Press Release

5 May 2008

The NSPCC is targeting hospitals, ports and transport companies in a bid to help children and young people brought into the UK illegally for exploitation.

Posters have been sent to nearly 2000 airlines, airports, accident and emergency departments, and bus and coach services asking staff to keep a lookout for vulnerable children.

Anyone who suspects a child or young person has been trafficked is being urged to call a dedicated free helpline- 0800 107 7057 to report their concerns.

Manager of the NSPCC National Child Trafficking Advice and Information Line*, Mandy John-Baptiste, said: “Many children are not told the truth about why they are being brought to this country. They may think they are coming for a better life but in fact end up being abused and exploited by being forced to sell sex, become domestic slaves or used in benefit fraud.

“Our aim is to work with other agencies to make sure they get a proper assessment and protection before they become invisible to the authorities. This can happen very quickly so we are appealing to anyone who might come across them at the various stages of their journeys – immigration officers, coach drivers, nurses- to be alert.

“These children are brought in with false identification documents, are usually separated from their families and rarely registered with GPs. This means they frequently turn-up in hospital accident and emergency departments.

“It’s a problem that needs urgent action but we can only help them if people call us when they have suspicions about a child.”

The posters, bearing the message – “Has a child you know been misled about why they came to this country” – will be arriving at major and local airports, airline offices, bus and coach stations and hospitals in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland  over the coming days.

Since the National Child Trafficking Advice and Information Line opened last September it has helped around 60 children aged 18 months to 18 who have been trafficked from across the globe.

Ends

Media office on 020 7825 2533 out of hours mobile 07976 206 625

Notes:

*The Child Trafficking Advice and Information Line will be funded during its first three years by the Home Office and Comic Relief and accepts calls from anywhere in the UK. It will run in partnership with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT UK ).

The NSPCC also has a Child Protection Helpline for people to call if they have concerns about any child - on 0808 800 5000.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is a law enforcement agency and works in both online and offline environments to protect children from sexual exploitation. Full information on all areas of work as well as online safety messages and access to online reporting can be found at www.ceop.gov.uk or for children at www.thinkuknow.co.uk. For media enquiries contact CEOP Press Office on 0870 000 3434.

ECPAT UK- End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes-   is a coalition of children’s charities including Anti-Slavery International, Jubilee Campaign, NSPCC, Save the Children, World Vision UK, The Body Shop Foundation, The Children’s Society and UNICEF UK. www.ecpat.org.uk Media spokesperson: Chris Beddoe, Director, ECPAT UK . Tel +44 (0) 207 233 9887