North Yorkshire Police delays reducing child safeguarding - report

North Yorkshire Police was re-inspected by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services after a critical report in March 2022

Delays in evidence gathering and a "lack of knowledge" about online abuse inquiries are reducing North Yorkshire Police's ability to safeguard children, a report said.

A watchdog found the force had not forensically examined digital devices connected to a suspected child rape six months after they were submitted.

Staff had not "challenged or escalated" this delay, it found.

North Yorkshire Police (NYP) said it fully accepted the findings.

It said it was investing "significantly" in training for officers and control room staff, the recruitment of specialist child protection workers, and cutting the time it takes to examine digital devices to less than 72 hours.

The watchdog's findings were recorded in a post-inspection review after His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) highlighted child protection failings in early 2022.

The police watchdog returned in December 2022 to see if NYP had improved and to check if its recommendations were being carried out.

HMICFRS said police had "made some positive progress" since the initial inspection in November 2021, with praise for staff who had "reacted positively" to vulnerability training.

However, inspectors highlighted delays in the force's digital forensic unit, with some complex inquiries into the online sexual abuse of children being allocated to "inexperienced officers".

Other findings included:

• Officers completing paper booklets about risks to children who had run away from home, rather than using electronic systems so the information can be seen immediately by other staff

• Delays in some online indecent image investigations before referrals are sent to partner agencies, meaning "these children can remain at risk unnecessarily"

• Records holding detailed information to help find missing children weren't always clearly accessible on the force's systems

• Inspectors praised improvements in the control room, with decisions recorded on systems "clearly focused on getting positive outcomes"

HMICFRS found the digital forensic unit took "too long" to complete examinations, with the problem worsening since the last inspection.

"In many child protection investigations, digital evidence from suspects' or victims' computers or devices is critical to proving the offences," the report said.

"It may leave children at risk as the extent of the offender's activity and abuse can't be checked until the examination results are seen."

Inspectors used the ongoing investigation into the rape of a child as an example of the delays, writing: "Neither the investigating officer nor their supervisors had challenged or escalated this delay."

It later said: "Delays in getting evidence from digital devices and the workforce's lack of knowledge about online child abuse investigations are reducing the force's ability to safeguard children."

'Still work to be done'

NYP said it had been working to improve following the watchdog's initial report in 2022 and had "made progress in all areas" but added it recognised "there is still further work to be done".

The force said it had spent £400,000 on reducing its digital forensics backlog and £1.17m on hiring specialist child protection staff, and was establishing dedicated safeguarding teams in each of the three regions it covers.

A spokesperson added: "Our objective is to ensure that the improvements we put in place to better protect vulnerable children are truly embedded and sustainable in the long term.

"We know that this work is a priority for every vulnerable child in our communities."

The watchdog will inspect NYP again later this year, when the force said it expected to be able to demonstrate further improvements.

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