Hidden and unheard: unaccompanied and separated migrant children who become trafficked in the UK

This evidence briefing considers the systemic challenges that exist in the UK in relation to identifying, protecting and responding to the needs of a group of children who remain largely unseen and poorly understood by services: unaccompanied children from abroad who are the victims of trafficking.This report is aimed at those who have responsibility for local strategy, planning and, ultimately, delivery of safeguarding responses and support to children and young people at the local level.

The briefing sets out to achieve the following:

• Provide key definitions for Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT), the group of unaccompanied migrant children and young people who become trafficked in the UK, and review the links to current national policy frameworks.
• Outline the nature of child trafficking and the complex and overlapping forms of exploitation that these children may be vulnerable or victim to.
• Provide an overview of the scale and nature of child trafficking from the data gathered in the UK and explore the obstacles to establishing a reliable and current picture.
• Outline current child protection responses to this group of children.
• Consider both systemic and practice challenges that need to be addressed in order to inform localised responses and bring about better outcomes for this highly vulnerable group.