Referrals of potential child victims of modern slavery made by
councils in England have soared by 800 per cent in five years, the
Local Government Association warns today on Anti-Slavery Day.
The LGA said the spiralling referral rates are being
fuelled by an increasing awareness of modern slavery and the
growing issue of young people being exploited by county lines
drug gangs, which is putting council services under increasing
and significant pressure.
Latest National Crime Agency statistics show the number of
council referrals of suspected child victims of modern slavery in
England 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, a staggering increase of 807 per
cent. The rate of these child referrals has increased by 67 per
cent in a year alone, from 690 in 2017, with children accounting
for 92 per cent of all referrals (child and adults) made by
councils in England in 2018.
Estimates of the number of victims of modern slavery in the
UK range from 13,000 to more than 130,000. The overall costs to
UK society of modern slavery are estimated to be between £3.3
billion and £4.3 billion.
The LGA is warning that the rapid year-on-year increase in
child referrals is further evidence of the current huge pressures
on children’s services. Alongside that, the rising number of
adult victims is adding to demand for housing and adult social
care.
No specific funding is given to councils to support victims
of modern slavery, who may have suffered terrible abuse, been
forced to live in squalor and, in the case of many adult victims,
paid shockingly low wages as a result of exploitation by criminal
gangs.
The LGA, which is working with the Home Office on reforms
to the NRM, and has recently published updated guidance for
councillors on modern slavery, is urging the Government to use
next year’s Spending Review to ensure there is long term and
sustainable funding to help tackle modern slavery and support its
victims.
This means investing in specialist support for adult and
child victims after they are identified and referred to the NRM,
as well as ensuring mainstream services are properly funded, to
enable councils to provide support to victims who are eligible
for them.
Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA’s
Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said:
“Councils are committed to tackling the
despicable crime of modern slavery, which is a rising threat to
our communities. It can destroy the lives of vulnerable people
working in fear of physical violence from ruthless gangmasters
for little or no pay.
“The spiralling rate of council referrals,
especially relating to children who face specific risks through
county lines drug trafficking or child sexual exploitation, is
having a huge impact on overstretched council services,
particularly children’s services.
“Extra funding next year will help but
government needs to ensure councils have adequate long-term
resources to tackle this abuse and support its victims, as well
as creating a sustainable NRM system in the long
term.
“Everyone needs to be alert to modern
slavery wherever they live, particularly at hand car washes and
nail bars, which are high risk sectors for exploitation, and to
look out for people living in poor quality, overcrowded
accommodation.
“Any suspicious behaviour should be
reported to help rescue people living grim lives at the hands of
heartless profiteering criminals.”
Anyone who believes someone is in immediate
danger due to modern slavery or exploitation should call police
on 999, or 101 if there is no immediate danger. Alternatively,
call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700.
NOTES TO EDITORS
-
Modern slavery can take many forms including the
trafficking of people, forced labour, servitude, slavery,
sexual and criminal exploitation. It also includes other forms
of exploitation such as organ removal, forced begging, forced
benefit fraud, forced marriage and illegal adoption.
