“I am scared for no reason. I think that someone is behind my door, window. Someone will find me, pick me up, beat me and kill me. I have run off and they are looking for me. My mood changes all the time. I cannot control my mind."

Child trafficking is a form of abuse, and should be viewed within a child protection framework.

Trafficking involves moving children for the purpose of exploitation, which may be for commerical or non-commercial exploitation. Types of exploitation include domestic servitude, forced labour, forced criminality (street crime, petty theft, cannabis cultivation, drug dealing) prostitution or sexual abuse, illegal adoption, benefit fraud, forced marriage.

Children may be trafficked within their own country, or across borders. British children are also vulnerable to trafficking. Exploitation does not need to have occurred to evidence child trafficking, the intent to exploit is sufficient.

Once a child has been trafficked, they are vulnerable to further forms of exploitation and abuse (e.g.: a child for domestic labour may become vulnerable to sexual exploitation). Child trafficking victims are likely to have vulnerable fabours that place them at rish of re-trafficked, or being subjected to multiple trafficking experiences.

Harrow is part of a national initiative to combat child trafficking in the UK, and is a participant in the pilot of the London Safeguarding Children Board Trafficked Children Toolkit 2009. The aim of the pilot is to increase the rate of identification and referral, and assist in making more accurate assessments. It also includes a risk assessment indicator matrix that can be used by any professional who has concerns about trafficking.

If you suspect that a child may have been trafficked, contact the Children's Social Care Asylum Team on 020 8420 9687 or the Referral and Assessment Team on 020 8863 5544

For further information about the pilot or the toolkit, contact:

Helen Smith: helen.smith@harrow.gov.uk

Philip Ishola: philip.ishola@harrow.gov.uk

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London Safeguarding Children Trafficked Children Toolkit 2009 - Download

DCSF - Working Together to Safeguard Children - Safeguarding Children who may have been trafficked - Download

London Procedure for Safeguarding Trafficked and Exploited Children (2006) - Download

Rights Here, Rights Now: Recommendations for Protecting Trafficked Children - Download
ECPAT UK & UNICEF UK, 2007

Missing Out: A Study of Child Trafficking in the North-West, North-East and West Midlands - Download
ECPAT UK, 2007

Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings - Download

UNICEF Guidelines on the Protection of Child Victims of Trafficking, 2006 - Download

A Scoping Project on Child Trafficking in The UK – CEOP June 2007 - Download

‘Kids as Commodities? Child Trafficking and what to do about it ‘ Terres des Hommes, 2004 - Download

UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking - Download

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Poppy Project - Website

Provides accommodation and support to women who have been trafficked for prostitution

 

 

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ECPAT UK - Website
Britain’s only NGO working & campaigning exclusively for victims of child trafficking.
Tel: 020 7233 6887

NSPCC Child Trafficking & Information Advice Line
For any practitioner who has a concern about child trafficking.
Tel: 0800 1077 057

Africans Unite Against Child Abuse – AFRUCA - Website
NGO with specialist knowledge of safeguarding African children.
Tel: 020 7704 2261

CEOP - Child Exploitation & On-line Protection Centre - Website
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) works across the UK and maximizes international links to tackle child sex abuse wherever and whenever it happens.
Tel: 0870 000 3344

CROP – Coalition of the Removal of Pimping - Website
CROP is a voluntary organisation working to end the sexual exploitation of children and young people by pimps and traffickers
Tel: 0113 240 3040

UKHTC - United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre - Website
The UKHTC is the central point for the collation of data information and intelligence on all forms of trafficking and is responsible for receiving referrals via the National Referral Mechanism.
Tel: 0114 252 3891

Home Office Crime Reduction Toolkits - Website
Designed for UKBA & the Police, but contains useful info for all. Trafficking of people Toolkit available on website.

International Social Services UK
Provides inter-country casework services, as well as delivering advice and training about inter-country social work.
ISS UK Advice and Information Helpline - 0207 735 8941

Missing People - Website
UK national charity working with runaways & their families.
Missing from Local Authority Care Team – 020 8392 4527

Refugee Council Children’s Panel
Children's Panel advice line: 0207 346 1134

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ECPAT UK has produced a free e-learning package around child trafficking that can be used individually, in small groups or during training sessions. To use the e-tool you will need to register first via the link below.

ECPAT UK e-learning package

If you cannot access the e-tool for any reason, please contact e.kelly@ecpat.org.uk and she will send you a CD-Rom version instead. A user guide is also available from the link above, this outlines the other main questions that you may have about using the e-tool.

Child Trafficking training is also available through Harrow LSCB, please refer to the training handbook or contact lscb@harrow.gov.uk

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This section provides focused reference guides for agencies that are likely to come into contact with children who may have been trafficked. The guidance is targeted at each agency and what they may see in their area of work. It identifies key issues that should be considered and key indicators that professionals should look for when they come into contact with a child that may potentially be trafficked.

Health

Accident &Emergency/Urgent Care Centre

Maternity Unit/GUM Clinic

Health Visitors

Schools

Schools/Admissions

Law Enforcement

Police

Community Safety

Trading Standards/Environmental Health

National Referral Mechanism (NRM)

The NRM is a new formal procedure for assessing and recording cases of human trafficking, in accordance with the UK's obligations under the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings.

Children Social Care and a limited number of other identified agencies have been authorised to act as referrers to the UK Human Trafficking Centre. Wherever a child has been assessed as likely to have been trafficked, a referral must be sent to the UK Human Trafficking Centre using the referral form.

The UKHTC upon receiving a referral will record cases of trafficking, and assess whether an individual has been trafficked (see referral flowchart for process). The UKHTC will liaise with the UK Border Agency where an individual's immigration status needs to be regularised.

Referral Form for Children

Explanatory Letter

Referral Flow Chart

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