Page 24 - Getting it Right for Vulnerable Children and Young People in North Ayrshire

Children who have been trafficked are extremely vulnerable. If trafficked externally, they are in a foreign country where they may not speak the language and have no one to turn to for support and protection. Moreover, they are unlikely to understand the welfare system and may be suspicious of any form of adult intervention, having been betrayed and abused by adults in the past. Further, in some countries the authorities, such as the police, immigration, school teachers or government officials, are corrupt and cannot be trusted so the child has no reason to believe it will be any different in the UK. After being abused by multiple adults, trafficked children are often fearful of all adults. They may also be afraid of official agencies because they do not know that they are victims who will be protected in the UK. A victim of child trafficking may consider themselves as complicit, especially if they have been groomed. A victim of grooming can even feel loyalty or love for their abuser, unaware that they are being exploited. This can make providing services and treatment to trafficked children especially difficult. How to respond Professionals who are likely to come into contact with trafficked children need to know the signs a child may have been trafficked, be able to apply this knowledge to situations they may come across and know how to respond to a trafficked child and to instigate child protection procedures. It is very difficult to identify a child who has been trafficked. By its nature, trafficking is an activity that is hidden. In addition, there are many different ways that children may be trafficked, and these can look very different. There are, nevertheless, some indicators that should lead you to suspect that a child may have been trafficked. There will be different indicators at different points along a child's journey. For example, at the port of entry to the UK, they may have no passport, or false documentation. Once resident, they may have health concerns such as being malnourished, or having signs of physical abuse. They may not be registered with a GP. They may be absent from school for long periods of time, or not be enrolled in a school. They may possess money or items such as phones they cannot account for. They may go missing from local authority care. Sometimes the concerns are very difficult to evidence, for example a child who is treated differently from other children in the household, or who appears to be unduly controlled or influenced by the adults caring for them. Getting It Right For Vulnerable Children and Young People in North Ayrshire Live V1.2 April 2014 Page No:24