Austerity has created a perfect storm for the rise of child slavery

Cuts mean children are more likely to fall victim to trafficking – and make it harder for authorities to give them the help they need, writes May Bulman

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It isn’t news that local councils have been struggling under the weight of austerity in recent years. Neither is it news that children’s services specifically have been finding it difficult to provide for the needs of vulnerable young people across the country, following sustained cuts to their budgets. But the dramatic rise of child slavery brings into sharp focus how the cuts brought in during the early part of the decade are still causing problems across the country.

An analysis of statistics by the Local Government Association (LGA) shows the number of potential victims referred by local councils to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – the UK’s framework for referring and supporting victims – has risen from 127 in 2014 to 1,152 in 2018, with children now accounting for 92 per cent of all referrals made by local authorities.

These youngsters can range from British nationals coerced into labour exploitation by county lines gangs to Vietnamese children trafficked to the UK with the promise of a better life who are then lured into cannabis farming. The majority will have suffered severe trauma and require specialist support to overcome what they have been through and integrate into a normal life – and for this they need ongoing adult support.