Headteacher of school attended by black girl who was strip searched on her period quits over health issues

Headteacher of school attended by black girl who was strip searched on her period quits over health issues
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Aden-Jay Wood

By Aden-Jay Wood


Published: 21/04/2022

- 14:54

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:43

The teacher’s resignation was announced in a letter sent to parents of the school

The headteacher of an east London school where a student, known as Child Q, was stripped searched by police has stepped down citing health issues.

The teacher’s resignation was announced in a letter sent to parents of the school.


It added that an “outstanding” headteacher had taken over.

The news comes just a month after a review into the Child Q scandal found that racism “was likely to have been an influencing factor”.

Child Q refers to a girl who was strip-searched by female officers at her school in 2020 without another adult present and in the knowledge that she was menstruating.

The Met Police has apologised for the incident
The Met Police has apologised for the incident
Kirsty O'Connor

The review, which was conducted by City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP) and published last month also concluded that the search should never have taken place.

The Met has apologised and said the incident “should never have happened”.

Three police officers are under investigation for misconduct by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said last month the Met Police are not providing the support Londoners need in the wake of the Child Q scandal.

Mr Khan said: “The (former) Commissioner (Cressida Dick) may not like it, the Met Police Federation may not like it, but I think there are deep cultural issues in the police service in relation to racism, sexism, homophobia, discrimination and the like.

"Society will be less safe for everyone if certain communities cannot trust or have confidence in the officers that police Britain’s streets."

Mr Khan went on to say that he hopes the new Commissioner will bring forward a plan to bring confidence back in the police from the people of the city.

“It’s possible to say on the one hand, we’ve got many, many, decent, dedicated, brave officers but, on the other hand, the Met Police leadership isn’t providing the support that they need or that we need as a city.”

People demonstrate outside Stoke Newington Police Station in London, over the treatment of a black 15-year-old schoolgirl who was strip-searched by police while on her period. The secondary school pupil - referred to as Child Q - has launched civil proceedings against the Metropolitan Police over the search by two female officers, without another adult present, in 2020. Three police officers have been investigated for misconduct by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is finalising its report. Scotland Yard has apologised and said the incident %22should never have happened%22. Picture date: Friday March 18, 2022.
Protests against the treatment of Child Q outside a London police station in March
Stefan Rousseau

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