Child trafficking to be referred to 'competent authorities'

Under the new protocol, which has been introduced by the Home Office and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, all suspected cases of human trafficking should be referred to designated "competent authorities" for assessment.

The competent authorities in the UK will be based in the UK Human Trafficking Centre, as well as the UK Border Agency, which will assess cases where trafficking is raised as part of an asylum claim or in the context of other immigration processes.

The role of the competent authorities will be to determine if there are "reasonable or conclusive" grounds that a person referred may be considered and recorded as a victim of human trafficking.

All cases must be referred via the National Referral Mechanism, which involves using a specially designed form.

A spokeswoman for End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (Ecpat) said that, while the new procedure was an important step, safeguarding children must be the priority.
 
She added: "Safeguarding procedures must take place from day one and must not be put on hold in order to complete paperwork".

The introduction of the protocol follows the government's ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings.