Police force safeguarding response is 'inadequate'

The force must make changes recommended by the HMICFRS

West Mercia Police's response to safeguarding is inadequate and the way it manages safeguarding referrals has not improved, the police inspectorate has said.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has issued an accelerated cause of concern to the force.

These can be given when a force's failures raise concerns about public safety.

Deputy Chief Constable Damian Barratt said the force already had work under way and would continue to closely with inspectors to ensure improvements were quick and sustainable.

In its previous inspection, HMICFRS said the force needed to make sure it managed adult and child safeguarding risk assessments effectively, and that referrals to safeguarding partners were made promptly.

It said during inspections in July 2024 and again in December 2024, it identified significant backlogs in safeguarding referrals and outstanding secondary risk assessments.

In December 2024, the force said a backlog of 1,023 cases caused a 16-day delay in assessments, which included high-risk referrals.

During the latest HMICFRS visit in September 2025, it found the backlog of cases had not reduced, but more than doubled to 2,828.

Deputy Chief Constable Damian Barratt said extra officers had been brought in to help clear the backlog in referrals

HMICFRS said West Mercia Police must make "prompt safeguarding referrals to statutory partners to help keep vulnerable people safe".

It has given the force several recommendations, including making sure it understands the risks that the backlog poses, and create a plan to clear the backlogs.

Lack of improvement 'disappointing'

It also must put a governance structure in place to identify an increase in referrals, assess the vulnerability hub's capacity and capability, and make sure officers and staff have the right training.

"It is disappointing it hasn't improved how it manages safeguarding referrals since our previous inspection," said His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary Kathryn Stone.

"The force doesn't have the necessary processes, capability or capacity in its vulnerability hub, and many officers and staff also hadn't received specific risk assessment training or guidance.

"I urge the force to implement our recommendations so it can manage the risk posed by inadequate risk assessments and delays in assessing and sharing information with statutory partners."

Mr Barratt said the concerns were specifically about the timeliness of its safeguarding referrals, and did not follow a new inspection of safeguarding activity.

"We have consistently prioritised urgent cases, such as incidents of domestic abuse where children are present and repeat incidents involving children," he said in an open letter.

'Budget challenges'

He said the force had already begun moving from four teams to one central team to ensure referrals were "quick, clear and consistent", and resources were not limited by geographic boundaries.

"Due to our ongoing budget challenges this new approach has taken longer to put in place than we had wanted," he said.

"We're working hard and quickly to manage this and get it fully up and running."

More staff are expected to join the new vulnerability hub, and the force said it was using technology to help reduce delays in referrals.

"To address the immediate backlog, we have also deployed extra officers temporarily into the team, to complete the backlog and bring us back to where we should be and will be," Mr Barratt added.