Raising serious concerns about the UK government's accountability and commitment to child protection, the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, David Neal, has been dismissed by the Home Office. Read more
Eleanor Lyons, current Deputy to the Children's Commissioner, has been announced as the new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner today by the Home Office after 18 month vacancy Read more
At a further High Court hearing on 15th September Mr Justice Chamberlain ordered the Home Office to take all possible steps to transfer all unaccompanied children seeking asylum currently in Home Office hotels to local authority care by 22 September 2023. Read more
At a further High Court hearing on 17th August Mr Justice Chamberlain ordered continued oversight of the treatment of unaccompanied children by the Home Secretary and Kent County Council, marking the unlawful conduct of the local authority by a specific declaration and setting out further conditions and evidence for the defendants to comply with and a further court hearing. Read more
This new report identified the reality of child modern slavery in the UK and signalled a critical call to action. The research highlights challenges stemming from gaps in resources and policy, especially in the absence of a UK wide Child Exploitation Strategy. Read more
High Court has found that a child victim of trafficking was failed by the London Borough of Barnet and the Home Office after receiving no specialist support for several years. Read more
ECPAT UK has welcomed the report from the Home Affairs Select Committee published today following its inquiry into human trafficking. The report speaks out against Home Office treatment of migrant children and calls for increased care for child victims of trafficking in new report. Read more
High Court rules that the Home Secretary acted irrationally in its operation of the National Transfer Scheme in a further judgement about the accommodation of unaccompanied children in Home Office hotels. Read more
The King’s Speech, which was held on 7th November 2023, announces new laws to tackle online child exploitation whilst reconfirming the UK government’s desire to remove the rights of child victims. Read more
The High Court has upheld ECPAT UK's claim that both Kent County Council and the Secretary of State for the Home Department have acted unlawfully in respect duties owed to children under The Children Act 1989 and routine placement of unaccompanied children seeking asylum in hotels. Read more
Following an application for judicial review of the treatment of unaccompanied children made on the 9th June 2023 by ECPAT UK, the charity has been granted permission. The case will be heard in Administrative Court 1, Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st July. Read more
Members of ECPAT UK’s Youth Advisory Group warn that the measures in the Illegal Migration Bill will leave children unsafe and at risk of trafficking and retrafficking. The young people who arrived in the UK unaccompanied and who have experienced modern slavery have written to parliamentarians to share their own experiences and to urge them to protect children in votes on the Illegal Migration Bill In a letter, Read more
For the first time in its history, ECPAT UK is taking steps to legally challenge the government and Kent County Council to uphold the rights of children and stop the continued practice by the Home Office of unlawfully placing unaccompanied children in hotels Over 150 children who remain missing from these hotels and 5,570 accommodated there Read more
In this Refugee Month join with us in standing up for and supporting children seeking safety and ensure that every child is cared for and protected Read more
ECPAT UK has secured a grant from the Greater London Authority through the Propel initiative to support the charity’s Youth Programme and provide high quality one to one and group mentoring to young victims of trafficking across London over the next two years. Read more
Children's charities including NSPCC, Barnardo's, Action for Children, The Children's Society and National Children's Bureau coordinated by Children England and ECPAT UK condemn proposals set out in the Illegal Migration Bill to create a segregated system of care for unaccompanied children outside of local authority social care duties under our child welfare legislation in the Children Act 1989 Read more
ECPAT UK with The Refugee Council has coordinated a letter with the support of over 100 charities calling on the Prime Minister to take action on children going missing from Home Office hotels at risk of trafficking and exploitation. The charities want an end to the practice, for all children to be looked after properly and for an urgent independent inquiry Read more
UN experts have expressed alarm at the UK Government’s use of unevidenced claims and sensationalist language towards survivors of trafficking and modern slavery, stating these attacks on the credibility of survivors and their legal representatives have a “chilling effect.” ECPAT UK has joined twenty other organisations calling on the Government to end its roll-back of rights and protection for survivors, and recommit to support, assistance and safeguarding for all victims Read more
ECPAT UK has joined 157 other organisations to call on the Prime Minister and all our political leaders to stand up for everyone's human rights and commit to the UK Human Rights Act Read more
Sima Modhvadia, an Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) with Barnardo’s National Counter Trafficking Service, has been awarded ECPAT UK’s Children’s Champion Award for 2022. The award is made in recognition of Sima’s outstanding work with young victims and her exceptional nurturing and empowering approach. Read more
ECPAT UK responds to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration report of their inspection on the use of hotels to house unaccompanied children seeking asylum. Read more
Young victims of modern slavery have shared their experiences following identification of human trafficking through the UK immigration and social care systems in a full final report published today. Read more
ECPAT UK responds to a government announcement detailing plans for unaccompanied children to spend less time in the hotels where they are being unlawfully accommodated by the Home Office. Read more
A response to ECPAT UK's Outside the Frame report coordinated in partnership with Children England and signed by over 70 organisations and experts across the sector, calling for children in the UK to be protected and cared for safely and without discrimination. Read more
ECPAT UK has joined five other organisations in writing to The Times about the Online Safety Bill’s delay, and how the bill “would have placed robust requirements on tech companies to minimise the risk of harm to children.” Read more
Young victims of modern slavery have shared their experiences following identification of human trafficking through the UK immigration and social care systems in a new interim report published today (ahead of final findings which will be published later this year). Read more