Strip-search on one child every 14 hrs

Shock figures reveal that police carried out 3,368 between 2018 and last June

- SOPHIE HUSKISSON

A CHILD was strip-searched by police every 14 hours during a five-year period, shocking figures show.

In total, 44 police forces carried out 3,368 of the intimate searches between 2018 and last June, a study by Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza found.

And it could not be confirmed that a parent, carer or social worker was present at 45% of the 457 done between July 2022 and June 2023.

Despite calls for searches only to be used when there is an immediate risk of harm to the child or someone else, 88% were carried out due to suspicion of having drugs.