§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they approved the closing of a safe house for trafficked children, run by Integrated Care Limited, after less than three months; whether the trial period was sufficient; and what is their future policy on this matter. [HL4309]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Filkin)I am aware that an independent safe house, run by Integrated Care Ltd, opened in April 2004 in Sussex and closed in early June. Central Government were not included in this project but I understand that the resource was open to referrals from local authorities 75WA throughout the UK but that an insufficient number of referrals were made, therefore the decision was taken to close it.
It is for local authorities to decide how best to provide support and services for children in need in their area, including those who are the victims of trafficking. When a child enters the country alone and claims asylum or there are concerns that he or she may have been trafficked, the Immigration Service should immediately refer the child to the relevant local authority's social services department. The social services department will undertake a needs assessment and will provide services in the light of the outcome of that assessment. These services should be tailored to the individual needs of the child, just as they should be for any child in need.