Trafficked children vanish from council care
that “less than five” children had disappeared from their care.
A spokesman said: “If any child in our care is reported missing, the council follow an agreed set of procedures which includes contacting Police Scotland.”
Ecpat said both Edinburgh City Council and West Lothian Council had one child go missing from care in 2017.
However, Edinburgh, who had 24 minors in their care, said they had provided incorrect details to the charity.
They said one 17-year-old male trafficking victim went missing from care but was found living with friends in England.
West Lothian Council also questioned the real age of the missing juvenile registered as living in their care.
Both Dumfries and Galloway and South Lanarkshire councils had three trafficked children in their care while Aberdeen City Council had two.
Glasgow City Council looked after 94 unaccompanied children, none of whom was confirmed as having been trafficked.
Ecpat said children were smuggled into the country from Vietnam, Eritrea, Afghanistan and several African countries.
Poor protection measures and a fear of not being believed by the authorities are among reasons being linked to children going missing from care. Control held by traffickers is another problem.
The repor t praised the “markedly different approach” of Scotland’s councils compared with those in England and Wales, where 24 per cent of trafficked children had gone missing.
Ecpat said: “Good practice can potentially be learned from the Scottish model.”
But Green MSP Ross Greer said: “It’s outrageous that some of the most vulnerable children in the country have gone missing while in the care of local councils.”
Labour’s Alex Rowley said: “It it is absolutely essential that the processes for looking after victims are thorough, properly resourced and regularly reviewed.”
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Human traff icking and exploitation are appalling abuses of human rights, leaving victims traumatised and living in fear.
“We’re determined to do all we can to support victims and target perpetrators.”
DCI Rory Hamilton, of Police Scotland’s Human Trafficking Unit, said: “Scotland has well developed chi ld protection mechanisms to ensure that any child at risk of harm receives the support they need and this includes children identified as potential trafficking victims.”