Explanation:
Children are trafficked for various reasons for instance, domestic servitude, sexual exploitation and social security fraud. There is also evidence which shows that the UK may be a stop-off point to other European countries. Immigration officers have the responsibility and essential role to play in anti-trafficking activities. According to some studied the majority of the trafficked children are from countries in Eastern Europe, West Africa and from South Africa like China and Vietnam.
Some of these children are may come in claiming to be adults seeking asylum others are instructed by traffickers to claim asylum as unaccompanied children. Some of them come with false passports. Sometimes young people may arrive accompanied by the trafficker (an adult who is not one of the parents). All these children are vulnerable and they become responsibility of professionals who meet them at first time of their arrival, to provide full support and protection. The main goal of children trafficking is for the financial gain, the question here why this activity is possible? There are many reasons, for example the poverty, discrimination, lack of education, grooming, dysfunctional families, inadequate local laws and regulations and the political conflict. All these factors are promoting the trade of child trafficking.
Child victims of trafficking at asylum screening units in the ports are facing the UKBIA at first time. The UKBA is in the position where recognition of such children can be done. Their interventions may be triggered by the particular circumstances of the case or by international intelligence about trafficking. The UKBA is likely to be a source of referrals to child welfare agencies. The UK Borders Bill will contain a clause to require the UKBA to develop a code of practice for Immigration Officers to comply with in relation to all their contact with children, including those who may have been trafficked or where there are other safeguarding concerns.
The applications for immigration status made on behalf of children may give rise to concerns that they are victims of trafficking. The UKBA caseworkers will not only be a source of referral but may assist with developing protection and care plans. Child victims may also be discovered in routine operations to detect and disrupt trafficking networks both in the UK and abroad. As well as providing referrals, the UKBA will inform child protection and care plans.
The legislation of the UK regarding the Child Trafficking includes: The Children Act (1989), Working Together to Safeguard Children and its supplement Safeguarding Children Involved in Prostitution (1999), the National Plan for Safeguarding Children from Commercial Sexual Exploitation (2001-5), the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 and the Sexual Offences Act 2003. In addition, the UK government ratified in 2008 (the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings) and came into force on the First of April 2009, by this Convention the UK has to join the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for human trafficking.
One of the important indicators considering the children being susceptible to trafficking is their attempts to avoid any contact with any agency or authority following the advices of their traffickers. It is reported that some arrived children are e ‘disappearing’ once they arrive in the UK to some places planned to reach to. Also it is noted that some traffickers instruct and sometimes push children to apply for asylum as this will impart the child legal right of temporary leave in the UK so they will be able to disappear.
It sad to say that, trafficked children are not only deprived of their rights to education and saving from exploitation and abuse, they are also deprived of their right to health and to choose their life opportunities. Additionally children in the sex industry may become serious source of dangerous diseases as they are open to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. This is an essential issue which must be taken in consideration. There is a hidden a problem that may be arise upon arrival of unaccompanied asylum children with false identity, this a problem represented by creation of criminal trends of the children, this is plus their feeling resulted from dissociation of their original families and community, will affect the whole life of those children seriously. The problem of those children sometimes is being very complicated, as those children are being uncooperative with local authorities, and prefer to remain with their traffickers. One of reasons is that, the children are being worry about their relatives in their families and communities especially if they know what has happened to them, and become afraid to go home.
