Supporting young people

Trafficked girls and young women's group

The award-winning ECPAT UK Trafficked girls and young women's group was the first-ever peer support group for trafficked young people in the UK. It provides a safe space where young people who have been through emotional trauma can socialise and get involved in projects, such as drama and arts, as a way for them to recover from their experiences. Read more

Trafficked boys and young men's group

ECPAT UK runs a project supporting boys and young men who have been trafficked to the UK. The project draws on the successful model of peer support for trafficked girls and young women pioneered by ECPAT UK. Read more

Latest

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: Marking 30 years

On the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), we look back at our wins for trafficked children's rights as well as the challenges that remain and the work still to be done to protect children everywhere from trafficking and exploitation.

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.

We're hiring! Chief Executive Officer

ECPAT UK is currently recruiting a Chief Executive Officer. This is an exciting and crucial time in the evolution of ECPAT UK and of the fight against child trafficking and transnational exploitation. As CEO, you will provide highly effective leadership of ECPAT UK, maintaining and developing external relationships whilst ensuring the ECPAT UK’s mission and strategic objectives are achieved through excellent organisational management and administration.

Cross-border safeguarding arrangements in the event of a no deal Brexit

In this joint parliamentary briefing with charities from across the children's sector, we highlight how leaving the European Union without a deal could affect the UK's ability to safeguard 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.