About us

Every Child Protected Against Trafficking (ECPAT UK) is a leading children's rights organisation working to protect children from trafficking and transnational exploitation. We support children everywhere to uphold their rights and to live a life free from abuse and exploitation.

Our work

Policy, advocacy and campaigns

We lobby governments to:

improve legislation, policy and practice to protect children
prevent child trafficking
implement tougher action against those who abuse children.

Youth work

We directly support children who have been trafficked and provide expertise in children's cases.

Training

We deliver rights-based, practical training to professionals working with children.

Research

We publish cutting-edge research on child trafficking and exploitation, informed by our direct work with trafficked children and the professionals who support them.

Awareness raising

We work in partnership with various organisations to build a common understanding and to enhance expertise on protecting children from commercial sexual exploitation of children in tourism.

Policy development and legal reform

We work with children's rights organisations, anti-trafficking NGOs, child protection agencies, communities and governments to identify strategies to combat child trafficking and the exploitation of children in tourism.

Latest

UK offender Daniel Erickson-Hull arrested for sexually abusing children in Bulgaria

A UK sex offender has been arrested for sexually abusing children overseas after a BBC investigation discovered he was working as a preacher in a Roma community in Bulgaria. Daniel Erickson-Hull was located by BBC Radio 4’s File on 4 programme into the exploitation of children overseas, which featured an interview with ECPAT UK's Director of Programmes.
Marking 10 years of the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group

This week, we joined our partners from across the sector to mark the tenth anniversary of the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group. ECPAT UK has been a proud member of this vital coalition since it was set up in 2009 to advocate for the rights of trafficking victims.
We're hiring! Development and communications administrator

We're recruiting a development and communications administrator to support our fundraising, communications and finance roles and ensure the effective function of ECPAT UK.
Youth groups' residential trip: a big success!

This month, our youth group members enjoyed a residential trip to the coast for four action-packed days of fun, relaxation and skills-building. Taking part in physical activities and challenges such as the big swing, zipwire, kayaking and abseiling, the young people had lots of fun, tried new things, overcame fears and made happy memories. See our highlights!

Our approach

We take a rights-based approach, centring every child’s fundamental human right to be protected from trafficking and exploitation as outlined in national legislation and the European and international legal framework. Our work is child-centred and guided by the meaningful and ethical participation of the young people we support.
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 International

Established in 1994, ECPAT UK is the national member of ECPAT International, a global network of children's rights organisations coordinating research, advocacy and action to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Our history

Twenty five years ago, the idea of a campaign to ‘End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism’ was launched in Thailand by a small group of concerned individuals. Twenty-five years later, this campaign, ECPAT, has evolved into a global network of civil society organisations dedicated to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Contact us

If you have an immediate concern about a child's welfare, please contact your local council's social care department, who are available 24 hours a day. For all other enquiries related to our work, contact [email protected] or call 020 7607 2136.

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
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.