Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship Service

I am today announcing the award of a new £25 million national contract for the independent child trafficking guardianship service, which provides specialist support to potential and confirmed child victims of trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation in England and Wales.

Following a robust procurement process, the contract has been awarded to Barnardo’s. The service will provide independent advocacy and support to children referred into the national referral mechanism, alongside specialist advice and expertise for the professionals working with them. Drawing on expertise in child trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation, independent child trafficking guardians strengthen multi-agency safeguarding responses, help protect children from further harm, support their recovery, reduce the risk of re-trafficking and ensure that their best interests are central to decisions affecting their care and future.

Since its introduction in 2017, the ICTG pilot service has expanded in phases and now operates across two thirds of local authorities in England and Wales. The service has played an important role in strengthening safeguarding arrangements and supporting children’s recovery. However, phased expansion has resulted in uneven access to support and the absence of a consistent national offer.

The need for specialist support is clear. In the year ending March 2025, the ICTG service received 2,730 referrals of potential child victims of modern slavery—an increase of 10 % on the previous year. More than half of those referrals involved UK national children, demonstrating that trafficking and exploitation is affecting children and communities across the country.

The new contract will build on the success of the existing model and support the delivery of a nationally consistent service. Working alongside local authorities, the police and other safeguarding partners, it will ensure that all children identified as potential or confirmed victims of trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation will have access to this specialist service.

The Government remain firmly committed to independent child trafficking guardians, with this commitment reflected in the measures set out in the Immigration and Asylum Bill. This £25 million investment underscores our determination to tackle modern slavery and safeguard vulnerable children, supporting the objectives of the violence against women and girls strategy.

The Home Office will closely monitor delivery of the contract and has committed to independent evaluation to ensure that the service delivers positive outcomes for children and value for money for the taxpayer.

[HCWS217]