Inspectors say Cumbria Police has improved how it protects children after being warned it needed to get better.

Officials add they are encouraged by the progress the force has made since checks last year alerted them to problems that raised alarm.

The results were welcomed by force chiefs and the county's crime commissioner.

Checks had been carried out by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services last year.


Officials said this inspection found the force had a clear commitment to protecting children - but there were areas for improvement.

The force was not as involved as it should have been in initial assessments of cases by agencies - and in prioritising risks to vulnerable children.

A report issued today states: "As a consequence, the police were generally not contributing at the earliest opportunity to the development of longer-term protective plans for at-risk children.

"They also showed a lack of understanding of the extent of child sexual exploitation occurring across the constabulary area, along with an inconsistent approach to how this type of offending was being tackled."

The checks last year showed the protection of some children who regularly went missing from home was "inconsistent".

The report added: "Inspectors also found that in some serious cases allocated to non-specialist teams, enquiries and investigations had been undertaken by insufficiently skilled and knowledgable staff."

A post-inspection review was then carried out in June.

Speaking about this, HM inspector of constabulary, Mike Cunningham, said: "I am pleased to report a significantly improved picture in regards to child protection in Cumbria Constabulary.

"The constabulary has acted decisively in our response to the 2016 inspection and has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving outcomes for children.

"It has reviewed its public protection structures and invested extra resources in child protection."

The report added: "This is a significantly improved picture.

"Moreover, while improvements are still needed to child protection practice, these now relate to procedural errors and inconsistencies as opposed to a failure to recognise and respond to risks to vulnerable children effectively."

Cumbria’s crime commissioner, Peter McCall, said the force had responded incredibly well to the previous recommendations.
Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall,

He said he would continue to monitor progress.

"Child safety is a complex area involving many other agencies," he added.

"It is essential that procedures meet the highest standards and I expect the force to continue to develop and improve in this respect.

"As police and crime commissioner, my aim shared by the chief constable is that all children in Cumbria should grow up in a safe environment, cared for and protected from harm.

"Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility and it is essential that the police, partners and the public get it right first time.”

Chief
Chief Constable Jerry Graham Constable Jerry Graham said: "The report reflects the decisive actions we put in place in response to the recommendations of inspectors and the significant progress made over the past year.

"While the findings are very positive, we will not be complacent.

"We will continue to prioritise the safeguarding of vulnerable children and will work to identify further areas where we can improve."

What inspectors said:

– The force has taken some important steps to address the recommendations from the 2016 inspection.

– The commitment and dedication to change displayed by the chief officer team in particular is evident, impressive - and widely recognised by the staff and officers spoken to during the inspection.

– The force continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to improving services for the protection of vulnerable people.

– The force has also reviewed its public protection structures, systems and processes - and invested extra resources in child protection.

Mr Cunningham added: "Although these changes are still very new, it's clear that the constabulary has made significant improvements to how it recognises and responds to child sexual exploitation, in particular the risk of exploitation faced by children who regularly go missing from home."

Who are the inspectors behind the report?

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services is an independent inspecting body.

It inspects policing in the public interest.

The inspectorate assesses and reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces to tackle crime and terrorism.

It also shines the spotlight on how to improve criminal justice and raise confidence.

Officials inspect all 43 police forces in England and Wales, together with other major policing and law enforcement bodies.

In July it took on responsibility for fire and rescue service inspections.