Monitor 03 · Rolling programme
The National Child Protection Inspection (NCPI) programme runs independently of PEEL, assessing every force on how well it safeguards children at risk. VNS monitors NCPI findings because the failures they document, not recognising risk, failing to share information, victim-blaming language, are the same failures that produce adult victim misidentification.
Last updated 2 June 2026
Five graded judgments are made: responding to children at risk of harm; assessing and managing risk; investigation; working with safeguarding partners; and leadership and governance.
April 2026 · Accelerated cause of concern
Initial response was inadequate in 27 of 48 case files audited, with long delays in officers attending and children left at risk because additional safeguarding measures were not considered. Improvement plan required within 28 days, seven recommendations within three months. This is the force's third child protection inspection: serious systemic failings were found in 2021 and a full re-inspection followed in 2022.
December 2025 · NCPI published
Victim-blaming language identified among some frontline officers in relation to missing children. A January 2025 review identified officers who had used victim-blaming language in case records; in 4 of 48 reviewed cases such language was found in documentation. Force is addressing through training.
November 2025 · NCPI published
Requires improvement for responding to children at risk of harm. When the force made a Clare's Law disclosure to an adult at risk, multi-agency referral forms were not being shared with children's social care even where children were already known to them. Referrals were less likely when children were identified as suspects rather than victims.
May 2025 · NCPI published
Victim-blaming language used in 8 of 20 case files reviewed, involving missing or exploited children. Some officers still did not know what victim-blaming language is. Constabulary working through a train-the-trainer course from the NSPCC and online training.
15 May 2026 · NCPI published
Works well with safeguarding partners but needs to improve its child protection investigations. A separate integrity inspection in February 2026 found the force's vetting and counter-corruption arrangements to be inadequate (see Misconduct and IOPC).