Child trafficking is a growing problem across the UK. These are many complex definitions but for simplicity, we at sunrise Transitional Services define it as;

      “The movement of children for the purpose of exploitation and abuse” 

Research suggests that children/ young people (girls and boys) of all ages are trafficked into and throughout the UK from all over the world and exploited for many different purposes including sexual exploitation, forced labour, benefit fraud and criminal activity (such as the cultivation of cannabis and street crime). As a result child trafficking is a hidden and concealed crime. However, now that statutory authorities are equipped with a basic awareness of trafficking indicators, these children are becoming detected and safeguarded.

On arrival in the UK, trafficked children are extremely vulnerable.

Many will;
  •  be unable to speak English
  • be unaware their human rights
  • have no knowledge of UK culture and procedures.

Research states from the numbers of trafficked young people who go missing from local authority provided care that this remains a significant child protection issue. It is likely that, given the levels of grooming and coercion, young people go missing from care homes, back into the hands of their traffickers and re-entering a situation of exploitation. Consequently Sunrise Transitional Services aims to provide adequate levels of supervision and helping to break the contact between the child and trafficker can help safeguard children from further abuse.

To accommodate young people safely we ;
  • ensure that staff members have knowledge about trafficking indicator
  • understand how trafficking process and the impact of exploitation and trauma has on a child’s development, behaviour and sense of safety.
  • undertake ongoing risk assessments prior to and during a placement
  •  identify a youg persons’s needs and know how to respond to them
  •  develop individualised safety plans to minimise the risk of young people going missing
  • work with other agencies in the young person’s best interests to bring safety to the young person
  • increased supervision ( Waking Night staff are in place)
  • educating young people  about the dangers of trafficking and their human rights
  • creating a barrier of communication between the young person and trafficker (for example, supervised visits to the young persons’s accommodation and limited/no access to phones or the internet)
  • providing a helpline for children to memorise in case they do go missing

Sunrise Transitional Service works to empower and advocate for young people in our care who have been victims of trafficking. Young people are offered the support of a dedicated key worker who will provide emotional and practical support young people, and work with them to begin the process of healing and starting a new life free from exploitation in order to achieve Positive Outcomes.

The key worker will also assist in navigating the legal and social services systems and ensure that their rights as children and individuals are respected.

We ensure that young people;
  • feel safe by providing with safe and secure accommodation with other young people in a similar situation .
  • are empowered to take control of their lives and improve their confidence and self esteem.
  • have access to specialist services to support them such as mental health, legal representation.
  •  have access to education and training , health services and opportunities to make friends and socialise  which is  vitally important for trafficked children to  rebuild their lives and start to move on from their experiences.
  • continue with past customs and cultures and opportunities to create new ones
  • Opportunities to move forward from troubling experiences, re-centre their lives, and find new purpose in everyday routines and activities.
  • have the opportunity to access accredited immigration solicitors or legal advisors, where necessary
We do this by supporting young people to;
  • engage with education with local college courses and access to out of education activities to help develop their English skills  and gain confidence in themselves integrate
  • manage the emotional impact of disclosure of previous abuse
  • Support to disclose details that would help to prosecute those who trafficked them, taking into account trafficked young people need to be fully informed about risks and proceedings before agreeing to testify against perpetrators.
  • understand the pathway planning process
  • ensure they felt supported and gain the life skills to move to independent accommodation at 18+ and cope with their situation.

 

We provide a written weekly up-date report on the young person’s progress, identifying any issues or concerns that may have arisen throughout the previous weeks. The unit manager is available to attend meeting to further plan/discuss the young person case.

We are fully committed to the pursuit of excellence in our work with young people in our care and we invite you to contact us to discuss your needs and gain a fuller insight into the services we provide.

 

 Useful contacts – Services for child victims of Trafficking

  • AFRUCA – Africans Unite Against Child Abuse

Tel: 0207 704 2261   Email: info@afruca.org    Website: www.afruca.org

  • UK Modern Slavery Helpline

Tel: 0800 0121 700     Website: www.modernslavery.co.uk