Traffickers lure vulnerable children in UK care with 'web of lies'

Lin Taylor - Reuters

This article from Reuters shines light on the vulnerability of children in foster care in the UK to child trafficking. “It is well known that there is a greater risk of trafficked children going missing from care but too often processes are not put in place to protect children,” said chief executive of UK charity Barnado's, Javed Khan. Many children in care are led into exploitation "because they fear reprisals against themselves or their families, have been made false promises or believe they have debts to pay, experts say." This is particularly true of immigrant children and those who do not speak English. Research from ECPAT UK indicates that "Vietnamese children were most likely to abscond [from care], often re-enslaved in nail bars or cannabis farms."