The ECPAT UK Youth Advisory Group has issued a strong response to the King’s Speech with the announcement of a new Immigration and Asylum Bill as part of the government’s ongoing plans to reform the asylum and immigration system. The group raises the alarm about the impact on child victims of trafficking of major changes which will make identification and protection of victims harder. Read more
We're delighted to announce that ECPAT UK's Children's Champion award for 2025 is now open for nominations! ECPAT UK's Children's Champions award recognises someone who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to trafficked children. The winner will be selected in June by our panel of staff, trustees and young people affected by trafficking. Send in your nominations by Friday 27th February 2026! Read more
ECPAT UK welcomes many of the provisions in the Crime and Policing Bill, and we urge the Government to go further in protecting children from exploitation and abuse. This includes introducing a statutory definition of child exploitation and CCE, ensuring safeguards against the wrongful criminalisation of exploited children, fully utilising existing powers to prosecute transnational offenders, and implementing a national cross-government child exploitation strategy. Read more
In his speech on Wednesday, the King set out the government's plans for the new parliamentary session. We at ECPAT UK applaud the announcement of a Children’s Wellbeing Bill and the introduction of a child criminal exploitation offence in the Crime and Policing Bill and measures for Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill. Read more
Following the announcement In the King's Speech that the new Immigration and Asylum Bill will include reforms to the modern slavery legislative framework, leading organisations and experts warn the government that it cannot end human trafficking and modern slavery without a safeguarding-first response to all victims and survivors that shifts the balance of risk decisively onto traffickers Read more
ECPAT UK welcomes the publication of the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) Fourth Evaluation Round report on the United Kingdom, which delivers urgent and detailed child‑focused recommendations for the United Kingdom. GRETA’s report draws significantly on ECPAT UK’s research, reflecting our long‑standing evidence of systemic failures in the UK’s response to child trafficking and exploitation. Read more
A consortium of the leading anti-slavery organisations has warned that the UK is falling behind in the fight against modern slavery, as it unveils a new strategic vision to end what it describes as a ‘low risk, high reward’ environment for exploiters. Read more
In a letter to the Prime Minister, nearly 150 children’s charities and organisations working with children warn recently announced Home Office proposals would put hundreds of thousands of children, as well as young adults leaving care, at risk. Read more
ECPAT UK warns that government proposals to bring into force provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 could place vulnerable young people at serious risk of exploitation and re-trafficking by removing essential support when they leave care. Read more
The Home Office has released the latest end of year summary of National Referral Mechanism (NRM) statistics, showing that in 2025 thousands of children were identified as potential victims of trafficking. Read more
ECPAT UK has welcomed the appointment of the Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation, describing it as a critical opportunity to bring clarity, rigour and a children’s rights–based approach to an issue where children have too often been failed. Responding to the Chair’s appointment and the draft Terms of Reference for the Inquiry, ECPAT UK emphasised the need for a clear, evidence-based scope that enables the Inquiry to examine systemic failures while ensuring all chil Read more
A new report from ECPAT UK (Every Child Protected Against Trafficking UK) and Missing People exposes the persistent and widespread safeguarding failures affecting trafficked and unaccompanied children in the UK. Despite years of warnings, thousands of highly vulnerable children continue to go missing from care, placing them at extreme risk of exploitation and harm. Read more
Newly published Home Office National Referral Mechanism (NRM) data shows that the pilot scheme that transfers decision making about potential child victims of trafficking from central government to local authorities has been positive. Gaps remain for children outside of pilot areas as well as those deemed not admissible within the pilots. Read more
ECPAT UK welcomes the proposed repeals introduced as part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, including the repeal of the Safety of Rwanda Act 2023 and key sections of the Illegal Migration Act 2023. These include the removal of powers that allowed for the indefinite detention of children and the practice of the Home Office directly accommodating unaccompanied children upon arrival in the UK. Read more
On Human Rights Day, a new report from ECPAT UK and the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner reveals the UK is failing to protect trafficked children, with systemic barriers preventing them from receiving the care and justice they deserve. Read more
Unaccompanied children went missing by the hundreds when accommodated by the Home Office, yet officials denied reports of the on-going risk of exploitation. A new publication from UCL researchers and ECPAT UK found that housing lone children in Home Office child hotels, as occurred between 2021 and January 2024, increased their risks of trafficking and exploitation. Read more
ECPAT UK calls on the new UK Government to take the opportunity to address the on-going failures child victims continue to face and to develop a UK wide child exploitation strategy that respects children's rights to protection and care with ten key priorities for prevention and support. Read more
The High Court has issued its final ruling in the case brought by ECPAT UK on the use of hotels to accommodate unaccompanied children. The judgment, once again, emphasises that Kent County Council cannot derogate from its duties under the Children Act 1989 and that both the Home Office and Kent County Council should take all steps to ensure that the unlawful situation never arises again. Read more
The government has published the evaluation of changes to the Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) service. ECPAT UK urges a reversal of the suspension of post 18 support in light of the evidence of their own evaluation . Read more
The government has published the evaluation of a scheme piloting local decision making on children’s status as victims of trafficking. ECPAT UK welcomes the findings and urges a commitment to full roll out. Read more
Our new Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group briefing reveals alarming data on the support children turning 18 in the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) receive. New Freedom of Information data highlights critical gaps including the consent process and support to make informed decisions regarding the National Referral Mechanism. Read more
ECPAT UK is one of 28 signatories from the anti-trafficking sector to a joint open letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressing our 'deep sadness and concern' as the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill becomes law. Read more
Raising serious concerns about the UK government's accountability and commitment to child protection, the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, David Neal, has been dismissed by the Home Office. Read more
This new report identified the reality of child modern slavery in the UK and signalled a critical call to action. The research highlights challenges stemming from gaps in resources and policy, especially in the absence of a UK wide Child Exploitation Strategy. Read more
High Court has found that a child victim of trafficking was failed by the London Borough of Barnet and the Home Office after receiving no specialist support for several years. Read more
ECPAT UK has welcomed the report from the Home Affairs Select Committee published today following its inquiry into human trafficking. The report speaks out against Home Office treatment of migrant children and calls for increased care for child victims of trafficking in new report. Read more