'Accelerated cause of concern' issued to Derbyshire Constabulary

The inspectorate found the constabulary doesn’t adequately recognise risks to children and it doesn’t always respond to those risks effectively.

The issues were identified during a National Child Protection Inspection (NCPI) of the force. When causes of concern are identified, HMICFRS usually publishes details in the subsequent force report but when significant service failures or risks to public safety are identified, concerns and recommendations are published much earlier. This is called an accelerated cause of concern.

A full report will be published later this year.

To address the issues in the interim, HMICFRS has recommended, within the next three months, that Derbyshire Constabulary makes sure:

• officers and staff responsible for assigning risk grades to cases involving children are sufficiently trained and can accurately assess risks to children;
• its risk assessments for children are appropriate in all cases;
• supervisors in the centralised contact management centre (CCMC) routinely review all incidents involving children;
• its response is proportionate to the level of risk;
• it carries out risk assessments at appropriate intervals when unattended incidents involve children and it contacts victims and/or their carers to tell them about delays;
• investigations into cases that involve children are effective from the first point of contact to make sure children are safeguarded; and
  officers and staff routinely use crime recording systems to carry out necessary checks of children, so they can make informed decisions about levels of deployment.

His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher said: “I have issued an accelerated cause of concern as Derbyshire Constabulary doesn’t adequately recognise, or respond to, risks involving children.

“During our inspection, we found the response to incidents that involve children was poor. Officers and staff in the centralised contact management centre didn’t always recognise risks, and we found examples of the constabulary grading risk inaccurately, which negatively affected its response to incidents that involved children.

“For example, we found the initial response was inadequate in 27 of the 48 case files we audited – with long delays in officers attending incidents and, in some cases, children left at risk of harm because additional safeguarding measures weren’t considered.

“The constabulary needs to make sure its risk assessments for children are appropriate in all cases, supervisors routinely review all incidents involving children, and investigations into cases that involve children are effective from the first point of contact. I will be closely monitoring its progress.”

Derbyshire Constabulary said it “fully accepts” these findings and now has three months to put in place a plan to tackle the issues that the inspection has found.

Prior to the inspection the force had already completed a number of actions, including the creation of a new team within the Force Control Room to give incidents involving children further reviews, and the increasing use of video appointments which has seen significant recent investment.

Following the inspection the force said it is delivering further enhanced training to control room staff around risk assessing incidents involving children, twice daily meetings to review all incidents relating to children and using all available resources effectively to ensure children are safeguarded.

Chief Constable Rachel Swann said: “The findings of this inspection are understandably concerning, and I want to be clear that we accept them in full. Where the inspectorate has identified that our response to incidents involving children has not been good enough, we recognise the seriousness of that and the impact this can have on children and families.”

“Safeguarding children is one of the most important responsibilities we hold as a police service. While there is evidence of committed staff, strong partnership working and areas of effective practice, the inspection has rightly highlighted that this has not been delivered consistently enough, particularly at the earliest point of contact when children may be most vulnerable and we are taking immediate and decisive action.

“HMICFRS has required us to produce a detailed improvement plan within 28 days, and that work is already underway. I have also ensured that there is direct senior oversight of this work, with clear accountability at Chief Officer level. Progress against the improvement plan will be closely monitored, both internally and by HMICFRS.

“I want to reassure the public that we are absolutely committed to improving our service to children and young people. We will be open about where we need to do better, and we will act at pace to make the improvements that children in Derbyshire rightly expect and deserve.”