UNISON’s National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) and Schools Committee have issued a joint statement on the treatment of Child Q and the actions of those involved in the case.
“UNISON are horrified to learn of the strip search of a young Black female (Child Q) of secondary school age, at the hands of the police while on school premises. We stand in solidarity with her and wish safe healing from the trauma that we understand she is still experiencing. No child should ever be at risk in what should be a safe and nurturing educational environment. The safeguarding review stated “Child Q should never have been strip searched, and found across many of the professionals involved that day, there was an absence of a safeguarding-first approach to their practice.” They went on to say “But most stark: that racism is likely to have been an ‘influencing factor’ in the decision by police to undertake the strip search.”
We stand with our members whose children may have experienced racism in school premises. Our members in schools are committed to supporting young people to learn, thrive and develop in a safe space and ensuring they are not treated with suspicion and then subjected to this type of treatment just because they are Black.”
The NBMC also submitted an emergency motion on the treatment of Child Q to the Virtual Black Members’ Conference in May. This motion called for the NBMC to seek a review of safeguarding protocol across all schools and places of learning/educational institutions. It also discussed funded training for support staff and a de-colonised curriculum. Attendees at conference commented on the adultification and criminalisation of Black children and unanimously voted for the motion.
No child should experience such traumatic and dehumanising treatment.
