Child Strip Searches Every 19 Hours in England

A report by the Children's Commissioner for England and Wales reveals that police conduct a strip search on a child every 19 hours, with Black children disproportionately affected, being four times more likely to be searched than their peers. Between January 2018 and June 2023, over 3,000 children were strip-searched, and in nearly half of these cases, no appropriate adult was present, despite statutory requirements. The majority of searches were drug-related, yet almost half resulted in no further action. The practice has faced severe criticism, notably following the high-profile case of 'Child Q,' a 15-year-old Black girl strip-searched while menstruating. While some improvements have been noted, significant safeguarding failures remain, necessitating a higher threshold and better oversight to protect children's rights.