Report Identifies North Wales Police Failures in Child Protection

Inspectors have determined that police officers investigating domestic abuse incidents did not verify children’s safety or document relevant concerns. According to HM Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer, North Wales Police “needs to improve” its safeguarding of vulnerable individuals. The force’s PEEL report for 2023–2025 cited an instance where, despite a child being heard screaming during a domestic incident, officers departed the premises without seeing the child, and no information was logged for subsequent action. North Wales Police stated that the protection of vulnerable people is a priority and that improvements have been implemented. Ms. Skeer remarked, “The force isn’t doing enough analysis to fully understand its approach to vulnerable people.” She further noted that officers must enhance their completion of risk assessments concerning domestic abuse, stalking, and honour-based violence. Children, including those unable to communicate verbally, must also be heard, with their behavior observed, she emphasized. The report specified, “Officers should record the child’s details and comment on the child’s lived experience.” It also highlighted, “We found examples of domestic abuse incidents where children were present but their details were missing or incomplete.” The report detailed one specific incident where a neighbor alerted the police to domestic abuse, reporting a child screaming. “Police attended the property, but the couple refused to allow officers in,” the report stated. Consequently, “the officers didn’t see the child and no details were recorded to allow effective safeguarding.” During an examination of 246 incidents linked to domestic abuse, inspectors identified 146 instances where victims declined to complete an assessment, and officers, contrary to requirements, did not document their professional assessment of the risks involved. While all domestic abuse reports undergo review, inspectors observed that approximately half of these reports contained missing or incomplete information. Furthermore, specialist child protection investigators were found to be contending with “unmanageable workloads” and significant stress levels. The report indicated, “Some officers felt they weren’t offering the quality of service they would wish to.” It also noted that “not all officers were fully trained to carry out child protection investigations,” leading to “accredited officers had larger, more complex caseloads.” Andy Dunbobbin, the police and crime commissioner for North Wales, emphasized the seriousness of the findings. He stated, “I have no doubt that the chief constable is already taking measures to address the issues raised and I look forward to seeing her plans to improve performance.” He added, “I know the chief constable, like me, takes the issue of violence against women and girls seriously and we are both committed to combatting it wherever it happens.” Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman affirmed that safeguarding constitutes a “priority” for the force. She commented, “We have already increased training to improve officers’ understanding and recording of children’s experiences.” She further stated, “We recognise the complexities that officers work with and we are committed to making sure that all vulnerable people, including children, are properly safeguarded.” The force also highlighted that the report acknowledged strengths in multiple domains, noting its position as one of the nation’s best for crime recording, its clear priorities, and its respectful treatment of individuals. The chief constable additionally described it as “reassuring” that the force’s crime recording received an “outstanding” rating.