Definitions of child exploitation
Tuesday 22 July 2025, 12.30 UK time
Presentation: Laura Duran, Head of Policy, Advocacy & Research at ECPAT UK, co-author of the report.
Opening remarks: Eleanor Lyons, UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.
Closing remarks: Patricia Durr, CEO of ECPAT UK.
Event co-organised with the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and ECPAT UK.
In 2024, nearly 6,000 children were identified as potential victims of trafficking in the UK. This figure only includes children identified and referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). Identification of trafficked children is extremely difficult.
As the understanding of child trafficking, exploitation and modern slavery evolves, there are many definitions or categories in law and policy that are misunderstood, unclear or overlapping. Evidence shows that the lack of consensus among decision makers and practitioners around definitions has long remained an impediment to coordination, collaboration, and coherence. This has an impact on the services that affected or at-risk children receive, particularly with regard to identification, reporting and the subsequent response by relevant agencies.
For example, how do practitioners understand the differences between child sexual abuse (CSA) and child sexual exploitation (CSE)? How is child criminal exploitation (CCE) defined? Should all CSE and CCE cases be considered as child trafficking? When does a child’s case meet the threshold for labour exploitation or domestic servitude? What is the difference with adults for each exploitation type?
On Monday 21 July 2025, we will publish a research report led by ECPAT UK that is aiming to respond to these questions and explore how these definitions impact cases of children who have been exploited. At this event, Laura Duran from ECPAT UK and the co-author of the report, will present the findings of the research. The project was co-commissioned by the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and the Modern Slavery and Human Rights PEC. You can read about it here.
Modern Slavery PEC lunchtime seminar series
At the Modern Slavery PEC we believe in increasing the understanding of modern slavery, particularly through promoting the latest robust and relevant evidence in a way that is accessible to everyone.
This is why we have started a series of monthly lunchtime seminars, at which modern slavery researchers can share their latest findings with a diverse audience - everyone is welcome! The format is deliberately accessible and concise: no more than 15 minutes to present, followed by questions and discussion. Each seminar will last no longer than 45 minutes (unless there are lots of questions), which we hope will fit nicely into your lunch break!
We’ll be asking researchers who present to explain their findings in plain language that non-experts can easily understand, focusing on the real-world implications of their work and potential for impact on policy or practice, and, above all, on people and communities affected by modern slavery.
The seminars are open to anyone to join – you don’t have to be a researcher yourself. We encourage everyone interested to come along.
For those who can't make it, we will record the presentations and publish them on our YouTube channel and as short podcasts.
