Black Children Eight Times More Likely to Face Police Strip Searches, 2024 Report Finds
Black children in England and Wales are eight times more likely to be strip searched by police than their white counterparts, according to a report published by the Children's Commissioner's office on Wednesday. The analysis of data from the first half of 2024 indicates that while the total number of child strip searches has fallen by 56% since 2020, severe ethnic disparities endure.
Disproportionate Force and Lack of Safeguards
The report also found that Black children were almost five times as likely to face physical force during stop and search incidents compared to white children. Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children's Commissioner, expressed particular concern over documented cases where strip searches were conducted in public view (26 instances between July 2023 and June 2024) and without an appropriate adult present (22 instances in the same period).
Highlighting the racial bias in justifications for force, Dame Rachel noted: “White children are more likely to be described as having a mental health need, while for Black children the reason identified is simply their size or build. We cannot accept that Black children are subjected to use of force because of the way they are perceived.”
Furthermore, almost one-third (30%) of strip searches involved children who had previously undergone such searches, raising questions about police intervention effectiveness and the potential for psychological harm.
Official Responses and Continuing Concerns
The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) stated that updated guidance on stop and search, currently under public consultation, would ensure a “child-centred approach.” Deputy Chief Constable Andy Mariner acknowledged the need to address the disproportionate use of stop and search, which can “undermine trust between policing and communities.”
The Home Office has committed to introducing “extensive safeguards for children and young people for strip searching.” These investigations follow the 2020 case of Child Q, a 15-year-old Black schoolgirl strip searched at her Hackney school without an appropriate adult present, leading to public protests and disciplinary action against Met Police officers involved.