Free to move, invisible to care: Coordination and accountability towards Romanian unaccompanied minors’ safety
This report explores coordination and accountability towards Romanian children in the United Kingdom. Every child in the UK is entitled to protection and this is enshrined in our primary legislation in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This entitlement also applies to children who have been moved and trafficked into the UK. A key response to safeguarding children being moved across borders where there are concerns for trafficking is correct identification and multi-agency working within and across borders. This report looks at the process of identification and protection specifically in the context of Romanian children in the UK. It explores the systems, processes and tools in place to do so and identifies gaps and challenges. The report concludes by suggesting a supplementary framework that can make this process more comprehensive and it includes recommendations to improve our coordination and responses to vulnerable children.