Independent Child Trafficking Guardians service: FOI release

Information requested

• As of 7 September 2021, has the Scottish Government launched Scotland’s new Independent Child Trafficking Guardians service?
• If not, what progress has the Scottish Government made?

Response

The answer to your question is that in the last Programme for Government, published 7 September 2021, the Scottish Government made the following commitment: "Next summer we will also launch Scotland’s new Independent Child Trafficking Guardians service to provide ongoing practical help and support to refugee children and young people, including victims of trafficking, who arrive in Scotland alone."

An Invitation to Tender was launched on 26 August 2022 to appoint a provider for the service ahead of it going fully operational in April 2023. In relation to the provisions of section 15 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015, secondary legislation has been developed and will be laid before the Scottish Parliament in early 2023.

About FOI

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