Agenda item

Report by Director, Strategy, Policy & Performance

(Teresa Gallagher, Team Manager, West Transitions Team, was in attendance for this item)

1.         Ms Gallagher introduced the report and highlighted key facts about trafficking problem, namely:-

(a)       the absence of any quantity of research into the subject, where research started to be done only recently, 2003/04.  Some pilot work was being undertaken in London boroughs, eg., Harrow. 

(b)       the difficulty of defining “Trafficked” as opposed to smuggled or unaccompanied young people.  This difficulty hinders research into the extent of the problem and also the ability to bring cases to court.

(c)        Trafficking is not necessarily into the UK from abroad – young people can also be trafficked within and around the UK. 

2.         In debate, and in response to questions from Members, the following points were highlighted:-

(a)       The UK was still very attracted to young people from abroad who still they can find prosperity here.  Finding relatively low paid work with wages which are exploitative by UK standards still gives them more than they would earn at home and allows them to send some money back to their families at home.  Many, however, become trapped, exploitative and abusive relationships working for those who brought them into the country.

(b)       The (Transition Team) do not send a young person to live with a putative relative in the UK unless and until a detailed kinship assessment has been undertaken.  This will look at the relative’s ability and motivation to care for the young person and check that they have suitable accommodation for them.  Assessment is similar to that undertaken prior to a foster placement.  Members of the team will then attend a supervised visit of the young person to the relative before placing them.

(c)        As trafficking is difficult to detect, Social Services rely on colleagues in other disciplines/professions to help pass on information as well as the public to report suspicious behaviour.  To help with this, however, the public need to be able to identify signs of trafficking before being able to judge what is suspicious.  The public also need a well publicised point of call to report suspicions comparative to the Child-line number.

(d)       The Integrated Process Scheme would help in identifying a child who may be trafficked as databases of information from different disciplines come together.  Schools are a good first source of information (eg., to identify a child who suddenly stops attending and may have been moved on to another part of the UK).  However, some children do not enter the education system at all. 

3.         From discussion, a number of ideas from possible work were put forward:-

(a)       KCC could produce a Pledge for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeker Children and Young People (UASCYP) similar to that produced for Looked After Children;

(b)       A public awareness campaign to raise public knowledge of the issue could also sent the message of traffickers that we are watching them.  School children could be asked to design posters and publicity material for the campaign and an awareness week like fostering or adoption week could also be helpful.

4.         RESOLVED that:-

(a)       information in the report and given in response to questions be noted, with thanks; and

(b)       a report be presented to a future meeting of the Board to set out outcomes of the Harrow pilot work.  To this meeting it would be useful to invite representatives from the Police and the Immigration Services, the latter to tell the Board about training given to Immigration Officers around the issue of trafficking.

(c)        The Leader of the County Council be fully briefed on the issued of trafficking as part of the immigration issue to give a higher profile.

(d)       The ideas for suggested future works set out in paragraph 3 above be developed.