There are indications that increasing numbers of people are being brought into the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labour.
The Council of Europe's Greta (Group of Experts on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings) report says hundreds of people have been identified as victims of trafficking in the UK but only 56 people were convicted of human trafficking in 2009 and 29 the following year.
The common countries of origin were China, Vietnam, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Albania, Nigeria, Uganda and India, the report says.
Children tended to be brought in for the purposes of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, benefit fraud, cannabis farming and forced begging and stealing.
The Council of Europe report raises particular concerns over a lack of secure and suitable accommodation for trafficked children who end up in local authority care.
It calls for better trained supervisors or foster carers for them.
It says reports suggest a "significant" number of trafficked children in local authority care go missing and some end up rejoining those who exploited them in the first place.
As well as improvements regarding care of trafficked children, Greta recommends a number of actions:
More needs to be done to separate the identification of trafficking victims from decisions on immigration or asylum and it points out that quick decisions on immigration status can prevent victims being recognised.
Victims of human trafficking need assistance and support regardless of when the trafficking actually took place.
Prosecutors across the UK need guidance to ensure trafficking is considered as a serious violation of human rights and victims of trafficking should not receive penalties for their involvement in illegal activities carried out under duress.
The assisted voluntary return programs should be reviewed to check whether they are appropriate for victims of trafficking.
The Council of Europe's Greta (Group of Experts on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings) report says hundreds of people have been identified as victims of trafficking in the UK but only 56 people were convicted of human trafficking in 2009 and 29 the following year.
Children tended to be brought in for the purposes of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, benefit fraud, cannabis farming and forced begging and stealing.
The Council of Europe report raises particular concerns over a lack of secure and suitable accommodation for trafficked children who end up in local authority care.
It calls for better trained supervisors or foster carers for them.
It says reports suggest a "significant" number of trafficked children in local authority care go missing and some end up rejoining those who exploited them in the first place.
As well as improvements regarding care of trafficked children, Greta recommends a number of actions:
More needs to be done to separate the identification of trafficking victims from decisions on immigration or asylum and it points out that quick decisions on immigration status can prevent victims being recognised.
Victims of human trafficking need assistance and support regardless of when the trafficking actually took place.
Prosecutors across the UK need guidance to ensure trafficking is considered as a serious violation of human rights and victims of trafficking should not receive penalties for their involvement in illegal activities carried out under duress.
The assisted voluntary return programs should be reviewed to check whether they are appropriate for victims of trafficking.
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