‘Stark gaps’ in available data on child criminal exploitation in Northern Ireland, research finds
A first of its kind research study has found that children in Northern Ireland exploited by paramilitaries and organised crime groups are not being formally identified as victims of modern slavery and human trafficking – despite indicators that they may meet the criteria.
Child criminal exploitation is widely recognised across the UK as a form of modern slavery, with more than 11,000 British children referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – a UK-wide mechanism designed to respond to potential cases of modern slavery in England, Scotland and Wales, since 2014.
However, until the end 2024, no UK or Irish male child had ever been referred to the NRM for criminal exploitation in Northern Ireland.
Andrew Chisholm, senior project associate and Northern Ireland lead at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in the UK, and report co-lead, said the research had “uncovered stark gaps in the available data on child criminal exploitation in Northern Ireland”.
“The absence of referrals to the NRM until the end of 2024 contrasts sharply with what frontline professionals are reporting and in comparison, with the rest of the UK,” he said.
“The evidence produced by this research, for the first time, has captured the extent of this issue in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking, which can now be used to design an effective policy and service response.”
The study, led jointly by Ulster University and the IOM UK, was co-funded by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) at the University of Oxford.
Nearly all research respondents – 98 per cent – said they encountered cases of criminal exploitation in the context of drugs, while 79 per cent noted the context of paramilitary activity, anti-social behaviour (70 per cent), forced shoplifting (30 per cent) and money laundering (26 per cent).
The report notes that in Northern Ireland’s post-conflict setting, paramilitaries and organised criminal groups still exert significant control over some communities, perpetuating harm that happens within local communities, and even within families.
This contributes to the fact that harm is often normalised and overlooked – even by those directly affected, say researchers.
Some respondents expressed safety concerns about formally identifying children through the NRM, including fear of reprisals against children and those reporting exploitation, pointing to the need of adapting the NRM processes to the local context.
Other barriers include the fact that a legal duty to identify potential victims of modern slavery is not yet in force in Northern Ireland, and that there is a focus on travel within the statutory definition of human trafficking, which does not reflect the often hyperlocal nature of exploitation.
The research calls for urgent policy changes both for the UK and Northern Ireland governments that recognise the post-conflict context of Northern Ireland, alongside increased investment in frontline capacity and tailored referral processes.
Dr Gillian Kane, co-author of the report and lecturer in Law at Ulster University said: “This research has shed light on some of the barriers to identifying modern slavery and human trafficking in the context of child criminal exploitation in Northern Ireland.
“Possible concrete actions to remove them include ensuring a legal duty to identify in Northern Ireland’s human trafficking legislation, and amending the statutory definition of human trafficking to more accurately reflect international law.”
Northern Ireland Minister of Justice Naomi Long, who co-commissioned the study, said it has highlighted some of the barriers to recognising and identifying modern slavery and human trafficking in the context of child criminal exploitation in Northern Ireland.
“Child criminal exploitation is a complex form of child abuse and the Department is committed to continuing to work collaboratively to raise awareness and to protect children at risk of exploitation,” she said.
“We will now take the time to consider the recommendations as part of the ongoing cross-government actions to address child criminal exploitation.”
Professor Paul Seawright, deputy vice-chancellor of Ulster University, said this work “shines a stark light on a hidden issue – one that demands urgent and informed action”.
“We are proud to have hosted this important discussion and to support research that challenges policy blind spots and works toward better protection for children in our communities,” he added.
Jakub Sobik from the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre at the University of Oxford, which co-commissioned the study said: “We’re proud to have commissioned this novel research. We hope it kickstarts a conversation that’s needed to implement holistic changes effectively protecting children from exploitation with the local realities at the at its heart.”