MP wins fight as ‘danger’ system to be scrapped
ASTOCKPORT MP has succeeded in her campaign for a ‘dangerous’ police recording system that puts 10,000 missing children at risk of sexual exploitation every year to be scrapped.
Ann Coffey launched a Parliamentary inquiry after government inspectors said runaway youngsters weren’t being properly protected because of flaws in the way officers deal with them.
As was revealed last year, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) found ‘unacceptable’ inconsistencies between and within forces in properly assessing risks, managing, investigating, and providing support for missing children.
Missing youngsters can be classed as ‘missing’ or ‘absent’ under Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) definitions.
‘Absent’ is when a child is considered to be at ‘no apparent risk,’ which usually means officers take no immediate action, but keep the case under review.
A ‘missing’ child receives an active police response, with further action depending on whether they are deemed to be low, medium, or high risk.
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults, chaired by Ms Coffey, launched an investigation into the safeguarding of ‘absent’ children in wake of the HMIC probe.
Its report - backed by The Children’s Society revealed at least 10,000 children a year go ‘off the radar’ - putting them at risk of grooming and sexual exploitation - because they are classed them as ‘absent.’
The inquiry heard of harrowing cases of children who had been abused or used as drug runners.
Some had been recorded as ‘absent’ more than 100 times.
MPs concluded that the ‘absent’ category should be scrapped.
The College of Policing has now issued new guidance scrapping the ‘absent’ category in favour of a new system where all children will be classed as ‘missing.’
Ms Coffey, who said she was ‘delighted’ at the news, said: “Many ‘absent’ children were going completely off the radar.
“It was a catastrophe waiting to happen.
“It was introduced to save police time, but turned out to be a blunt, crude assessment tool that left children regularly classed as ‘absent’ in danger of sexual exploitation and of being groomed by criminal gangs.”