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Trafficked Children
Unaccompanied children who may be seeking asylum and/or who may have been trafficked.
Please see the attached guidance and flowcharts in relation to unaccompanied children who arrive via one of the two ports in North Somerset (Avonmouth and Bristol Airport) and who are seeking asylum or are suspected of being trafficked.
The guides include: action taken by children's social care staff at the point of initial referral, flowcharts to show the initial actions that port authorities will take in respect of unaccompanied children, further information about emergency social work response and also some guidance for accommoidation providers in regard to the particular risks that such children are subject to.
It is critical that practitioners are aware of the guidance as experience has shown that children who are being trafficked go missing from North Somerset care within a very short time, it is important that the issues outlined in the guidance are taken into account within the first 24 - 48 hours:
Process for Children's Services staff following referral
Age Assessment Format
ASI Monitoring Format
Guidance for foster carers and other accommodation providers
Flowcharts:
For those children and young people trafficked via Bristol Airport
For those children and young people trafficked via other situations
For those children and young people trafficked via lorry drop-off
North Somerset and Bristol City have close links in relation to the issue of unaccompanied and/or trafficked children and are currently working on the development of a joint policy to cover the two local authorities. The joint policy is expected to be published onto the website by April 2012.
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