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. Read more
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. Read more
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. Read more
Eleanor Lyons, current Deputy to the Children's Commissioner, has been announced as the new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner today by the Home Office after 18 month vacancy Read more
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. Read more
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. Read more
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 . Read more
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. Read more
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. Read more
This new report identified the reality of child modern slavery in the UK and signalled a critical call to action. The research highlights challenges stemming from gaps in resources and policy, especially in the absence of a UK wide Child Exploitation Strategy. Read more
High Court has found that a child victim of trafficking was failed by the London Borough of Barnet and the Home Office after receiving no specialist support for several years. Read more
ECPAT UK has welcomed the report from the Home Affairs Select Committee published today following its inquiry into human trafficking. The report speaks out against Home Office treatment of migrant children and calls for increased care for child victims of trafficking in new report. Read more
High Court rules that the Home Secretary acted irrationally in its operation of the National Transfer Scheme in a further judgement about the accommodation of unaccompanied children in Home Office hotels. Read more
The King’s Speech, which was held on 7th November 2023, announces new laws to tackle online child exploitation whilst reconfirming the UK government’s desire to remove the rights of child victims. Read more
At a further High Court hearing on 15th September Mr Justice Chamberlain ordered the Home Office to take all possible steps to transfer all unaccompanied children seeking asylum currently in Home Office hotels to local authority care by 22 September 2023. Read more
At a further High Court hearing on 17th August Mr Justice Chamberlain ordered continued oversight of the treatment of unaccompanied children by the Home Secretary and Kent County Council, marking the unlawful conduct of the local authority by a specific declaration and setting out further conditions and evidence for the defendants to comply with and a further court hearing. Read more
The High Court has upheld ECPAT UK's claim that both Kent County Council and the Secretary of State for the Home Department have acted unlawfully in respect duties owed to children under The Children Act 1989 and routine placement of unaccompanied children seeking asylum in hotels. Read more
Following an application for judicial review of the treatment of unaccompanied children made on the 9th June 2023 by ECPAT UK, the charity has been granted permission. The case will be heard in Administrative Court 1, Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st July. Read more
Members of ECPAT UK’s Youth Advisory Group warn that the measures in the Illegal Migration Bill will leave children unsafe and at risk of trafficking and retrafficking. The young people who arrived in the UK unaccompanied and who have experienced modern slavery have written to parliamentarians to share their own experiences and to urge them to protect children in votes on the Illegal Migration Bill In a letter, Read more
For the first time in its history, ECPAT UK is taking steps to legally challenge the government and Kent County Council to uphold the rights of children and stop the continued practice by the Home Office of unlawfully placing unaccompanied children in hotels Over 150 children who remain missing from these hotels and 5,570 accommodated there Read more
In this Refugee Month join with us in standing up for and supporting children seeking safety and ensure that every child is cared for and protected Read more
ECPAT UK has secured a grant from the Greater London Authority through the Propel initiative to support the charity’s Youth Programme and provide high quality one to one and group mentoring to young victims of trafficking across London over the next two years. Read more
Children's charities including NSPCC, Barnardo's, Action for Children, The Children's Society and National Children's Bureau coordinated by Children England and ECPAT UK condemn proposals set out in the Illegal Migration Bill to create a segregated system of care for unaccompanied children outside of local authority social care duties under our child welfare legislation in the Children Act 1989 Read more
ECPAT UK with The Refugee Council has coordinated a letter with the support of over 100 charities calling on the Prime Minister to take action on children going missing from Home Office hotels at risk of trafficking and exploitation. The charities want an end to the practice, for all children to be looked after properly and for an urgent independent inquiry Read more
Sima Modhvadia, an Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) with Barnardo’s National Counter Trafficking Service, has been awarded ECPAT UK’s Children’s Champion Award for 2022. The award is made in recognition of Sima’s outstanding work with young victims and her exceptional nurturing and empowering approach. Read more
ECPAT UK responds to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration report of their inspection on the use of hotels to house unaccompanied children seeking asylum. Read more