Independent Child Trafficking Guardians - Additional sites

In 2015, the UK Government introduced the landmark Modern Slavery Act, giving law enforcement agencies the tools to tackle modern slavery, including maximum life sentences for perpetrators and enhanced protection for victims.

Section 48 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 includes provision for Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs), previously known as Independent Child Trafficking Advocates, in England and Wales. ICTGs are an independent source of advice for children who are identified as potentially trafficked and somebody who can speak up on their behalf. The ICTG service is currently available in one third of local authorities in England and Wales.

The Government remains committed to the continued national roll out of ICTGs which will now be progressed as part of the recently established National Referral Mechanism (NRM) Transformation Programme. This grant funding will cover the next phase of the rollout which will expand the ICTG service to additional sites, encompassing 11 counties: London (excluding the London Borough of Croydon), Essex, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, Kent, Surrey, Warwickshire, Bedfordshire, North Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol and Lancashire.