Child Q: Government taking teenage strip-search 'extremely seriously'

The strip-search of Child Q has sparked days of protest across Hackney

The government is taking the case of a black pupil who was strip-searched at her school "extremely seriously", according to the policing minister.

A safeguarding report found the search on the 15-year-old girl, known only as Child Q, was unjustified and racism was "likely" to have been a factor.

Policing Minister Kit Malthouse called the report "troubling and deeply concerning".

Child Q is suing the Met Police and her school in Hackney, over the incident.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who tabled an urgent question in parliament on the incident, described it as a "perverse racist degradation of this child".

Fellow Labour MP Florence Eshalomi used the debate to tell Child Q and "every other little black girl" in the country that "they do matter".

Responding to the urgent question on the Child Q case, Mr Malthouse said: "We obviously take this matter extremely seriously.

"I'm not at all denying the fact that it is, was distressing and appalling and should not have happened as the Metropolitan Police have said themselves.

"This experience will have been traumatic for the child involved and the impact on her welfare should not be underestimated.

"Whilst the Metropolitan Police has apologised for their actions and recognised that this incident should never have happened, the force's culture has again come under scrutiny.

"Members of the public must be treated fairly and without prejudice no matter their race, age or background."

Mr Malthouse said the government would wait for the outcome of an Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation before announcing any changes to police training around strip searches.

The IOPC said a report on the incident is being "finalised".

Kit Malthouse said the government is waiting for a report on the incident from the police watchdog

During the incident, the girl was taken out of an exam to the school's medical room and strip-searched by two female Met police officers searching for cannabis, while teachers remained outside.

No other adult was present and her parents were not contacted.

Her intimate body parts were exposed and she was made to take off her sanitary towel, according to the review. No drugs were found.

Ms Ribeiro-Addy, the MP for Streatham, said the incident followed "a string of incidents from the abusive strip-search of Dr Duff, the rapist and murderer Wayne Couzens, the vile racism and misogyny uncovered in Charing Cross Station, the brutal handling of the vigil on Clapham Common and the record low confidence in police".

The incident has sparked days of protest across Hackney, near the site of Child Q's school.

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