I was appalled to read the City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership’s review into the incident with Child Q. This was a young black girl who was on her period and was strip-searched by police officers at her school without an appropriate adult present because she allegedly smelt of cannabis. Read the report in full here.

The report shows that this was a failure on every level with no consideration given to safeguarding a child. These actions cannot be justified. No child should be humiliated and traumatised. The review concludes that racism is likely to have been an influencing factor in the decision by police to undertake the strip search. I am raising these serious issues directly with the Metropolitan Police and other relevant bodies. The matter is now being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (see more here). I am following the outcome of that investigation closely. See here for Hackney Council’s response, including comments from Mayor Philip Glanville and Deputy Mayor Anntoinette Bramble.
 
The Public Accounts Committee published a report on NHS backlogs and waiting times. Before the pandemic hit, the NHS had not met the 18-week maximum waiting time standard for elective care since February 2016. It has not met the eight key standards for cancer care in totality since 2014. The Government has announced more funding but there is no real plan on how to turn this large cash injection into better outcomes for people waiting for life-saving treatment. See here to read the report in full and see here to read a summary.

And it was a delight to visit a local tech business, Logixal, that got in touch for help in donating over 100 pieces of IT equipment to Hackney groups. I put them in touch with over 10 youth groups and organisations that can make good use of the equipment. See my round-up for further details. If you are or know a business that would like to do something similar, please get in touch.