Supporting young people

ECPAT UK's direct work with young victims of child trafficking provides a space for peer support, skills-building and rights-based education through our youth programme, available through separate youth groups for male and female members, as well as the ethical and meaningful participation of young survivors of trafficking in ECPAT UK's research, campaigns and training work.

Youth advisory group

ECPAT UK’s youth advisory group is made up of former members of our youth programme for victims of child trafficking, as well as current long-term members who are interested in steering the organisation’s campaigns and strategy. Read more

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

Hopeful futures photography competition: win an Instax camera!

As part of our 'stable futures' campaign, we’re calling for original photos that capture your vision of a stable, happy and hopeful future. The brief is broad – we want you to reflect on the question ‘what does freedom mean to you?’ Your photos can depict anything that represents your dreams, future potential and life without limits. The winning photo will inspire feelings of warmth, togetherness, hope and fulfilment.
Have your say: impact of new immigration plan on trafficked children

The government’s New Plan for Immigration includes proposals which will impact all child victims of trafficking as well as all children and young people subject to immigration control. We're concerned about a range of measures proposed which, taken together, will affect all child victims of trafficking, including British national children. Have your say — respond to the government's public consultation using our guide.
Take part in 5k May!

This month we're taking part in #5kMay! If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that the smallest things can make the biggest impact. That’s why we’re calling on you to take part in a 5k during May and donate £5 to us! We're a small charity achieving big things, and every £1 raised makes a difference.
Government immigration reforms could set back progress in support for child victims of trafficking

The Home Office has published their ‘New Plan for Immigration’ which includes a significant number of proposals to reform modern slavery legislation which will affect survivors of child exploitation. Wider measures relating to asylum policy will also be detrimental to survivors who also apply for asylum, a procedure which is already very challenging for many child victims to navigate.

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.
Child trafficking statistics

The latest data on the number of victims of trafficking in the UK and worldwide.
Heading back to harm: A study on trafficked and unaccompanied children going missing from care in the UK

Trafficked and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are going missing from UK care at an “alarmingly high” rate, according to a new study by leading charities ECPAT UK and Missing People.
Our team

ECPAT UK's team has more than 30 years' experience working on issues of child trafficking, child protection, child sexual exploitation, unaccompanied children, modern slavery and more.
ECPAT UK training

ECPAT UK offers a comprehensive training programme, in line with National Occupational Standards, delivering courses for more than 20 years to help improve responses to child trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation.