Following the stats we @ECPATUK published for #AntiSlaveryDay see this thread for some clarification on what they show on the immigration outcomes for survivors of child trafficking and what they actually mean (thread emoji) 1/

2/ The FOI stats show that between 2016-19 of the 4,695 survivors with +CG decisions in the NRM subject to immigration control only 549 applications for DL granted to both adults and children. Of these, only 28 grants of discretionary leave were issued to child victims.

3/ Well surely for those lucky enough to get discretionary leave it was great right? Not.

4/ The data shows that for nearly three quarters (74%) of all survivors granted this form of leave it duration was between 7 – 12 months. A total of 7.8% were granted leave of just 0 – 6 months. Only 9.1 % were granted leave of 13 – 24 months and 8.3% for more than 25 months.

5/ The @HomeOffice *must* in cases involving children regard their best interests as a primary consideration which can affect the duration of leave granted. We think these figures speak for themselves if they are indeed following their own guidance!

6/ Many may ask, well what about asylum? Some children do and should avail themselves of protection, but even there the figures are grim for survivors.

7/ Of the 4,695 only 443 child survivors were granted asylum meaning the grant rate for children was a shocking 9.4% of the total of those confirmed victims subject to immigration control.

8/ The data also shows that only 174 confirmed victims of trafficking were granted humanitarian protection. Of these, only 51 were children or a rate of about 1% of the total of those confirmed victims of trafficking subject to immigration control.

9/ Oh well, what about UASC leave you say? Well, this is the @HomeOffice’s favourite response as to why child victims are effectively accessing a durable solution as set out in international law.

10/ But what is durable about a form of leave that protects you just shy of your 18th birthday and leaves you stranded in immigration limbo through your 20’s? Well, not a durable solution we would say.

11/ Culinary school, becoming an accountant (the dream of two young people we support!) or going off to uni is not accessible to you. You are just waiting, often for years in despair about the prospect of removal or detention. This is the reality for young people every single day

12/ Worst of all, the data only captures those with +CG's. Many children (and adults!) don't have the slimmest chance to be considered for leave. Why? Well, all the data has shown that foreign national victims receive refusal rates at a much higher rate:

13/ This is something highlighted for years by @ECPATUK and all @ATMG members. In this same four-year period, there were 6,332 referrals into the NRM of EEA and third country potential survivors of child trafficking. We don’t know how many of these were refused...

14/ ..but we know foreign national are disproportionately rejected at both stages. How do we know this?

15/ Well, have a look at the recent analysis done by After Exploitation which found that the NRM rejects nearly five times more trafficking claims from non-EU nationals than it does of UK nationals. See their briefing for more info: https://bit.ly/34bFwwD 

16/ This is not to say its all cheerful for British national children. They face huge systemic failings as well from identification to support. Many are criminalised, safeguarding responses are minimal to non-existent, re-trafficking is rife.

17/ Austerity has been devastating for child protection responses (see the findings of this research https://bit.ly/2HiPSli  highlighting cuts to LA’s led to thresholds to curb demand, children screened out, work with families for shorter & spend less per child in need.)

18/ The truth is the NRM works for no child and is very limited in supporting adults. Throw in austerity, the hostile environment and a pandemic into the mix and the result for all child victims is atrocious. See full report http://bit.ly/351a1Ew