Nearly 2,400 children who have been trafficked or arrived in the UK alone to claim asylum went missing while in local authority care last year.
The data released on Tuesday, which charities say exposes widespread failures in the system, also found that those groups of children are at particularly high risk of sexual or criminal exploitation or other types of harm when they are missing.
It comes as The Independent and the charity Missing People continue the SafeCall appeal, aiming to raise £165,000 to fund a new free service offering support and safety to the 70,000 children reported missing each year.
The report, conducted by the children’s rights organisation Every Child Protected Against Trafficking (ECPAT) UK and Missing People, was based on Freedom of Information data requested from children’s services departments in the UK.
Donate here or text SAFE to 70577 to give £10 to Missing People – enough for one child to get help.
Jane Hunter, head of research and impact at Missing People, said: “Trafficked and unaccompanied children are disappearing from care at alarming rates, suggesting that effective safeguards are often not in place for these children.
"Every child deserves to feel safe and protected, yet trafficked and unaccompanied children are repeatedly failed by the systems meant to care for them. This report is a stark reminder that urgent action is needed to prevent these children from disappearing and falling into dangerous situations."
Ms Hunter has called for systemic reform and wants to see all trafficked and unaccompanied children given access to appropriate accommodation. She is also demanding improved awareness around the National Referral Mechanism, the framework to identify and report victims of trafficking.
“These steps are critical to closing the gaps that traffickers exploit and to restoring trust in the care system,” she added.
The report found that in 2024 alone, 2,638 children in local authority care were identified or suspected of being trafficked. Of this, 864 children were reported missing, the equivalent of 37 per cent.
In 2024, 1,501 of the 12,530 unaccompanied children who were in local authority care (13 per cent) went missing, a 2 per cent increase from the year prior.
For the last decade, unaccompanied and trafficked children have remained at high risk of going missing, yet there has been a continuous failure to protect these children, the report said.
Laura Duran, head of policy at ECPAT UK, said: "These children are not just statistics – they are individuals who have already endured unimaginable trauma. When they go missing from care, they are at extreme risk of further exploitation.
“The UK government must ensure that the policies they are proposing do not exacerbate these risks and should instead focus on bringing effective safeguarding measures to protect children from harm."
The report claims that many systems currently in place in the UK appear to be exacerbating this risk for children, including an insecure immigration system. Previous research has shown that uncertainty over a child’s right to remain in the UK often contributes to their going missing from care.
The report also noted that not all local authorities responded, and the actual figures are likely to be higher.
A government spokesperson said: “This government inherited a children’s social care system failing to meet the needs of the country’s most vulnerable children.
“Our landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is the biggest overhaul of children’s social care in a generation, delivering on our mission to break the link between young people’s background and their future success, and to ensure every child in our country, including those in care, has the opportunity to thrive.
“This includes improving the availability of care placements, better information sharing, requiring the establishment of multi-agency child protection teams in every area, and introducing a new duty on partners to automatically include education and childcare settings in their safeguarding arrangements to help prevent children falling through the cracks.”
Please donate now to The Independent and Missing People’s SafeCall campaign, which aims to raise £165,000 to create a free, nationwide service helping vulnerable children find safety and support.
For advice, support and options if you or someone you love goes missing, text or call the charity Missing People on 116 000. It’s free, confidential and non-judgemental. Or visit www.missingpeople.org.uk/get-help
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