ECPAT UK is delighted to announce that the recipient of its Children’s Champion Award 2011 is Nadine Finch, barrister and part-time Immigration Judge, of Garden Court Chambers.

The award, given annually, is presented to the person/s or organisation or business that has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to children over the past 12 months, going beyond their normal employment role.

It recognises individuals and organisations who share the values of ECPAT UK, including an understanding of children’s rights. Last year’s recipient was the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Golf – a joint investigation team that worked to uncover the trafficking of children to the UK for benefit fraud and street crime.

ECPAT UK considered a number of nominees for the 2011 award, but staff and trustees agreed unanimously on one stand-out candidate – Nadine Finch.

Nadine was selected because, over the past 12 months and longer, she has exhibited a willingness to take the fight for children’s rights to the courts with ruthless energy and legal astuteness – going beyond her role as a barrister and demonstrating an outstanding commitment to children.

She has taken on child cases pro-bono, investing a significant amount of her own time freely. In doing so, she has shown a rare ability to relate to children in what is, for almost all, a very alien environment.

Her role on Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) committees concerning separated children was a highlight of her nomination, particularly her encyclopaedic knowledge of the law relating to separated children, as well as her greater awareness of issues impacting on policy and practice.

Nadine’s role as a part-time Immigration Judge is also important – one that can impact the judiciary’s understanding of matters relating to separated children, including child victims of trafficking.

Her profile in children’s rights issues has been high over the past year, with numerous appearances at conferences and expert seminars, including contract work with the UNHCR and UNICEF.

In addition, she is a member of the Human Trafficking NGO Advisory Group, the Advisory Group for NSPCC’s National Child Trafficking and Information Line, a member of ILPA’s Children’s Sub-Committee, a member of ILPA’s Refugee Child Project Advisory Group and one of the founders of the Trafficking Law & Policy Forum.

Nadine was presented with her award at the most recent meeting of the Trafficking Law & Policy Forum on 14 November 2011.

On receiving it, Nadine said: "I was very surprised and pleased to accept this award. I have been working on behalf of children who have been trafficked for two decades now and compared to then the awareness of this gross human rights abuse has improved to a certain extent. However, much more needs to be done to identify and protect these children. I hope to continue to play my part in this."

ECPAT UK deputy director, Colin Walker, said: “ECPAT UK is in no doubt that Nadine is a hugely worthy winner of this year’s Children’s Champion Award. ECPAT UK would like to thank Nadine for her commitment to child protection and to ECPAT UK’s core values – to fight against child trafficking, to protect children in tourism and child victims of trafficking.”

15 November 2011