Trafficked Children: The Safeguarding Role of Local Authorities
Course level: Introductory
CPD: 1 hour
Course aims
The aim of this webinar is to draw attention to the problem of child trafficking and the role local authorities have in combating it. In doing so it will:
- Provide some statistics on the extent of the problem of child trafficking in the UK
- Define what is meant by “child trafficking”
- Explain why and how children are trafficked to the UK
- Describe the role local authorities play in dealing with potentially trafficked children
- Explain how the “National Referral Mechanism” works
- Provide details of support available to professionals working in this area
Course Outline
According to Unicef 1.2 million children are trafficked globally each year. Precisely how many children are brought to the UK is a vexed question. The trafficking of children is a clandestine activity and, therefore, it is difficult to identify and record the number of trafficked children, although some data does exist. The latest statistics published by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre identify a total of 287 children from 47 countries as being potentially trafficked to the UK in the 12 month period from March 2009 to February 2010. For many working in the field this figure is merely the tip of the iceberg of a much wider problem.
Many UK professionals who work with children still find it difficult to imagine that child trafficking is a local problem, believing the problem to be confined to less developed countries or large cities. However, local authorities play an integral part in identifying trafficked children and then ensuring they are protected from coming to any further harm. This responsibility cannot be over-emphasised. The potential ramifications of inactivity on this issue are simply too great and too serious to ignore.
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About the presenter
Prior to commencing pupillage, Rhys worked as a paralegal in the human rights department at Leigh Day & Co. During his time there he assisted with a number of judicial review and public law matters, including a multi-party application to the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the treatment of registered care workers on the Department of Health PoVA list.
Rhys has recently returned to Chambers after spending two terms as Judicial Assistant to Sir Anthony May, the President of the Queen's Bench Division. He assisted in a wide range of cases including:
Peters v East Midlands Strategic Health Authority & Anor [2009] EWCA Civ 145 (community care - whether claimant entitled as of right to choose damages from tortfeasor to fund care and accommodation costs rather than local authority provision)
R (Shields) v Secretary of State for Justice [2008] EWHC 3102 (Admin) (whether Secretary of State is constrained from exercising prerogative of mercy to grant pardon in respect of English football fan convicted in Bulgaria and serving sentence in British prison)
BK (Democratic Republic of Congo) v Secretary of State for Home Department [2008] EWCA Civ 1322 (immigration - country guidance decision - whether failed asylum-seekers involuntarily returned to DRC were likely, merely because of their return, to suffer breach of Art.3 ECHR)
Calvert v William Hill Credit Ltd [2008] EWCA Civ 1427 (negligence - whether bookmakers owed duty of care to compulsive gambler)
R (O'Connor) v HM Coroner for District of Avon & Anor [2009] EWHC 854 (Admin) (coroner's inquest - person whose actions led to child's death acquitted of manslaughter by foreign court on finding of temporary insanity - appropriate standard of proof where issue of insanity raised on evidence)
Rhys is willing to consider work on a CFA basis where appropriate. He is also keen to maintain a pro bono element to his practice and is an accredited FRU representative in social security law.
Public Law and Local Government
Rhys accepts instructions in any area of public and administrative law. During pupillage he had exposure to a broad range of public law matters, including in the fields of local government law, community care, freedom of information and care standards. Rhys is keen to expand his practice to incorporate the areas of mental health and education law.
Rhys also appears regularly before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. Alongside immigration work, he has an interest in community care and social welfare law, and especially the provision of support for persons from abroad.
Rhys has participated in the recent Chambers' seminar Judicial Review by Children, where he co-wrote a paper on the relationship.
Civil
Rhys advises and acts in a wide range of civil law disciplines, including bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, landlord and tenant, general negligence and contract. He has appeared in final and interim County Court hearings and has experience of all aspects of civil procedure including applications for strike out, summary judgment, disclosure, stays, directions and disposal hearings.
Employment
Rhys appears regularly in employment tribunals in pre-hearing reviews, case management discussions and final hearings. He acts for employers and employees alike. He has recent experience of matters relating to disability discrimination, race discrimination, whistle-blowing, wrongful and unfair dismissal.
During pupillage Rhys assisted in the case of Wooster v London Borough of Tower Hamlets ET 3200639/2007 (appeal pending) (whether dismissal of an employee prior to his entitlement to enhanced pension rights was unfair and discriminatory on the grounds of his age).
Family
Rhys' family practice concentrates largely on proceedings involving children. He appears on behalf of local authorities and parents in public law cases and on behalf of parents in private law applications (contact, residence etc).
Rhys also represents both applicants and respondents in civil proceedings relating to domestic violence, particularly non-molestation, occupation, and committal orders.
Publications
Contributor to the Administrative Court Digest