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| Children too often treated as 'small adults' by police | Children too often treated as 'small adults' by police |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Children and young people have a "profound lack of trust" in the police, bordering on fear in some cases, a report by MPs and peers has suggested. | Children and young people have a "profound lack of trust" in the police, bordering on fear in some cases, a report by MPs and peers has suggested. |
| Children are often treated as "small adults", with their specific needs disregarded, according to the all-party parliamentary group for children. | Children are often treated as "small adults", with their specific needs disregarded, according to the all-party parliamentary group for children. |
| Negative experiences, such as arrest and stop and search procedures, breeds "frustration and anger", it warned. | Negative experiences, such as arrest and stop and search procedures, breeds "frustration and anger", it warned. |
| It urged changes to training, custody facilities and safeguarding approaches. | It urged changes to training, custody facilities and safeguarding approaches. |
| Publishing the findings of an 18-month inquiry, the committee said children and young people's first contact with the police was vital in shaping their attitudes towards them. | Publishing the findings of an 18-month inquiry, the committee said children and young people's first contact with the police was vital in shaping their attitudes towards them. |
| 'Ingrained attitudes' | 'Ingrained attitudes' |
| "For a significant number of children and young people, this experience is a negative one as a victim or suspected offender," the report said. | "For a significant number of children and young people, this experience is a negative one as a victim or suspected offender," the report said. |
| "Once a negative encounter has occurred, it takes time and hard work to change ingrained attitudes, which are often passed on from one generation to the next". | "Once a negative encounter has occurred, it takes time and hard work to change ingrained attitudes, which are often passed on from one generation to the next". |
| Some children and young people, the report suggested, feel humiliated when they come into contact with the police, are confused by their procedures, and do not believe they are there to protect them. | Some children and young people, the report suggested, feel humiliated when they come into contact with the police, are confused by their procedures, and do not believe they are there to protect them. |
| It pointed to evidence that children who have been trafficked or suffered sexual exploitation have experienced very different treatment by the police, akin to a "postcode lottery". | It pointed to evidence that children who have been trafficked or suffered sexual exploitation have experienced very different treatment by the police, akin to a "postcode lottery". |
| The report outlined a number of recommendations, including: | The report outlined a number of recommendations, including: |
| Labour peer Baroness Massey of Darwen, who chairs the parliamentary group, said the welfare and safety of young people must be paramount in the police's dealings with them. | Labour peer Baroness Massey of Darwen, who chairs the parliamentary group, said the welfare and safety of young people must be paramount in the police's dealings with them. |
| "It is critical that in every encounter with the police, under-18s are treated as children first," she said. | "It is critical that in every encounter with the police, under-18s are treated as children first," she said. |
| "Whilst there are exemplary initiatives seeking to improve relationships between young people and the police, these positive approaches are not reflected across the country." | "Whilst there are exemplary initiatives seeking to improve relationships between young people and the police, these positive approaches are not reflected across the country." |
| Conservative MP Tim Loughton, who sits on the committee, said the report was an "eye-opener". | Conservative MP Tim Loughton, who sits on the committee, said the report was an "eye-opener". |
| "At a time when headlines are dominated by young victims of child abuse being failed by police in places like Rotherham... it is more essential than ever that we have a much better position of trust between the police and our young vulnerable citizens," the former children's' minister said. | "At a time when headlines are dominated by young victims of child abuse being failed by police in places like Rotherham... it is more essential than ever that we have a much better position of trust between the police and our young vulnerable citizens," the former children's' minister said. |
| The National Children's Bureau, which provides secretarial support for the committee, said the police must be "equipped to put children's well-being and their distinct, separate needs and rights at the forefront of their interaction with all under-18s". | The National Children's Bureau, which provides secretarial support for the committee, said the police must be "equipped to put children's well-being and their distinct, separate needs and rights at the forefront of their interaction with all under-18s". |
| What is your impression about the police while you were growing up? or Are a parent? Do you think your children fear the police? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | |
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