1. Introduction
On 23 March 2007 the Home Secretary, on behalf of the UK Government, signed the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings. On the same day the Home Office and the then Scottish Executive published the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking1(2007). The Action Plan has a dedicated chapter on proposals to combat the abuse and exploitation of children by criminal human traffickers. One of the key commitments in the action plan was to provide targeted guidance to meet the particular needs of children who may have been trafficked. Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked2 was published by the UK Government in December 2007 and provides guidance to all professionals and volunteers working or in contact with children. That version was designed to be used in conjunction with Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to interagency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children3 (2006).
This is a Scottish version, adapted to apply within current Scottish legislation, policy and structures. It is intended to supplement local interagency child protection procedures (and where appropriate, adult protection procedures) and it should be applied with reference to relevant national guidance 4, 5 and the principles set out in the Scottish framework for child protection standards 6. Local authorities already have a general duty under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (the 1995 Act) to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in need in their area. The safety and well-being of all children are central to Getting it right for every child7, a Scottish policy intended to underpin practice, systemic and cultural developments not just within public services but between all relevant agencies. The Scottish Government also fully supports the provisions of the UN Convention on Rights of the Child. The practice guidance in this document relates primarily to investigation and child protection. However, such guidance must fit within an approach which looks beyond safety and criminal investigation and which ensures that there is efficient and co-operative assessment and planning to promote and support the rights of children and to identify and address the range of needs for any child who has been trafficked.