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The Metropolitan Police is to cut the number of child protection referral desks, which take calls about child abuse from social services and the public, from 19 to four.

Detective chief inspector Nigel Verrill, regional manager for west London in the Met’s child abuse investigation command, said the smaller number of desks would make it easier for the force to ensure they applied the same operating and risk analysis procedures.

Recent budget cuts had also played a small part in the restructure, he said.

Hannah Miller, children’s lead for the Greater London Association of Directors of Social Services, said some social care chiefs felt the changes could lead to the loss of personal relationships with officers on the desks. She said the “jury was
out” among some directors.

But Verrill said that while he understood the concerns, he thought they could be overcome.

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