FOI request (FOIR-176732727)

I am writing to make an open government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Please release the following information relating to looked after children in the care of your authority for the period 1st January 2019 to 31st December 2019:

1. The total number of looked after children in the care of your authority that have been:

a. Identified as having been trafficked or a victim of modern slavery – including, but not limited to, those identified through the National Referral Mechanism.

b. Suspected of having been a victim of trafficking or modern slavery , if not included in a.

c. Identified as an unaccompanied asylum seeking child (UASC) or a separated child.

2. The total number of looked after children in the care of your authority:

a. Identified or suspected as having been trafficked/victim of modern slavery and that have gone missing or absent.

b. Identified as an UASC or separated child and that have gone missing or absent.

3. The total number of individual incidents (which could involve the same child on more than one

occasion) of looked after children in the care of your authority:

a. Identified or suspected as having been trafficked/victim of modern slavery and that have gone missing or absent.

b. Identified as an UASC or separated child and that have gone missing or absent.

4. The total number of looked after children in the care of your authority that are still missing or absent (including those that subsequently turned 18 without being found) that were identified or suspected as having been trafficked or identified as an UASC or separated child.

5. For all of the above please provide a breakdown of these numbers by gender and nationality of the child (e.g. British, Vietnamese, etc.) If identification is a concern due to small numbers involved, please give the total figures and specify whether the child is British / an EU national / non EU national. For Q3 & Q4, please add the length of time the child was missing during each incident.

Please note that statutory duties include collecting and recording the following:

• Whether a child is a victim of trafficking/ modern slavery, or whether there is reason to believe they may be a victim

• Whether a child is an unaccompanied asylum seeking child (UASC)

• Data on children reported missing from care

Information not held

This area is dealt with by East Sussex County Council Children's Services, please visit their website for further information: www.eastsussex.gov.uk