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

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.