NCJ Number
164207
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1996) Pages: 70-72
Date Published
1996
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article highlights some of the current changes and dilemmas that face senior British police policymakers regarding the direction for specialist child protection units and training in child protection for other police officers.
Abstract
In the past decade the majority of British police forces have established, in one form or another, specialist units staffed by officers who are trained to deal with such issues as child protection, rape, serious sexual offenses, and domestic violence. Some of the difficulties that may arise in association with the establishment of a specialized police child protection unit include the development of a gulf in experience and training between specialist police officers and uniformed officers, the devaluing of child protection work as not being "proper" police work, and the reluctance of uniform officers and regular investigative officers to attend training courses on child abuse. Also, child protection work can be marginalized, and skills in recognition and response in the force as a whole can be lost. Strategies should be in place to address these potential difficulties. Rotating officers among responsibilities is one strategy. Another strategy is to regularly update child- protection training for all police officers. Those responsible for planning training for the police should ensure that the specialist knowledge and skills are maintained and also identified as valuable resources by senior officers. The challenge is to identify what are the essential knowledge and skill requirements for all those officers who are likely to be involved with child-protection matters. It is essential that cost-effective ways be developed to keep all officers up-to-date on developments in the child-protection field and that officers have access to specialist advice when needed.