Cops are failing to protect kids ‘as 90% of cases are mishandled by force’
Scotland Yard is even worse at helping youngsters at risk of sexual exploitation than it was 12 months ago when it was blasted for systemic failures
THE MET is failing to protect kids with 90 per cent of child protection cases mishandled by the force, the police watchdog has found.
Scotland Yard is even worse at helping youngsters at risk of sexual exploitation than it was 12 months ago when it was blasted for systemic failures, the Times said.
It was slammed for poor attitudes of officers dealing with missing children, delays of up to three days in responding to cases, failures to record kids’ concerns and a lack of proactive investigation.
The report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services found “significant weaknesses in the service provided to the children of London.”
It comes after the Met’s disclosure failures led to the collapse of two trials and sparked a review of hundreds of rape and sex abuse cases.
The inspectorate’s children protection assessment was delivered on November 27 – a year after the watchdog handed down what sources labelled the “most damning review” in its history.
The Met said: “Keeping London’s children and young people safe is a priority.
“In response to the findings of HMIC’s 2016 inspection, a comprehensive plan was initiated to improve our child protection services, but we know that delivering real and sustainable improvements will take time to achieve.
“Our improvement plans are kept under continual review.”