HM Inspector States Improvement In Greater Manchester Police But Recommends Addressing Training Gap

03.07.25 | News

Representatives from Greater Manchester victims/survivor charities have today welcomed the publication of the HMICFRS report into Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and its safeguarding partners’ approach to child criminal and sexual exploitation, acknowledging the positive changes and improvements identified but also drawing attention to the report’s recommendations of areas of further development for the force.

Commissioned in July 2024 by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, as part of their inspection HM officials engaged with members of the Greater Manchester Voluntary Community Faith & Social Enterprise (VCFSE) Victims & Justice Leadership Group, co-chaired by We Are Survivors and the Pankhurst Trust (incorporating Manchester Women’s Aid), and with a number of ISVAs (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) from across the city-region to collect opinions, reflections and evidence of working practices of and between Greater Manchester Police and partners.

Chief Executive Officer of We Are Survivors, Duncan Craig OBE, who co-chairs the Victims & Justice Leadership Group said:

“The HMICFRS report comes at a time when the country is back to talking about sexual harms, especially those committed against girls and boys, on the back of the Casey Report, and with the pending publication of the Government’s tackling violence against women and girls’ strategy”

“it’s important that all key stakeholders in the city-region in responding to sexual harms are clear about their strengths and weaknesses; and we work collectively to ensure that Greater Manchester’s response to child sexual abuse and all sexual offences is world class, is perpetrator focused and is victim/survivor centred.”

“We believe the HMICFRS report is a fair review and sets the right challenges to GMP. We now expect the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor, along with other key stakeholders, to take the recommendations and act on them accordingly.”

“As a group of Providers and Leaders in this area, we too have our part to play, and we will 100% commit to delivering on our responsibilities and supporting GMP to deliver on theirs”.

The new HMICFRS report identifies GMP’s awareness of the gaps in training for investigation teams but makes it clear there is a need for GMP to ensure investigators have the necessary specialist skills for their roles. It also asks for updated training plans to be put in place. Inspectors also highlighted the problematic impact of the use of different case file audit tools for different agencies files, resulting in peer reviewers record and evaluate information inconsistently.

The most significant point in the report for the Victims & Justice Leadership group is the identification of failings in some cases, in the way the GMP initially supported victims and survivors and in investigating cases adequately.

Whilst GMP have made significant effort in addressing these issues; and over the last 12 to 18 months many of the force’s Senior Leaders have proactively engaged victim services and VCFSE leaders in both developing practical response to investigations and in the design and development of pathways, strategies and plans; we today invite the Chief Constable of GMP to clearly cement his commitment to ensuring victims voices are at the heart of all improvement plans; that the VCFSE Victims and Justice members are proactively invited to play a bold part in addressing the report’s recommendations; and that charity leaders in Greater Manchester become an equitable part of any response to victims support.

Members of the Leadership group include 42nd Street, MASH, We Are Survivors, Pankhurst Trust (incorporating Manchester Women’s Aid), Salford Foundation, TLC, Safety4Sisters, Olive Pathway, Trafford Rape Crisis, Mandem Meetup, OUT There, Jewish Sexual Abuse Support (JSAS), Greater Manchester Women’s Support Alliance.

Click this link to access the HMICFRS press release: https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/news/news-feed/greater-manchester-police-improves-child-sexual-exploitation-investigations-but-gaps-in-training/

Click this link to access the GMCA press release: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/hmicfrs-and-ofsted-publish-final-independent-reports-into-current-handling-of-child-sexual-exploitation-in-greater-manchester/

Click this link to access the GMP press release: https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/news/2025/july/hmicfrs-and-ofsted-publish-final-independent-reports-into-current-handling-of-child-sexual-exploitation-in-greater-manchester/