Transcript Trafficking of Children and Young People

TOWARDS AN ACTION PLAN
ON CHILD TRAFFICKING
David McDonald
Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons
Coordinator
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
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
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
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.”
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
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
UK DECISION MAKING
• Cross Govt Ministerial Group on Human
Trafficking
• Ministers meetings with NGOs
• Officials meetings with NGOs
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
• Children’s (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
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
Action for children:
From source country to identification
and rescue in the UK
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
SOURCE COUNTRIES
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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
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
CARRIERS
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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
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
PORTS OF ENTRY AND ASYLUM
SCREENING UNITS
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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
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
CHILDREN’S SOCIAL SERVICES
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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
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
POLICING
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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.
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
HEALTH
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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
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.
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
PRACTICE GUIDANCE
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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”
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
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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
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.
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
So how will we be doing in three
years time?
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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!
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team
TOWARDS AN ACTION PLAN
ON CHILD TRAFFICKING
David McDonald
Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons
Coordinator
Home Office Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Team