Human Trafficking: Children

(asked on 23rd January 2019) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans his Department has to make specialist support and accommodation for trafficked children available under the National Referral Mechanism.


Answered by
Victoria Atkins Portrait
Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
This question was answered on 28th January 2019

Independent Child Trafficking Advocates (ICTAs) are a source of specialist support for trafficked children. In July 2018, the Government announced that it would roll out the service to eligible children in one third of local authorities in England and Wales by April 2019.

The Government is committed to rolling ICTAs out nationally. Section 48 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, which makes provisions for ICTAs, is being considered in the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act, led by Frank Field MP, Maria Miller MP, and Baroness Butler-Sloss. The Government will carefully consider any recommendations about ICTAs which come out of the Review ahead of any national rollout.

Local authorities play a pivotal role in the safeguarding of all children in their care, regardless of their backgrounds or experiences. It is absolutely right that local authorities continue to make decisions about the placement and welfare of children, which includes ensuring they have access to suitable accommodation. To support this, in addition to the national rollout of ICTAs, we have revised statutory guidance on the care of unaccompanied children and child victims of modern slavery and funded 1,000 additional training places for foster carers and support workers.

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