Hundreds of child migrants MISSING in UK raising fears over human trafficking

Source : Express

Auteur : Joey Millar

«  HUNDREDS of child migrants are currently unaccounted for in the United Kingdom, raising fears they are being exploited by human traffickers or sold for sex.

Authorities have lost track of 360 children, the majority of which have been missing for more than two years.

Of this, 81 have been missing for more than five years, according to Home Office figures released to The Independent.

Campaigners are now accusing the government of failing the children, who they say have been “let down by a system which is meant to keep them safe.”

The Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, said : “Any child who goes missing can be exposed to people who seek to harm them, so there is certainly no room for complacency when it comes to tracing them.

“Authorities must carry out proper risk assessments and put in place safeguarding plans for all children who are in their care and there needs to be clear communication about responsibilities when they move between areas.

“They must also work with the police to ensure that any child who goes missing child is located as soon as possible so that they can be protected.”

While the vast majority of the 9,287 children who have arrived in the UK over the past five years are still accounted for, the hundreds of missing children are still huge cause for concern.

Labour MP Yvette Cooper said : “For years, the Government has been warned about vulnerable children, often victims of the most heinous crime of child trafficking, disappearing from the system.

“As Shadow Home Secretary, I called on Theresa May to implement a nationwide system of legal guardians to monitor child victims of trafficking living in the UK, as part of the Slavery Bill.

“The government’s trial ended last September, so why do we still have no concrete policy change to protect these children ? If the now Prime Minister is serious about addressing modern slavery, she would urgently address this crisis.” »