In February 2015, the government made significant progress in the protection of trafficked children by amending the Modern Slavery Act so that advocates for child victims of trafficking will be given legal powers under the new act.
The government should now reconsider the case for all separated children to be allocated an independent legal advocate, also referred to as a "guardian". Not only will this ensure that all trafficked children are identified and protected, but also that extremely vulnerable separated children fleeing war, violence and persecution receive the support they are entitled to.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has called on States to establish systems of guardianship to support separated children and young people in the immigration system. These children are uniquely vulnerable, facing the daunting experience of coming to an unfamiliar place, struggling with language barriers and not fully understanding the different procedures and processes they have to undergo.
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