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Government calls on professionals and the public to be vigilant to help fight child trafficking - including UK born children

DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES News Release (2007/0233) issued by The Government News Network on 7 December 2007

Government calls on professionals and the public to be vigilant to help fight child trafficking- including UK born children

The government today called on people working with children, community groups and faith groups to help stamp out child trafficking by being extra vigilant and alerting the authorities to their concerns.

In new guidance to be issued jointly by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and Home Office today, local agencies will be asked to raise awareness in their communities of ways to identify a child or young person who may have been trafficked and places where these children can get help.

Safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility, and the guidance will suggest that practitioners and members of the public who are worried that a child in their area may have been trafficked into and within the country should be encouraged to contact the police or the NSPCC helplines.

Signs that indicate that a child may have been trafficked include:

* receiving unexplained/unidentified phone calls whilst in placement/temporary accommodation;

* having a history with missing links and unexplained moves;

* begging for money or being required to earn a minimum amount of money every day

Children's Minister Kevin Brennan said:

"Child trafficking is completely abhorrent. Many trafficked children are too frightened to come forward, so it's vital that both professionals and the public are aware of this issue and know how they can raise the alarm. We are issuing guidance today to all professionals working with children so they can recognise the signs, identify these children and get them help. We want to keep these vulnerable children safe from harm, and help stamp out child trafficking in this country."

Policing, Security and Community Safety Minister Vernon Coaker said:

"Child trafficking is an appalling crime. We are committed to ensuring the victims of this crime are identified at the earliest opportunity and given the help and support they need to overcome their ordeal.

"We are dedicated to ensuring the protection of children and published the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking in March. This contains a comprehensive strategy to improve the identification and safeguarding of child victims of trafficking. This guidance is a vital feature of our action plan and represents a major step towards making better provision for the protection of vulnerable child victims of trafficking. It is multi-agency, and will help all professionals to identify and better protect these children"

The guidance, Safeguarding Children who may have been Trafficked, is aimed at professionals, and will call on border staff, police and health workers to be extra vigilant, outlining the signs they should look for to indicate a child may have been trafficked.

Among the signs that border staff will be asked to look for are:

* children who can not confirm who is meeting them
* Children who have a story similar to that of other children
* Children who do not appear to have any money but do have a mobile phone

Local Authorities and the police will be reminded to remove a child immediately to safety if there is risk of further serious harm.

Children who have been trafficked may be subjected to various forms of abuse and exploitation, and a range of methods used including: locking up the child, threatening them with witchcraft or violence and subduing them with drugs, upon which they become hooked.

The guidance will be available on the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Home Office websites at http://www.dcsf.gov.uk. and http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk

This guidance builds on Working Together to Safeguard Children (2006), reminds agencies of their responsibilities to children, but has specific reference to safeguarding children and young people who may have been trafficked.

Contact details

For public enquiries, please contact the Public Communications Unit on 0870 000 2288.

Members of the public can call 0808 800 5000 and practitioners working with children should contact the NSPCC's Child Trafficking Advice Line on 0800 107 7057.

NOTES TO EDITORS

On 23 March 2007 the Home Secretary, on behalf of the UK Government, signed the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. On the same day the Home Office published the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking.

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