The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Children in Police Custody (“APPG”) has published a new report, "Hearing Young Voices on Strip Search: Five Key Recommendations for Change", following a year-long inquiry into the strip searching of children by police in England and Wales. Drawing on direct testimony from children and young people, as well as evidence from practitioners, police, youth groups, and experts, the report provides a rare insight into the impact of strip searches on children and sets out a clear agenda for reform.
Details
The APPG’s inquiry reveals that strip searches are experienced by children as deeply traumatic, humiliating, and dehumanising. Children described feeling violated and degraded, with some likening the experience to abuse, which is particularly distressing for those with a history of trauma or sexual abuse. Even when officers acted respectfully, the process of being forced to remove clothing and expose intimate parts to adult strangers was described as deeply distressing and damaging to children's dignity and trust in authority.
The report also highlights that disrespectful or mocking behaviour by officers during strip searches can cause additional psychological harm. Repeated strip searches, sometimes experienced by the same child multiple times in a year were reported to lead to increased fear and mistrust in the police.
A key concern raised in the report is the significant racial disproportionality in the use of strip searches. Black children are four times more likely to be strip searched following stop and search encounters than their white peers. The report includes accounts of racist language and discriminatory treatment.
The inquiry found that children and their families often lack clear information about their rights during strip searches, including the right to have an appropriate adult present. The complexity of the legal framework and inconsistent practice across police forces mean that children are not always adequately protected.
Key Recommendations
The APPG report sets out five principal recommendations to ensure that children's rights are respected and protected during strip searches:
- Introduce a Presumption Against Strip Search of Children. Amend the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) Codes of Practice to create a presumption against strip searching children, except in exceptional circumstances where it is necessary to prevent serious harm, is proportionate, and all less intrusive alternatives have been exhausted.
- Better Information for Children and Families. The Home Office should commission accessible, child-friendly information about strip search procedures and rights, to be made available both at the time of search and more widely (e.g. in schools through PSHE and Citizenship lessons).
- Invest in Technological Alternatives. Prioritise the development and introduction of technological alternatives to strip search, such as non-intrusive body scanners, to reduce the need for children to be strip searched.
- Ensure Prompt and Effective Appropriate Adult Support. Strengthen the appropriate adult safeguard by ensuring that appropriate adults are available 24/7, attend promptly, and are fully informed about the process. Family members acting as appropriate adults should have access to independent advice and support.
- Improve Data Collection, Publication, and Oversight. Require all police forces to collect and publish detailed, disaggregated data on strip searches of children, including the presence and type of appropriate adult, the level of clothing removed, and the outcome of the search. Regular, independent scrutiny of strip search data and practices should be established in every force area.
Commentary
The APPG’s strip search report exposes the profound harm caused by strip searches and the failure of existing safeguards to protect vulnerable children. It serves as a valuable resource for professionals across the youth justice system, offering evidence of trauma, safeguarding failures, and racial disproportionality that can be used to challenge poor practice and drive reform.
Its five recommendations provide clear benchmarks — including a presumption against strip searching children, guaranteed appropriate adult attendance, and improved data collection — which can be referenced in casework, safeguarding forums, and policy discussions. Together, they give practitioners both the evidence and framework needed to press for change and ensure children’s rights are upheld in police custody.