Child Trafficking Survivors Warn: Government Proposals Will Put Vulnerable Children at Risk

The ECPAT UK Youth Advisory Group (YAG), made up of young victims and survivors of child trafficking, has issued a strong response to the government’s ongoing plans to reform the asylum and immigration system.

These reforms were signalled in the King’s Speech with the announcement of a new Immigration and Asylum Bill and form part of the government’s wider “Restoring Order and Control” policy statement which outlines major changes aimed at reducing irregular migration, increasing removals, and tackling smuggling networks. There is also an indication that the government will embed existing measures for identifying and supporting child victims in the new bill.

Alongside this, the government has also proposed further changes through the Family Returns consultation, including measures that would remove or restrict leaving‑care support for some young people without immigration status when they turn 18 including child victims of human trafficking. 

The YAG said they feel angered and distressed by these combined proposals, warning that they would place child victims of trafficking at serious risk. 

Several young people explained that they themselves could easily have been harmed by these changes. Many described turning 18 in extremely precarious situations because of poor legal advice, long delays, or having no legal advice at all. They said that if the proposals had been in place at the time, they might have lost all support and would have been at great risk. 

One young person shared that when their asylum claim was refused, they did not know the words “modern slavery” or “human trafficking”, nor did they understand that this described their own experience. They only learned this after meeting a solicitor who explained it clearly. They said that without this support, they would have been left completely unprotected and at risk of being removed from the UK. 

Others warned that removing support from young people at 18 would create a real risk of re‑trafficking, especially for those who have no safe housing, no money, and no trusted adults to guide them. They said traffickers often target young people who are isolated and without status, and these proposals would make that worse. 

The group said they feel the government is failing to take the steps truly needed to prevent trafficking and support child victims. Instead, they feel the proposals will further punish children, especially those who have been trafficked and who already face significant barriers because of their immigration status. 

The group feel the changes are akin to punishing children like them because of political anti‑migrant impulses, rather than recognising the harm they faced and protecting them from exploitation. 

The YAG is calling on the government to stop the introduction of these proposals and instead take meaningful steps to improve safety, stability, and support for child victims of trafficking in the UK. 

They emphasised that young people who have survived trafficking need understanding, protection, and proper support at every stage, including as they move into adulthood, not further barriers or risks. They also stressed that support for child victims is already far too limited, and said it is vital that young people with lived experience are listened to about the real‑life impact of these policies, adding that they remain open to meeting with the relevant ministers to ensure children’s voices are heard in future decision‑making. 

Notes: 

The King’s Speech 2026 sets out the UK Government’s legislative agenda for the new parliamentary session 

Restoring Order and Control set out significant reforms to asylum and returns policy 

To find out more about the ECPAT Youth Advisory Group - a group of child victims of trafficking who shape ECPAT UK’s priorities and strategic direction 

The YAG was involved in shaping the 10 recommendations in ECPAT UK’s Action Plan to Combat Child Trafficking including the call for a UK wide child exploitation strategy as set out in the recent Decade of Dignity anti-slavery consortium report