Publication - Strategy/plan

Scotland's Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy Delivery Plan 2026-2028

Published: 14 August 2026
From: Minister for Victims and Community Safety, +3 more … Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, Director for Children and Families, Director of Justice
Directorate: Justice Directorate, +1 more … Children and Families Directorate
Topic: Business, industry and innovation, Children and families, Communities and third sector, +10 more … Education, Equality and rights, Health and social care, Housing, International, Law and order, Marine and fisheries, Public safety and emergencies, Transport, Work and skills
ISBN: 9781807753955

Scotland's Trafficking and Exploitation Delivery Plan contains the key actions that will help us to meet the four long-term outcomes set out in Scotland's Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy 2025.

Supporting documents

Outcome 4

Conditions that expose children, adults and communities in Scotland to increased risks of trafficking and retrafficking are addressed.

	Actions	Principles	Leads	Timeframe
4.1	We will undertake a mapping exercise to identify online and local environments and communities at high-risk of human trafficking and exploitation.	Victim/Survivor informed; Age-sensitive; Gender-sensitive; Multi-agency approach; Partnership working at local, Scottish, UK and International level	Scottish Government Police Scotland COSLA Child Protection Committees Human trafficking victim support organisations Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship Service Ofcom	Medium
4.2	We will collaborate across different sectors, including Child Protection, Violence Against Women and Girls, Education, Adult Support and Protection, in Scotland and the wider UK to develop our response to the risks of online harms and exploitation.	Victim/Survivor informed; Age-sensitive; Gender-sensitive; Multi-agency approach; Partnership working at local, Scottish, UK and International level	Scottish Government Third sector Ofcom	Medium (and continuous actions)
4.3	We will further embed a Contextual Safeguarding approach across local practice in Scotland to help prevent trafficking and exploitation.	Age-sensitive; Gender-sensitive; Multi-agency approach;	Scottish Government Child Protection Committees Child Protection Committees Scotland Police Scotland Ofcom Education Scotland Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship Service Third sector	Medium
4.4	We will strengthen the existing Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy governance structure in order to improve the focus on delivery	Victim/Survivor-informed; Multi-agency approach; Based on partnership working at local, Scottish, UK and international levels	Scottish Government COSLA	Medium
4.5	We will deliver improved knowledge of human trafficking and retrafficking risks in active collaboration with other sectors, including Fair Work, Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC), Child Poverty, The Promise, Education, Housing, Homelessness, Health and Social Care, Adult Support and Protection, Serious Organised Crime, Community Safety, and Violence Against Women and Girls.	Trauma-informed and culturally competent; Gender-sensitive; Age-sensitive;	Scottish Government	Long (and continuous actions)
4.6	We will focus on strengthening prevention activity within sectors at high-risk of labour exploitation working alongside existing enforcement frameworks. We will engage with relevant oversight bodies and regulators about guidance and tools for issues such as risk assessment, identification and good practice.	Trauma-informed and culturally competent; Gender-sensitive; Age-sensitive; Multi-agency approach; Based on partnership working at local, Scottish, UK and international levels	Scottish Government Representative organisations Worker Support Centre COSLA Regulators Industry associations	Long (and continuous actions)
4.7	We will work with key source countries, including relevant law enforcement agencies and support services, to assist in developing preventative victim-focused mitigations at source.	Multi-agency approach; Based on partnership working at local, Scottish, UK and international levels	Scottish Government COSLA Police Scotland Human trafficking victim support organisations UKG	Long (and continuous actions)
4.8	We will engage with the business community to develop awareness and build knowledge of human trafficking and exploitation and strengthen practice and efficacy of supply chain monitoring,	Multi-agency approach; Based on partnership working at local, Scottish, UK and international levels	Scottish Government Trade Unions Scotland Against Modern Slavery Worker Support Centre Chambers of Commerce Business representative organisations	Medium
4.9	We will develop and regularly update resources and public facing campaigns with partners to raise general awareness of trafficking and exploitation, improve recognition of the signs of harm, and promote clear pathways for reporting concerns to relevant agencies. This will include materials, resources and campaigns aimed at groups known to be at specific and high risk of exploitation. Where possible we will work in collaboration to build on existing resources.	Trauma-informed and culturally competent; Gender-sensitive; Age-sensitive; Multi-agency approach; Based on partnership working at local, Scottish, UK and international levels	Scottish Government Police Scotland Local authorities Third Sector	Long (and continuous actions)

Contact

Email: human.trafficking@gov.scot

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Outcome 4

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