1. Introduction

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i. The term ‘practitioner’ refers to individuals working in the fields of child exploitation and safeguarding, or related fields (such as education, health, local authorities etc.), as well as modern slavery first responders, service providers and relevant NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs), and community and civil society organisations working with children and their families.

Introduction

Men, women and children of any age can be victims of modern slavery and human trafficking but, in line with global trends, children are disproportionately affected within the UK. In response to this, and to coincide with the United Nations International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) and Cumberland Lodge are working in partnership to hold a crosssector conference on the topic of Practitioner Responses to Child Trafficking: Emerging Good Practice, in October 2021. This conference brings together practitioners, academics, policymakers, and representatives from wider civil society and survivor organisations, for candid conversations about the role of practitioneri evidence in responding to child exploitation in the UK, with the goal of improving how evidence is shared to inform policy and improve survivor outcomes. The conference centres on the voices of survivors, to explore how best to protect and support victims of child trafficking in future. The Cumberland Lodge and IASC conference aims to discuss: 1. responses to the sources of harm to children (such as perpetrators of exploitation), the contexts in which exploitation occurs (such as neighbourhoods, groups or educational environments), and the structural drivers of harm (including poverty and racism). 2. responses to support individuals, families and wider groups affected by harm (including trauma-informed practices, advocacy, guardianship, efforts towards non-criminalisation, and the development of culturally competent responses). This briefing document presents some of the key themes in the current literature surrounding child trafficking and exploitation, and examines recent findings and ongoing research in the field. However, it is not an all-encompassing review of the broad and complex topic of child trafficking. Instead, it aims to help to contextualise discussions that will take place during the conference. The ideas and best-practice recommendations

that emerge at the conference will be summarised in a postconference report, to help inform policy and practice in the UK.