Home Affairs CommitteeWritten evidence from the Serious Organised Crime Agency [LCG 14]
1. This submission sets out the Serious Organised Crime Agency’s (SOCA) written evidence to the Committee’s inquiry into localised child grooming. It incorporates the work of the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) and the UK Missing Person’s Bureau (UKMPB). In April 2012 the functions of the UKMPB transferred to SOCA from the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) on an interim basis until the establishment of the National Crime Agency (NCA).
2. The submission will specifically seek to address the following areas:
The support provided to victims and witnesses by a range of agencies such as the Crown Prosecution Service, Police and voluntary agencies.
Whether front-line agencies are adequately equipped to identify victims and intervene at an early stage.
The circumstances under which care services report missing children to the police.
The quality of data collection, data sharing and research on child victims of localised grooming.
It should be read alongside evidence by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).
3. In August 2012 SOCA published a baseline assessment on the nature and scale of human trafficking in 2011. On the subject of child trafficking, it concluded that this is a complex crime and there may often be shared elements with other child abuse offences for example internal trafficking and child sexual exploitation (CSE). For SOCA, the safeguarding of children is paramount in relation to these types of abuse.
The support provided to victims and witnesses by a range of agencies such as the Crown Prosecution Service, Police and voluntary agencies.
4. SOCA offers a number of services to those agencies engaged in identifying and safeguarding victims of human trafficking, and investigating cases of human trafficking. The UKHTC’s team of expert tactical advisors provide 24/7, UK-wide support on all human trafficking matters. This includes tactical assistance and advice on investigative strategies where any case of CSE involves elements of trafficking into the UK, regardless of the nationality of the victim. Tactical advisors have the experience and expertise to establish whether an individual may be a trafficked victim and advice is provided to police forces, local authorities, government agencies and non-Government organisations (NGOs). SOCA supports the disruption and prosecution of identified offenders in both pre-planned operations and live reactive investigations, providing best practice in respect of evidence gathering, operational practice, victim care and initiation of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). Further detail on the work of the UKHTC and the NRM is set out at annex A.
Whether front-line agencies are adequately equipped to identify victims and intervene at an early stage
5. SOCA is not in a position to comment on the detail as to whether front-line agencies are adequately equipped to identify victims and intervene at an early stage. However, in support of front-line agencies the UKHTC provides support and advice to police forces and government agencies to help identify trafficking offences and potential victims. In addition, SOCA staff, working within the UKMPB, are trained to recognise indications of CSE particularly in relation to missing incidents. Training provided by UKMPB to police forces and advice supplied in relation to individual missing children cases supplements ACPO guidance, produced by UKMPB and issued in 2010, on the management, recording and investigation of missing persons, by highlighting the potential links between missing children and CSE. Additionally, SOCA refers relevant missing children cases to colleagues in CEOP, particularly where CSE is apparent or suspected. SOCA also shares good practice and operational experience through the Police Online Knowledge Area (POLKA), an online resource available to police forces and other appropriate bodies.
The circumstances under which care services report missing children to the police
6. The UKMPB proactively promotes compliance with the 2010 ACPO guidance on missing investigations and the extant Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) guidance on children missing from home and care. Both sets of guidance recommend the establishment of protocols between police, Local Authorities and carers, return interviews and police missing co-ordinators. Local protocols would include guidance on the circumstances under which care services would report missing Looked After Children (LAC) to the police.
The quality of data collection, data sharing and research on child victims of localised grooming
7. The SOCA baseline assessment on human trafficking provided evidence of the links between child trafficking and CSE in the UK. However, due to SOCA not having the lead role in CSE and localised grooming, it is not able to comment on the quality of data collection, data sharing and research on child victims of localised grooming beyond the data in this assessment.
8. The 2010 guidance promotes individual forces having a Missing Persons Coordinator and their key involvement in reviewing missing cases locally and identifying children that may be at risk of CSE. They have responsibility to identify missing children cases with links to CSE, to implement and review local protocol arrangements and to ensure information and data exchange between police, Local Authorities and carers. Good practice is to use Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH) in which information and data is easily exchanged between police forces, and potential CSE cases readily identified.
Serious Organised Crime Agency
October 2012
Annex A
FURTHER DETAIL ON THE UKHTC AND THE NRM
The UKHTC in SOCA works with UK and international law enforcement agencies to pursue and prosecute those responsible for human trafficking. In doing this it:
Collates, develops and shares innovative tactics, techniques, expertise and good practice.
Develops high quality intelligence to help identify and fill knowledge gaps in the understanding of human trafficking.
Encourages and advises on the use of relevant legislation in holding traffickers to account.
Provides support and advice to police forces and government agencies to help identify trafficking offences and potential victims.
SOCA also provides support to police investigations where appropriate through the Vulnerable Persons Team, which conducts “Achieving Best Evidence” interviews with vulnerable victims, including children and those who are victims of human trafficking.
The NRM was introduced in 2009 to meet the UK’s obligations under the Council of European Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. At the core of every country’s NRM is the process of locating and identifying “potential victims of trafficking”. To be referred to the NRM, potential victims of trafficking must first be referred to one of the UK’s two competent authorities, based in the UKHTC and the UK Border Agency. This initial referral will generally be handled by an authorised agency such as a police force, local authority or certain NGOs. The referring authority is known as the “first responder”.
The NRM is a framework for identifying victims of human trafficking and ensuring they receive the appropriate protection and support; it is also the mechanism through which the UKHTC collects data about victims of human trafficking. This information contributes to building an informed picture about the scope of human trafficking in the UK. Data is published regularly on the SOCA website.