NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman has labelled strip-searches "potentially very traumatising" and said police must use the power to conduct them "appropriately and carefully".

Mr Speakman said while strip-searching was an "important part of police activity", the government wanted to make sure the "balance is right" and police "clearly understand the law".

"To strip-search someone is traumatising for the subjects they strip-search, particularly if they are children, so we want to make sure the balance is right," he said.

"We want to make sure the police and others clearly understand the law."