Child Q: Charities sign open letter calling for better safeguarding

The strip search of Child Q led to a wave of protests across east London

Children's charities have signed an open letter calling for better safeguarding training in schools after a black schoolgirl was strip-searched.

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

In total 17 charities, including the NSPCC and Barnardo's, signed the letter published in The Guardian newspaper.

It said the government must tackle the "systemic racism" affecting children.

Protests erupted after it emerged the teenager was searched by two female Metropolitan Police officers at a school in Hackney in 2020.

During the incident, the girl was taken out of an exam to the school's medical room and strip-searched by officers who were looking for cannabis, while teachers remained outside.

No other adult was present, her parents were not contacted, and no drugs were found.

In the letter, the charities said: "Never again should a child be forced to suffer in this way.

"Safeguarding training and relevant guidance for all teachers needs to be reviewed and strengthened, in line with the reviewers' recommendations.

"We also believe that all safeguarding training that teachers undertake must include a specific element on racial bias, so teachers are more alert to the traumatic and lifelong negative impact that racism has on children."

Protests have also been held in east London over the student's treatment

The school's governing board said the school "was not aware that a strip-search was taking place".

It has apologised to the girl and her family, who are suing the east London school and the Met Police over the incident.

• Apology after schoolgirl strip-searched by police

• Strip-searching schoolgirl was 'sexual assault'

• Protesters march in support of strip-searched girl

On Tuesday, Hackney's top police officer said he was "mortified" the strip-search went ahead.

Cdr Marcus Barnett apologised again to Child Q and said: "It should never have happened."

He added: "I'm absolutely of the view that we are not institutionally racist but I am of the view that there is a conversation to be had about racism."

Dan Rutland, the superintendent in charge of public protection at Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: "I would be kicking the school door down if it had happened as a parent. For me, extremely embarrassing."

He added: "In London I think it's a possibility it could have happened to another child. Outside of London - probably not.

"Do I think it could have happened to a white or Black kid in the Cotswolds? No."

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