Children's champions

Children's Champion 2019 shortlist announced

Following open, public nominations, we’re thrilled to announce the names of our shortlisted nominees for this year's Children's Champion Award. Read more

Lawyer Silvia Nicolaou Garcia named 2018 Children’s Champion

ECPAT UK has today announced solicitor Silvia Nicolaou Garcia as the recipient of the 2018 Children’s Champion award. Read more

Scottish Guardianship Service named ECPAT UK’s 2016 Children’s Champion

ECPAT UK has today announced the Scottish Guardianship Service as the recipient of the 2016 Children’s Champion award. Read more

Lord McColl of Dulwich is ECPAT UK’s 2015 Children’s Champion

ECPAT UK has today recognised leading Parliamentary children’s rights advocate Lord McColl with its 2015 Children’s Champion award. Read more

ECPAT UK names leading solicitor Children's Champion 2014

Leading refugee children's solicitor Kalvir Kaur has been presented with the 2014 ECPAT UK Children's Champion award. Read more

Safeguarding head named ECPAT UK Children’s Champion 2013

ECPAT UK has awarded Paul Hewitt, Head of Safeguarding Children in Hillingdon, our Children’s Champion Award for outstanding commitment to children in 2013. Read more

Latest

More children than ever identified as potential victims of trafficking

The number of children identified as potential victims of trafficking has risen dramatically according to official statistics released today, raising concerns about the ability of UK authorities to appropriately respond to these children in light of unnecessary delays to decision making in their cases, funding constraints for local authorities and lack of specialist support for child victims.

Office for National Statistics publishes first report on modern slavery in the UK

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released its first publication into modern slavery offences in the UK. While ECPAT UK welcomes the publication of data on these harmful crimes, there is a clear need to ensure children are visible within the current data in order to support effective policy making.

5th anniversary of the Modern Slavery Act: 42 MPs urge Home Secretary to act on promises made to children

As the Covid-19 crisis exposes the importance of protecting vulnerable groups, over 42 MPs have written to the Home Secretary demanding that the government meet its promises made to child victims 5 years ago in the Modern Slavery Act. Led by Alex Norris MP, MPs from all the political parties expressed that they are ‘deeply concerned’ that the provisions in the Act had still not been implemented.

ECPAT UK launches free learning webinars for professionals home-working due to coronavirus

ECPAT UK is delighted to launch a series of free learning webinars for home-working and self-isolating professionals to build their knowledge and capacity to support children who may be victims of trafficking. From Monday, we will be delivering free 45 minute courses open to professionals across the UK who may come into contact with children who have been trafficked.

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.