Children could be subject to several forms of modern slavery from domestic servitude to exploitation through begging and forced criminality.

According to the UNODC, the children who have been trafficked may:
• Have no access to their parents or guardians;
• Look intimidated and behave in a way that does not correspond with behaviour typical of children their age;
• Have no friends of their own age outside of work;
• Have no access to education;
• Have no time for playing;
• Live apart from other children and in substandard accommodations;
• Eat apart from other members of the “family”;
• Be given only leftovers to eat;
• Be engaged in work that is not suitable for children;
• Travel unaccompanied by adults;
• Travel in groups with persons who are not relatives;

The following might also indicate that children have been trafficked:
• The presence of child-sized clothing typically worn for doing manual or sex work;
• The presence of toys, beds and children’s clothing in inappropriate places such as brothels and factories;
• The claim made by an adult that he or she has “found” an unaccompanied child
• The finding of unaccompanied children carrying telephone numbers for calling taxis;
• The discovery of cases involving illegal adoption;

According to the Romanian Anti-trafficking Agency (ANITP), in 2015, out of the 880 victims identified by the Romanian authorities, 316 were minors (276 girls and 40 boys).

In the same year, according to the UK UKHTC, there 22 minors of Romanian origins referred within the National Referral Mechanism (6 for sexual exploitation, 4 for labour 1 domestic servitude and 11 unknown exploitation);

NSPCC indicated in a recent report that, between September 2007 and July 2015, their Child Trafficking Advice Centre received 1,281 referrals for cases involving foreign national children and 137 of the children referred were Romanian nationals (NSPCC – ICARUS Free to Move, Invisible to Care).

Project ICARUS – Romanian ANITP in partnership with NSPCC

Particularities of the travel regime for unaccompanied Romanian children:
The Romanian legal framework (Law no. 248/2005 on free movement of Romanian citizens abroad) contains several protection measures with the view of preventing the Romanian children to cross the Romanian borders without the full consent of both parents. In addition to their own valid travel document, passport or ID card (for EU countries only and issued on the 14th birthday), if Romanian minors are travelling accompanied only by an adult other than their parents/legal guardian(s), they must have written/formal consent to travel signed by both parents and/or legal guardian(s) and certified by a notary/solicitor in Romania or the consular personnel of the Romanian Embassies abroad.

Travel Documents for minors – Romania
Romanian Notary Association