Training

"ECPAT UK helped me view life from the victim's perspective, making the reality of our job worthy." Social worker, London

ECPAT UK’s multidisciplinary team provides a wide range of training courses in relation to modern slavery, trafficking and exploitation for individuals and organisations. As well as the training courses offered below, we can provide bespoke training to your organisation to ensure it is tailored and relevant to your work.

Our comprehensive training programme has been created in line with National Occupational Standards and many of our courses are CPD accredited. ECPAT UK has delivered training courses for more than 20 years to build frontline workers' capacity and help improve responses to child trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation across the UK.

Please note that due to Covid-19, our training courses have been postponed until a later date when it is safe to hold them again. We will update these pages as soon as we know more.

Please contact Phil by emailing [email protected] to register your interest for future course dates or to discuss your organisation's needs.

An Overview of Child Trafficking, Exploitation and Modern Slavery

Our full-day face-to-face training will support participants to develop a clear understanding of how to recognise child trafficking, exploitation and modern slavery, as well as provide up-to-date skills to respond to these abuses and better support trafficked children. Read more

Child Criminal Exploitation and Trafficking

In this full-day training course, participants will gain an understanding of the causes and dynamics of forced criminality amongst children in the UK. This course will build participants' capacity to identify the various forms of forced criminality and provide best practice guidance and tools to support participants to respond appropriately and safeguard children in their work. A more specific and specialist version of this course can be provided for those working in the Youth Justice System. Read more

Accommodating trafficking victims: Missing from care

After providing an overview of trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation this course focuses on the specific challenges of accommodating victims of trafficking and separated children seeking asylum. This course will give participants an understanding of the pervasive problem of vulnerable children going missing from care and will support participants with the best practice guidance and practical tools to care for trafficking victims and prevent them from going missing and being re-trafficked. Read more

Child trafficking through ritual and spiritual abuse

After giving an overview of the issue of trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation this course focuses on the particular issue of ritual and spiritual abuse and its relationship to trafficking and modern slavery. Read more

Child Trafficking and Exploitation in Tourism

This training is designed for those working across the tourism industry and aims to give participants an understanding of the relationship between tourism and trafficking, as well as equip them with policies and best practice to protect children from exploitation. Training is available to hotels, tour operators, travel agents and others interested in ethical and sustainable tourism. Read more

The Modern Slavery Act 2015

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 makes provisions for the protection of child victims of trafficking. This course assists frontline professionals to understand their responsibility under the Act and use it to improve identification, responses and care of child victims of trafficking. In this course other key legislation relevant to frontline workers will also be covered. Read more

Bespoke training for professionals

We deliver bespoke training courses across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (or even further afield). Each course is tailored to your organisation’s needs. Read more

Register now for our FREE child trafficking webinars!

Calling all lawyers, advocates, social workers and more! ECPAT UK, as part of the European Commission funded ReACT Project, is offering two free online tutorials for those working with trafficked children. Read more

E-learning

ECPAT UK hosts online training courses to supplement our face-to-face training for those who may work with children who have been victims of exploitation. Read more

Hire a speaker

We are keen to share our experience and expertise in promoting the rights of children. In addition to providing training, we can also offer expert speakers for events and activities, tailored to your organisation’s needs and events. Read more

Latest

The impact of Covid-19 on victims of trafficking, now and beyond

As lockdown measures begin to ease, many of us across the country are eagerly waiting a return to normality. But for children and young people affected by trafficking, the government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic has created a new set of risks and obstacles - deepening inequalities, worsening instability and creating a perfect storm for children to be re-trafficked or harmed.

In it together: How we’re supporting young victims of trafficking through the lockdown

The UK lockdown has brought new challenges to members of our youth programme and has forced us to adapt the support we provide them. But thanks to the dedication and resilience of our youth workers, volunteers and young people, our regular peer support sessions are continuing online and we’re able to respond quickly to emerging needs.

Take part in the 2.6 challenge

Help raise vital money for our work with trafficked children and young people this Sunday, 26th April by joining the 2.6 challenge! On the day the London marathon was due to take place, join thousands across the country taking part in a fundraising challenge from home. Simply pick a challenge based around the numbers 26 or 2.6 and get fundraising!

ECPAT UK and UK's Anti-Slavery Commissioner call for evidence of best practice in multi-agency decision making

The UK’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner has today launched a call for evidence to identify models of good practice for multi-agency decision making. If you’re a frontline professional with experience of multi-agency working, we want to hear from you.

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.