Blog | ECPAT UK

Precarious journeys, precarious futures

The devastating news of 39 people found dead in a lorry in Essex has rightly sent shockwaves across the UK and highlighted the current dangers faced by people trying to cross the UK border. We know that people migrating face precarious journeys, however their vulnerability doesn't end on arrival in the UK. Read more

ECPAT UK youth group members are Global Citizens!

Members of ECPAT UK's youth groups for victims of trafficking were recently invited to Co-op's Global Citizen event at the O2 Academy in Brixton. In this blog post, they reflect on the evening and share their experience of the event. Read more

BBC Two’s 'The Prosecutors': Highlighting gaps in support for child victims of trafficking

ECPAT UK’s Information, Media and Communications Officer, Sinead Geoghegan, blogs about BBC Two’s 'The Prosecutors' episode documenting the UK’s first conviction under the Modern Slavery Act for labour exploitation of children, and how it highlighted gaps in support for child victims. Read more

Child victims of modern slavery also suffer under the UK’s hostile immigration regime

Following the recent Windrush scandal, ECPAT UK’s Policy and Campaigns Officer, Catherine Baker, blogs about the impact of the UK's hostile immigration environment on child victims of trafficking and children at risk of exploitation. Read more

Raising awareness of child trafficking risks in Vietnam

ECPAT UK’s Project Officer, Leah Davison, recently returned from Vietnam where ECPAT UK, Anti-Slavery International and Pacific Links Foundation launched their new short film, The Secret Gardeners. Leah reflects on the film launch and the factors driving the trafficking of Vietnamese children. Read more

Failure to adhere to child protection rules puts refugee children at risk on arrival in Europe

ECPAT UK’s current Children’s Champion, solicitor Kalvir Kaur, recently returned from volunteering in Lesvos. Here she details her concerns that some refugee children arriving in Europe are being left vulnerable to exploitation. Read more

Latest

266,600 people demand stable future for trafficked teen

A young victim of trafficking who faces removal from the UK will visit the Home Office to demand a stable future with the support of an incredible 266,600 people. Campaigners from Every Child Protected Against Trafficking (ECPAT UK) will join youth advocates and supporters marching on the Home Office this Thursday to secure a reversal of its decision to remove him from the UK.

The government must ramp up protection of children abroad from abuse and exploitation by UK nationals, says Inquiry

Following a landmark Inquiry into the sexual abuse of children abroad by UK nationals, which revealed systemic and procedural failures to prevent UK nationals from sexually exploiting children abroad, ECPAT UK is pleased that the Inquiry’s report includes our key recommendations. ECPAT UK now calls on the government to urgently implement these measures to ensure children abroad are protected from exploitation and abuse.

Marking 25 years of ECPAT UK

This December, we celebrated 25 years of ECPAT UK. Over the last quarter of a century, we’ve secured major wins for some of the world’s most vulnerable children and ensured trafficked children’s rights remain on the public agenda.

An Introduction to Child Trafficking, Exploitation and Modern Slavery

Our full-day face-to-face training will support participants to develop a clear understanding of how to recognise child trafficking, exploitation and modern slavery, as well as provide up-to-date skills to respond to these abuses and better support trafficked children.

The Secret Gardeners: New film on child trafficking from Vietnam

The Secret Gardeners aims to inform professionals about the plight of children who are forced by organised crime gangs to grow drugs in houses across the UK but who often face criminalisation and prison.

The National Referral Mechanism

The National Referral Mechanism is a process set up by the Government to identify and support victims of trafficking in the UK. It was born out of the Government's obligation to identify victims under the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Human Trafficking, which came into force on 1 February 2008.

Demand specialist support for trafficked children

In 2018 we worked with Care2 to call on the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid MP, to overhaul the current system of identification and support for victims of trafficking – the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).

Urgent action needed: Independent guardianship for all trafficked, unaccompanied and separated children

Last October, an incredible 120,535 supporters called for specialist support for all trafficked children. However, the fight is not finished. Make sure your voice is heard by contacting the Home Secretary asking him to provide guardianship for all trafficked, separated and unaccompanied children

Volunteer

ECPAT UK relies on committed volunteers to support the work that we do. Without their help, we would not be able to campaign as effectively against child exploitation.

Before the Harm is Done: Examining the UK's response to the prevention of trafficking

The UK Government is failing to protect thousands of children from exploitation by lacking a plan to prevent child trafficking, according to a new report by the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG), a coalition of twelve UK-based charities, including ECPAT UK. The report Before the Harm is Done, stresses that the UK has no specific strategy in relation to preventing trafficking in children, putting thousands of children at risk.