Protecting vulnerable children across transport networks in the UK, India and Tanzania.
We support vulnerable children alone and at risk on the streets and at transport hubs, leading change and building brighter futures across the world.
Children can be at risk on the UK transport network for a variety of reasons. It's important for everyone to know what to look out for.
Our youth practitioners provide direct, one-to-one support for children and young people at risk on the rail network who may be struggling with their mental wellbeing or feeling isolated. If you’re struggling and need someone to talk to, help is available. There are free, confidential services offering support for young people facing challenges such as mental health issues, crisis situations, or emotional distress.
If your child has run away or gone missing, report them to the police as soon as possible, even if it’s not been 24 hours. You do not need to wait. Call 999 if you believe they’re in immediate danger, or 101 if you’re not sure of their whereabouts but there’s no immediate risk.
If you spot a young person who is showing signs of vulnerability or at risk of being exploited, please notify a staff member, or report this to British Transport Police: call 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016. For any emergencies, dial 999.
In a recent report, more than 40% of people said they wouldn’t know what to do if they spotted a child at risk at a train station. * That’s a statistic that Railway Children’s new interactive game, Seconds to Safety, is here to change.
From 18 – 22 May 2026, 14 police officers serving under the Gender and Children’s Desk in Mwanza successfully completed a five-day specialist training on child sexual abuse interviewing and crime scene forensics, delivered through a partnership between Railway Children Africa (RCA) and the College of Policing.
In her first nine months, Nicki Mackin has helped safeguard dozens of young people and worked with rail staff, retailers and the public to improve awareness of vulnerability across the station.
Learn about safeguarding and how it relates to child protection on transport networks.
No child wants to survive on the streets. And, through understanding and empowerment, together, we can ensure no child has to.
Julia, 24, grew up as a boy but knew, early on, that the gender she’d been born into was not who she was. Here, she talks to Youth Platform about her journey, and what she wishes she’d know as a ten-year-old boy.
