Legislation

Legislation (England)

Key legislation in England relating to child trafficking and modern slavery. Read more

Legislation (Wales)

Key legislation in Wales relating to child trafficking and modern slavery. Read more

Legislation (Scotland)

Key legislation in Scotland relating to child trafficking and modern slavery. Read more

International Legislation

Key international legislation and conventions relating to child trafficking and modern slavery. Read more

Latest

Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026: Second Reading Briefing

ECPAT UK is deeply concerned that a number of provisions in the Immigration and Asylum Bill risk weakening the identification, protection and support available to child victims of trafficking and modern slavery. We are calling on UK Parliamentarians to ensure that child victims of trafficking receive equal protection, support and access to recovery.
ECPAT UK responds to the Immigration and Asylum Bill: child trafficking protections must not depend on immigration status

ECPAT UK is deeply concerned that the Immigration and Asylum Bill will have a profoundly negative impact on children in the UK. Measures that weaken access to protection, reduce safeguards for young people with insecure immigration status, and prioritise immigration control over children's welfare risk increasing children's vulnerability to trafficking, exploitation and harm.
Join the ECPAT UK Summer Bingo Challenge!

This summer, take part in our Summer Bingo Challenge: Play it Forward — a simple and fun way to get active while raising funds for children and young people affected by trafficking and exploitation.
House of Commons event launches 10-year strategic vision to end exploitation in the UK

At the House of Commons, parliamentarians, experts, and survivors launched Decade of dignity – a collaborative 10-year vision to overhaul the UK’s response to modern slavery and exploitation. Discover the key pillars driving this critical call for renewed leadership and systemic change.

What is child trafficking?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols Thereto (including the Palermo Protocol)

The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols Thereto is the main international legal instrument in the fight against transnational organised crime, including human trafficking.

More than Words: how definitions impact on the UK’s response to child trafficking and exploitation

This report highlights how overlaps and gaps in terminology, and how they have created confusion and definitional instabilitythat hinders effective identification and intervention. These inconsistencies impact frontline practice, from safeguarding to policing and prosecution, resulting in missed opportunities to protect children from harm. Read more

ECPAT UK welcomes GRETA’s Fourth Evaluation Report and urges Government to act on urgent child‑specific recommendations

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