1. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team TOWARDS AN ACTION PLAN ON CHILD TRAFFICKING David McDonald Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Coordinator

2. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team TOWARDS AN ACTION PLAN ON CHILD TRAFFICKING Why a UK action plan on human trafficking The international framework Why we need a distinct set of action points on child trafficking Key components and challenges

3. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team UK ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING EU/ UK link- EU Action plan December 2005. UK consultation April 2006 - summary of responses June 2006 - publication in new year 2007 Three elements: -Prevention of trafficking -Investigation, law enforcement and prosecution -Providing protection and assistance to victims

4. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team UK INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS 2000 UN Palermo Protocol Common definition Loose framework for international cooperation Encourages states to consider adequate protection for victims 2002 EU Framework Decision More binding legislative framework / penalties Council of Europe Convention Mandatory residence permits and reflection periods Prevents return to third countries Work in source and transit countries by HO, Reflex, FCO, DfID

5. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team THE PALERMO DEFINITION Trafficking in persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

6. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team UK LEGISLATION Immigration Act 1972. Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 Sexual Offences Act 2003 Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 Children Act 1989 Children Act 2004

7. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team UK DECISION MAKING Cross Govt Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking Ministers meetings with NGOs Officials meetings with NGOs

8. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team WHY WE NEED A DISTINCT ACTIONS FOR CHILD VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING Source countries - not always the same as adults Carriers – spotting children at risk Ports of Entry Asylum Screening units – identification, referral and recording Childrens (social ) services – the 1989 Children Act – safe arrangements, LSCBs Police – Child protection officers at ports - investigation and identification Health services – access to CAMHS, GUMs, GPs Schools – identification and referral Practice Guidance – multi agency and training Communications and marketing – raising awareness Research /Intelligence gathering – an evidence based approach

9. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team Action for children: From source country to identification and rescue in the UK

10. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team SOURCE COUNTRIES Ensure potential victims and Communities at risk are alerted as to the risk of trafficking New Global Visa Regs. from Feb 2006. DfES to explore with IND and UK Visas, a process for vetting and approving addresses and carers for unaccompanied children applying to stay in UK in excess of 28 days

11. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team CARRIERS Training airline cabin staff to be alert to children at risk and pass on concerns ALON Code of Practice developed and implemented Passenger lists to IND to check potential offenders and children at risk

12. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team PORTS OF ENTRY AND ASYLUM SCREENING UNITS Police, including Special Branch training for officers located at ports of entry. Develop means of recording child sponsors who may pose a risk of harm to separated children at ports of entry and ASUs Ensure that ASU staff and social services colleagues are fully appraised of the relevant guidance and trained Ensure referrals are tracked using NRUC

13. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team CHILDRENS SOCIAL SERVICES Review Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance and produce supplemental guidance on child trafficking. Collaborate with DfES and DH in developing protocols for recording child trafficking cases Ensure the needs of victims of Child trafficking are addressed and recorded by LSCBs Agree safe arrangements for trafficked children to be accommodated within UASC Reform Programme

14. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team POLICING ACPO group on child trafficking to produce practice guidance for police officers investigating child trafficking cases Ensure ACPO guidance links with multi agency guidance Collaborate with DfES and DH in developing protocols for recording child trafficking cases Ensure Child trafficking cases are recorded Ensure role of Special Branch Officers at Ports of entry is included in police guidance.

15. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team HEALTH Awareness Raising for SHAs and PCTs Ensure adequate access to CAMHS, GP services and GUM clinics for trafficked children within UASC reform programme Produce practice guidance for health professionals in clinics and hospitals Collaborate with HO DfES and DH in developing protocols for recording child trafficking cases

16. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team SCHOOLS Ensure guidance to teachers and other education professionals in recognising and referring children who may have been trafficked is included in WTSC supplement.

17. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team PRACTICE GUIDANCE Activate Professionals Trafficking Advice Line in Partnership with NSPCC and CEOP and ECPAT Draft multi agency guidance to link with service specific guidance as supplement to Working Together to Safeguard Children

18. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Collaborate with DfES and DH to promote Working Together supplementary guidance Launch UK Action Plan, to include statement of intent showing actions to be carried out with milestones. X govt circular ministerial signature Ministerial attendance at events Ensure child trafficking is incorporated into public awareness campaigns on human trafficking

19. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team RESEARCH AND INTELLIGENCE GATHERING Complete scoping study on the extent of child trafficking and disseminate analysis to inform policy and further research.

20. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team So how will we be doing in three years time? Better awareness of risks in source countries More public and professional awareness Better more sophisticated intelligence Better skills in identification across the sector Ownership by LSCBs Knowledgeable practitioners Safe and sensitive child protection resources Data collection systems and protocols in place Internationally coordinated operations More prosecutions and fewer victims!

21. Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team TOWARDS AN ACTION PLAN ON CHILD TRAFFICKING David McDonald Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Coordinator