The Interdisciplinary Alliance for Children (IAC), wrote to Damian Green, Immigration Minister on 22 June 2011.
The IAC recommends that a trafficked child has a dedicated legal guardian appointed specifically to represent the child's best interests. Its view is that guardianship provisions for trafficked and asylum seeking children should form an integral part of a new, broader family justice framework. It has put forward detailed proposals to Ministers about the provision of statutory guardianship arrangements for children in judicial proceedings wherever the best interests of the child require it.
This will provide much greater clarity and consistency and less bureaucracy in enabling all agencies to meet their responsibilities to the child, be these under Children Act 1989 duties, the safeguarding duties under s.11 Children Act 2004 and s.55 Borders Immigration and Citizenship Act 2009, EU treaties and directives and the UK's international treaty obligations.
The Interdisciplinary Alliance for Children is a sector-wide coalition of expert organizations and individuals working for and with children across the whole of the family justice system.