Refugee children need guardians

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/13/refugee-children-need-guardians

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We welcome the government's plans to tackle modern-day slavery through new legislation to be introduced next week (Report, 12 December). This is an important opportunity to make sure that child victims of trafficking get the full protection they need to be kept safe from further abuse. A recent report by the Refugee Council and the Children's Society, commissioned by the Home Office, found that far too many trafficked children are not getting the protection they need from the professionals and agencies that are supposed to be supporting them. This must change.

incredibly These vulnerable children have been subjected to a range of horrific abuse, including domestic servitude and sexual exploitation. The fact that they are children who are alone in a foreign country and don't speak the language, means that they are inherently vulnerable. Despite their need, they don't have one person who is legally responsible for all aspects of their life. There is no one to speak up for them or to make sure their best interests are at the heart of decisions made about them. As a result, they are put at risk of going missing from care, of abuse and exploitation.

The Refugee Children's Consortium – a coalition of over 40 organisations – has long been calling for guardians to be appointed to all separated children, including victims of trafficking. A wide range of international and domestic bodies support this approach, including the UN committee on the rights of the child and the UK parliament's joint committee on human rights.

The government can make a real difference to these children. By making sure guardians are provided under the modern slavery bill, these children can have a voice in decisions made about them, are kept safe and can recover from the trauma they have suffered. Matthew Reed Chief executive, Children's Society Peter Wanless Chief executive Officer, NSPCC Puja Darbari UK director of strategy, Barnardo's Professor Carolyn Hamilton Director, Coram Children's Legal Centre Bridget Robb Chief executive, British Association of Social Workers Paola Uccellari Director, Children's Rights Alliance for England Maurice Wren CEO, Refugee Council Dr Edie Friedman Executive director, Jewish Council for Racial Equality Bharti Patel CEO, ECPAT UK Celia Clarke Director, Bail for Immigration Detainees Emma Williams Chief executive, Student Action for Refugees Andrew Radford Managing director, Coram Voice Catherine Gladwell Director, Refugee Support Network Vaughan Jones Chief executive, Praxis Community Projects Baljeet Sandhu Director, Migrant & Refugee Children's Legal Unit, Islington Law Centre Adrian Berry Chair, Immigration Law Practitioners' Association

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