Training

"ECPAT UK helped me view life from the victim's perspective, making the reality of our job worthy." Social worker, London

ECPAT UK’s multidisciplinary team provides a wide range of training courses relating to modern slavery, trafficking and exploitation for individuals and organisations. As well as the training courses offered below, we can provide bespoke training to your organisation to ensure it is tailored and relevant to your work.

ECPAT UK has delivered training courses for more than 20 years to build frontline workers' capacity and improve responses to child trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation across the UK. Our comprehensive training programme has been created in line with National Occupational Standards and many of our courses are CPD accredited.

Please note that due to Covid-19, all of our training courses are being delivered online until further notice.

We've adapted our training courses so that you can continue learning online until we are able to hold training sessions in person once more. We've been working to ensure our courses remain of the highest quality and to maintain the interactive nature of our training.

Most courses now consist of half-day two modules which are completed over Zoom. We are pleased to offer discounts for multiple team member bookings - simply get in touch with Phil by emailing [email protected] to discuss your organisation's needs.

Free Webinar: Focusing practice on children's best interests

Join us for a free, one hour webinar on focusing practice on the best interests of child victims of trafficking. Trafficked children often find themselves in a complex system of safeguarding, asylum and criminal justice. We'll explore the common areas of practice where we lose sight of the best interests of the child, and how we can ensure children's best interests are fully embedded in all aspects of practice. Read more

An Overview of Child Trafficking, Exploitation and Modern Slavery

This online training course supports participants to develop a clear understanding of how to recognise and respond to child trafficking, exploitation and modern slavery. Split into two half-day modules, the course will equip you with updated knowledge and skills to better support trafficked children. Read more

Child Criminal Exploitation and Trafficking

This online training course gives participants an understanding of the causes and dynamics of forced criminality among children in the UK. Split into two half-day modules, the course will equip practitioners with knowledge and skills on CCE, safeguarding best practice and the youth justice system, to improve support for child victims. Read more

Safe accommodation and missing child victims of trafficking

This online training course focuses on the specific challenges of accommodating victims of trafficking and separated children seeking asylum. Split into two half-day modules, this course will give participants an understanding of the issue and will support you with practical tools to prevent and respond to missing incidents in line with best practice guidance. Read more

Spiritual abuse and child trafficking

This online, half-day course examines the particular relationship between spiritual abuse and child trafficking. Participants will gain an understanding of the interlinkages between the two, their dynamics and effective responses to this particular issue. Read more

Child Trafficking and Exploitation in Tourism

Dates coming soon: This training is designed for those working across the tourism industry and aims to give participants an understanding of the relationship between tourism and trafficking, as well as equip them with policies and best practice to protect children from exploitation. Training is available to hotels, tour operators, travel agents and others interested in ethical and sustainable tourism. Read more

The Modern Slavery Act 2015

Dates coming soon: The Modern Slavery Act 2015 makes provisions for the protection of child victims of trafficking. This course assists frontline professionals to understand their responsibility under the Act and use it to improve identification, responses and care of child victims of trafficking. In this course other key legislation relevant to frontline workers will also be covered. Read more

Bespoke training for professionals

We deliver bespoke training courses across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (or even further afield). Each course is tailored to your organisation’s needs. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, we're pleased to be able to offer online, interactive training to your team until we are able to safely deliver training in person once more. Read more

Free webinar: Interviewing child victims of trafficking

Calling all lawyers, advocates, social workers and professionals working with potential victims of child trafficking: as part of the European Commission funded ReACT Project, ECPAT UK delivered two free online tutorials for those working with trafficked or at risk children. View them here. Read more

Hire a speaker

We are keen to share our experience and expertise in promoting the rights of children. In addition to providing training, we can also offer expert speakers for events and activities, tailored to your organisation’s needs and events. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, we're pleased to be able to offer this service for online events and conferences. Read more

Latest

Marking Black History Month with our youth groups

October is Black History Month and this year, our youth group members have led a series of workshops celebrating some of their favourite Black leaders, cultures, traditions and events. Over the past two weeks, members of our youth groups have each presented a part of Black history that is meaningful and inspiring to them, drawing on people and events from their own backgrounds and cultures as well as Black history in the UK and USA.

Government failing child victims of trafficking, exclusive data reveals

The government is failing in its treatment of child victims of trafficking in a hostile immigration system, according to shocking new data obtained by ECPAT UK under the Freedom of Information Act ahead of the 10 year anniversary of the UK's Anti-Slavery Day. The data shows that 4,695 adults and children subject to immigration control were confirmed as victims of trafficking in the four-year period of 2016-2019. However just 28 child victims were granted discretionary leave to remain in the UK.

Child trafficking in the UK 2020: A snapshot

ECPAT UK's latest snapshot report on child trafficking in the UK provides an overview of the issues affecting children, including inadequate support provision and long term instability. The report highlights never seen before data on immigration outcomes for child victims, secured through Freedom of Information Act requests to the Home Office.

ECPAT UK presents to the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings for UK evaluation

Today, ECPAT UK gave evidence on the non-punishment principle for child victims of trafficking to the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) at an open session with civil society as part of the group’s evaluation of the UK.

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.

Child trafficking statistics

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.