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 international legal framework. Our work is child-centred and guided by the meaningful and ethical participation of the young people we support.

Latest

New free webinar and online training programme

ECPAT UK has today re-launched its training programme, with courses adapted into interactive online modules until it is safe to hold in person training again. The new training programme will kick off with a free webinar on focusing practice on the best interests of the child, on Tuesday 14th July.
Free Webinar: Focusing practice on the best interests of child victims of trafficking

Join us for a free, one hour webinar on focusing practice on the best interests of child victims of trafficking. Trafficked children have often experienced complex forms of abuse and find themselves in an ever more complex system of safeguarding, asylum and criminal justice. We'll explore the common areas of practice where we lose sight of the best interests of the child and how we can ensure children's best interests are fully embedded in all aspects of practice.
21 charities ask Children's Commissioner to investigate failings to children and young people during Covid-19 pandemic

ECPAT UK, MiCLU, Shpresa Programme, Young Roots and 17 other organisations have written to the Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, to highlight the disproportionate impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on looked after children and young people seeking asylum, including those who have been trafficked. The letter calls on the Commissioner to use her statutory powers to investigate cases of serious failings in support for this vulnerable group of children and young people.
Standing together in solidarity with Black Lives Matter

The murder of George Floyd by police in the USA has shone a light on the racism, injustice and inequality that black and minority ethnic people experience globally and the systemic and global inequality that historic ideas about race have produced. We stand in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter campaign and all those protesting against racism.

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.
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.
Child trafficking statistics
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.
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.