The New South Wales Ombudsman says laws covering strip searches need to be tightened to protect children.

A review of powers given to NSW police in 2005 has found that since then 884 strip searches have involved children.

Ombudsman Bruce Barbour says a support person was present in only 6 per cent of those cases, despite it being a requirement of the act.

Mr Barbour says the laws need to be amended to ensure police inform children or an intellectually impaired person they may have another person present during the search.