Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the United Kingdom

GRETA welcomes the steps taken in the constituent countries of the UK to assist victims of trafficking and to secure Government funding at a time of financial pressure. A number of safe houses for victims of THB have been set up throughout the UK, providing accommodation and support to both women and men. That said, GRETA considers that there is a need for further measures to ensure that all potential and actual victims of trafficking are provided with adequate support and assistance from their identification through to their recovery, and in particular to enable them to have access to the labour market, vocational training and education.
As regards child victims of trafficking, GRETA is concerned by reports according to which a significant number of unaccompanied children who are placed in local authority care go missing. GRETA urges the British authorities to take further steps to improve the identification of child victims of trafficking, and to ensure that all unaccompanied minors who are potential victims of trafficking are assigned a legal guardian and are provided with suitable safe accommodation and adequately trained supervisors or foster parents.