Safeguarding vulnerable children at Heathrow Airport

2 Safeguarding at a port of entry  The purpose of this presentation is to describe current practice by UKBA, Police and London Borough of Hillingdon at Heathrow.  To highlight our learning and development.  To assist delegates develop practice in their own localities.

3  Different reasons why a child / young person arrives unaccompanied in the UK.  The multi-agency response to vulnerable children arriving at Heathrow Airport in  Development of practice since  Questions and answer session. Safeguarding at a port of entry

4  Money, Money, Money…  Costs: Passports, visa, flight tickets Flight arrangements Meet/greet on arrival in UK  Supply and demand. Premeditation and investment

5  Who is this child?  Who are they travelling with?  Who has PR and where are they?  Where is this CYP going?  Why are they in the UK?  Obtain all Information that helps establish risk. Every child does matter

6  Lack of understanding between Social Care in Hillingdon and UKBA.  93% of all referrals took place out of office hours.  Nominal information shared between UKBA and Social Care. Level of service in 2006

7  Engagement with child or young person would not take place until the next working day.  During 2006/07, 251 arrivals of which 70 (28%) subsequently went missing.  Each agency recognised need for action Level of service in 2006

8  Every child matters.  Stronger Multi-agency relationships.  LSCB trafficking sub-group.  Multi-agency operational meetings.  Paladin team all experienced child abuse investigators. Policing developments since 2006

9  How awareness raising has changed culture.  Staff training and creation of specialist teams.  Visas introduced for CYP.  Full audit of activities. UKBA operational developments since 2006

10  Safeguarding coordinators appointed.  New procedures and checklists introduced.  Facilities for children.  Improved inter-agency relationships. UKBA operational developments since 2006

11  Strategic and operational partnership with UKBA, Metropolitan Police and LBH. ◦ Trafficking sub-group of LSCB. ◦ Meeting with UKBA terminal staff. ◦ Fortnightly operational meeting.  Dedicated team of staff on call 24 hours a day. Practice development since 2006

12  Joint assessments with UKBA staff.  Formation of protection plan.  Immediate engagement with child or young person.  Training of all staff including those in placements. Practice development since 2006

13  In the current year 2009/10 a total of 219 children and young people have been referred to LBH of which only 8 have gone missing.  This represents less than 4% of the total compared with 28% in 2006/07.  However, we may simply have displaced the problem to other ports. Outcomes for children

14 ‘A child is a child regardless of his or her colour and he or she must be kept safe. Cultural Issues must be considered but the objective is the safety of the child… safeguards must be in place to ensure skin colour does not influence either the assessment or the quality of services delivered.’ Laming report