Unaccompanied children must be protected by the care system, not placed in hotels

We write in response to ECPAT UK’s new report Outside the Frame, which gives chilling statistics on how many children arriving in England without a parent or guardian in the last year were denied the urgent care the state owes them. We are a wide range of organisations who want children in the UK to be seen as children first and foremost and to be protected and cared for safely and without discrimination.

1,606 children who arrived alone in England between July 2021 and June 2022 were placed in hotel accommodation directly by the Home Office, instead of in the care of local authorities where they could receive the support and protection that, by law, every child in the UK is entitled to. 45 children, some as young as 11, went missing over a 10-month period.

Our concern for these children cannot be overstated. Already vulnerable, separated and traumatised, isolated from family support networks, they are at greatest risk of going missing and of exploitation and trafficking. Some may have already been trafficked and are at significant risk of being re-trafficked. They need - and are entitled to - care in supportive foster or residential homes, with skilled professionals to help them recover in safety.

The Home Office is breaching the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 and the Children Act 1989 by continuing to assume direct responsibility and to house children in Home Office-acquired accommodation, undermining the legal framework all our children rely on and creating an unofficial shadow system in which children, as the data now shows, may disappear from sight.

This unacceptable policy, condemned by Ofsted, the Home Affairs Select Committee and also over 70 organisations this time last year, has been explained by the Department for Education and the Home Office as an ‘emergency measure’ but has been in practice for two years. It amounts to negligence in corporate parenting duties and is void of respect for children’s rights. We urge government to step up to its most vital role - protecting and caring for children.

Action is urgently needed: this is the time of year when Kent County Council may consider its capacity to take responsibility for unaccompanied children is exceeded by the numbers of children arriving, and the council may once again consider it cannot fulfil its duties to any of them. We repeat our concerns of July 2021 that the response of the government should not be to place children in hotels, outside of the care system.

The care system across all local authorities is severely stretched, and children’s services departments are in the impossible position of having to accept children they don’t have appropriate homes and services to support. We therefore support the recommendations in ECPAT UK’s report: use of Home Office hotel accommodation must cease and central government must invest in proper care for children, so that local authorities can accept and
support every child who arrives on our shores without a parent or guardian, as the law dictates.

Signatories as at Friday 12th August 2022:

Kathy Evans, CEO, Children England
Patricia Durr, CEO, ECPAT UK
Andy Elvin CEO TACT
Nick Watts Director Together with Migrant Children
Jane Collins Director FosterSupport
Sherry Peck, CEO, Safer London
Navinder Kaur, CEO, Voluntary Action Islington
Mark Lee Chief, CEO, Together Trust
Debbie Hughes, Director/CEO, Hounslow Action for Youth (HAY)
Ian Soars, CEO, Spurgeon's
Andrea Maddocks, CEO, Mentor Link
Andrew Varley, CEO, St. Vincent's Family Project
Jackie Rosenberg, CEO, One Westminster
Christine Freeman, Acting Chair, Enfield Children and Young People's Services
Simon Barrow, Director Ekklesia,
Vivienne Evans, CEO, Adfam
Maggie Jones, CEO, CVAA
Carolyne Willow, Director, Article 39
Hannah Baynes, Paediatric Consultant, NHS
Katharine Sacks-Jones, CEO, Become
Clare Scherer, CEO, Naval Children's Charity
Katie Clarke, Director, Bringing Us Together
Sara Robinson, Centre Director, St Augustine's Centre
Mark Simms, CEO, P3 Charity
Anna Khan, CEO, Welcare
Shaqib Juneja Interim, CEO, My Family Group
Temi Mwale, Executive Director, The 4Front Project Ltd
Andrea Hunt, Foster Carer, Warwickshire County Council
Andrew Evans, CEO, METRO Charity
Zara Mohammed, Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Sabah Gilani, Director, Muslim Mind Collaborative
Fadi Itani OBE, CEO, Muslim Charities Forum
Kashif Shabir, CEO, Muslim Aid
John McGowan, General Secretary, Social Workers Union
Anna Feuchtwang, CEO, National Children's Bureau
Brigid Robinson, Managing Director, Coram Voice
Dr Razia Shariff, CEO, Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN)
Carole Littlechild, Chair, Nagalro – Professional Association for Children’s Guardians, Family Court, Advisers and Independent Social Workers
Sariya Cheruvallil, Contractor Associate Professor in the Sociology of Islam, Centre for Trust, Peace and Social
Relations, Coventry University
Sharon Martin, Chair, National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP)
Alison Pickup, Director, Asylum Aid
Philip Ishola, CEO, Love146
Richard Hammond, CEO, The Separated Child Foundation
Tim Naor Hilton, CEO, Refugee Action
Martin Sexton, Chair, Policy Ethics and Human Rights Committee, British Association of Social Workers
Bella Sankey, Director, Detention Action
Dr Paul Rigby, Senior Lecturer, Social Work, University of Stirling
Dr Natalia Paszkiewicz, Project Lead, Da'aro Youth Project
Emily Crowley, CEO, Student Action for Refugees
Dr Carol Homden CBE, Group Chief Executive, Coram
Hamida Ali, Director, ECYPS-Children & Young Persons Services
Alison Birch, Director, After18
Celia Sands, CEO, South London Refugee Association
Jimmy Zachariah, CEO, Baca
Dr Edie Friedman, CEO, The Jewish Council for Racial Equality (JCORE)
Kayte Cable and Vicki Felgate, Co-Founders, Big Leaf Foundation
Catherine Gladwell, CEO, Refugee Education UK
Enver Solomon, CEO, Refugee Council
Andrew Sirel, Legal Director & Partner, JustRight Scotland
Cathy Ashley, CEO, Family Rights Group
Katie Fennell, National Coordinator, Kids in Need of Defense UK (KIND UK)
Melian Mansfield, Chair of Trustees, London Play
Naomi Jackson, Development Lead, Social Workers Without Borders
Justin Humphreys, CEO, Thirtyone:eight
Lynn Perry MBE, CEO, Barnardo's
Beth Wilson, CEO, Bristol Refugee Rights
Matt Blacker, CEO, Hope for the Young
Karen Pearse, Director, Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Ellen Broome, Managing Director, CoramBAAF
Molly Brech, Head of Services (Brent), Young Roots
Rebecca Ives, Associate Solicitor, Wilson Solicitors LLP

Latest

ECPAT UK responds to the King's Speech

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.
Behind Closed Doors: A Storytelling Legal and Empirical Analysis of Human Trafficking Risks in Home Office Hotels Compared to Other Accommodation for Unaccompanied Children and Young People Seeking Asylum in the UK

New report by University of College London (UCL) and ECPAT UK aimed to investigate the risks of trafficking and exploitation in Home Office child hotels among unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the UK. Researchers interviewed young people themselves as well as professionals such as social workers, policy stakeholders, academics, lawyers, law enforcement, support workers, and NGO staff.
Lone children seeking asylum in the UK placed in Home Office hotels are at increased risk of exploitation suggests new publication by UCL researchers and ECPAT UK

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.
ECPAT UK calls for a UK wide child exploitation strategy with key priorities for action for the new UK Government to tackle child trafficking

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.

ECPAT UK responds to the King's Speech

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.
Lone children seeking asylum in the UK placed in Home Office hotels are at increased risk of exploitation suggests new publication by UCL researchers and ECPAT UK

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.
ECPAT UK calls for a UK wide child exploitation strategy with key priorities for action for the new UK Government to tackle child trafficking

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.
Final judgment issued in ECPAT UK case against Kent County Council and the Home Office

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.
Evaluation of the expanded Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTG) roles published by the Home Office

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 .
Home Office publishes evaluation of local decision-making pilots

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.
ECPAT UK Big Give Kind2Mind matched fundraiser supporting young victims of trafficking to THRIVE!

ECPAT UK is taking part for the first time in the Big Give Kind2Mind Matched Fundraising campaign. From 14th May to 28th May all donations are DOUBLED in support of our direct work promoting mental health with child victims of trafficking through our therapeutic and trauma informed work.
New data reveals alarming numbers of child victims of modern slavery turning 18 are excluded from support

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.
Open letter to Rishi Sunak on the passing of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Act

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.
Joint statement on the treatment of unaccompanied children in response to Chief Inspectorate reports

ECPAT UK has joined 19 other organisations in continuing the call for an independent inquiry into the treatment of unaccompanied children following the publication of outstanding reports including the reinspection of Home Office hotels, by His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration

Child trafficking statistics

The latest data on the number of victims of trafficking in the UK and worldwide.
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.
What is child trafficking?
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.
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.
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.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an international human rights treaty that grants all children and young people (aged 17 and under) a comprehensive set of rights. The UK signed the Convention on 19 April 1990, ratified it on 16 December 1991 and it came into force on 15 January 1992.
About us

ECPAT UK is a leading children's rights organisation working to protect children from child trafficking and transnational child exploitation. We support children everywhere to uphold their rights and to live a life free from abuse and exploitation.
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.
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