More than 2,000 children who were trafficked or arrived in the UK alone to seek asylum have gone missing from the care of local authorities in the past year, according to a new report.
Charities ECPAT UK and Missing People submitted freedom of information requests to councils across the UK and found that out of 2,335 children identified as trafficked, 864 (37%) were reported missing. Meanwhile, 1,501 of 11,999 lone child asylum seekers (13%) also disappeared from care.
The report, Until Harm Ends, warns these children are at very high risk of re-trafficking and further exploitation due to gaps in the care system — especially when placed in unsafe or unsupported accommodation. Although councils have a legal duty to safeguard such children, the report says the current system is consistently failing them.
Campaigners say many of these young people are placed in “supported accommodation” with no day-to-day care, which remains legal for 16- and 17-year-olds. Some may even end up in hostels, tents, or shared housing with unrelated adults.
Patricia Durr, Chief Executive of ECPAT UK, said the findings show “a continuing and significant failure” to protect highly vulnerable children, blaming “punitive policies and political rhetoric” for worsening the problem.
The government says its new Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will improve care, safeguarding and data sharing — but charities are calling for urgent action now.
The data was collected from 135 UK councils on trafficked children and 141 councils on lone asylum-seeking children.