Local Authority Pilots of the London Safeguarding Trafficked Children Guidance and Toolkit

Abstract

Following the UK Government’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings in December 2008, a National Referral Mechanism (NRM) was implemented for adults and children trafficked into and within the UK. To accompany this mechanism the London Safeguarding Children Board developed an assessment framework and guidance to support practitioners and policy makers working with suspected victims of child trafficking. This framework and guidance was piloted as the London SCB London Safeguarding Trafficked Children Toolkit 2009 in 12 local authority areas across the UK and monitored by a national monitoring group consisting of representatives of various interested stakeholders. The monitoring included three short questionnaires for the 12 pilot local authorities and corresponding police forces, with additional statistics provided by UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC).  This monitoring report is being undertaken by the London Safeguarding Children Board to identify ways in which the assessment framework in the toolkit facilitated or hindered the identification, assessment and support of trafficked children in the 12 pilot local authority areas. This information is intended to inform the redrafting of the 2006 London Procedure for Safeguarding Trafficked and Exploited Children and the development of safeguarding procedure and practice in existing and future national trafficked children mechanisms. It will also enable London boards and their partner agencies to share good practice in local safeguarding responses to trafficked children.