child protection arrangements, working with safeguarding partners, responding to children at risk of harm, assessing risk to children and making appropriate referrals and investigating reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation of children.

The report acknowledged the dedicated work of officers and staff who work in child protection, who face the most complex challenges. But found the force needed to improve in three of the five areas it inspected.

In the report published today, the five areas were graded as follows:

1. Working with partners is good

2. - Leadership of child protection arrangements is adequate

3. Responding to children at risk of harm requires improvement

4. Risk assessment and referrals requires improvement

5. Investigating child abuse, neglect and exploitation requires improvement

A number of West Midlands Police initiatives were identified in the report

The HMICFRS acknowledged WMP work on Operation Encompass which began in 2021 and has enhanced communication between the police and schools where a child is at risk from domestic abuse. 

WMP explained that this operation is a process used to inform schools when the police have attended an incident of domestic violence or abuse in the homes of their pupils. This ensures sensitive and child-focused in-school support to mitigate the impact of domestic abuse on the affected child’s learning, wellbeing and development.

In addition the HMICFS noted Operation Makesafe which WMP said sees officers and staff working with hotels, taxi companies, vape shops and large events venues in the force area to make sure their personnel can spot signs of child exploitation and report it.

‘Child protection is a priority for West Midlands Police’

Assistant Chief Constable Jen Mattinson said: “We welcome the inspectorate’s report which helps reinforce our child-focused response.

“Child protection is a priority for West Midlands Police, it is crucial that we protect the most vulnerable people in our society. We have a shared responsibility to look for the warning signs, be alert to the risks and act quickly to protect children.

“The report highlighted the strong oversight of performance and practice arrangements that are in place for child protection.

“Most of this work isn’t visible to the public but it is a vital part of policing. I am pleased that our work with partners has been graded as good – we have built strong relations with those who provide children services across the West Midlands.

“Child protection is a complex area of policing and we know there’s more we need to do, we have already put plans in place to focus on the areas that require improvement.”