Police chiefs say they are confident child safeguarding failings in Northamptonshire and criticisms the force made “slow progress” following criticisms will be rectified by the time inspectors return in October.
Speaking today, Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster, who recently joined Northamptonshire Police and assumed responsibility for ensuring the delivery of the recommendations set out in the report, said he was confident an action plan the police had drawn up would be successful.
During an inspection in January, Northamptonshire Police was criticised for giving insufficient priority to the protection of children in the county, having a lack of cohesive partnership working and information sharing and for officers not recognising potential risks to children.
Speaking today, following the release of a fresh report, Mr Foster acknowledged there “is still much work to do”.
Today’s report also criticised the slow progress made by police in the immediate few weeks after the inspection.
Responding to the report, Mr Foster said: “Following the initial inspection Northamptonshire Police took a measured approach after working with HMIC to elicit an accurate understanding of the recommendations in the absence of a published report and working with partners to ensure a joined up approach rather than making unilateral changes which may have undermined the protection of children at risk across the partnership.
He added: “I am confident the joint action plan will ensure each of the recommendations made will be delivered prior to the anticipated re-inspection by HMIC in the autumn of 2013. However any transformational change takes time to fully embed and work as efficiently and effectively as possible.
“I will take personal responsibility for continually monitoring and reviewing progress to maximise opportunities to protect children at risk living in our communities.”
Reacting to the HMIC’s latest findings, Police and Crime Commissioner Adam Simmonds said: “I was disappointed to read the HMIC follow-up report concerning June’s re-inspection of Northamptonshire police child protection arrangements.
“I know how hard many people in the police have been working and how many significant improvements have been made in child protection. But the HMIC report states that they cannot offer assurance that children at risk are being adequately protected.
“So, given the possible vulnerability of potential victims, I have asked the Chief Constable to ensure that we have the right people, doing the right things, to get the right pace into progress.
“I am therefore looking to the Chief Constable to build on the good work already done over recent months, and achieve an improved standard of service in respect of all policing aspects of safeguarding children for the re-inspection by HMIC in October.”