26.11.2025 10:32
It has been revealed that more than 2,400 children under the protection of social services in England went missing last year. Child rights organizations emphasize that the report highlights serious security gaps in the system and that children are at risk of abuse.
The rate of children who have been subjected to human trafficking or who have come to the United Kingdom alone seeking asylum has been found to be alarmingly high. Experts warn that these children become targets of sexual exploitation and criminal networks after they go missing.
70,000 CHILDREN GO MISSING EVERY YEAR
The Independent newspaper and the Missing People charity's SafeCall fundraising campaign aims to provide free support to approximately 70,000 children reported missing each year. The report was prepared by the child rights organization ECPAT UK and Missing People, based on data obtained from freedom of information requests made to local authorities.
37% MISSING RATE AMONG CHILDREN VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
According to the report, of the 2,638 children identified as having been subjected to human trafficking or suspected of it and under the care of local authorities in 2024, 864 went missing. This means that 37% of children who are victims of human trafficking have gone missing. In the same year, it was reported that 1,501 of the 12,530 unaccompanied children under the responsibility of social services went missing. This rate was 13%, showing a 2-point increase compared to the previous year.
"THESE CHILDREN ARE LEFT BEHIND BY THE SYSTEM"
Jane Hunter, Research Director at Missing People, emphasized that unaccompanied children and those subjected to human trafficking are going missing at "worrying rates," indicating that the current security mechanisms are not functioning effectively. Hunter stated that every child should live in a safe environment, yet many children are not protected despite being under the system's care. She also called for improvements in housing conditions and greater awareness regarding the National Referral Mechanism aimed at identifying victims of human trafficking. Laura Duran, Policy Director at ECPAT UK, highlighted the situation by stating, "These children are not just a statistic. Most have experienced severe trauma. The risk of being re-exploited when they go missing is extremely high."
REAL NUMBERS MAY BE HIGHER THAN OFFICIAL DATA
The report indicated that current practices are increasing rather than reducing risks. It noted that uncertainties regarding children's immigration status and the psychological pressure created by unsafe immigration policies are among the factors increasing the risk of going missing. Additionally, it was mentioned that some local authorities did not respond to information requests, suggesting that the actual number of missing children could be higher than official data.
GOVERNMENT: CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM WILL BE COMPLETELY RENEWED
A government spokesperson, in a statement regarding the current situation, said, "This government inherited a system that fails to meet the needs of the country's most vulnerable children." The spokesperson expressed that the Children and Families Act includes the most comprehensive reform of the child protection system in recent years, stating that steps will be taken to ensure safe housing conditions, improve information sharing between institutions, and establish multidisciplinary protection teams in every region.