News & Updates
HTF Advisory Forum Newsletter 22nd January
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| Advisory Forum Newsletter This newsletter is an opportunity for Human Trafficking Foundation (HTF) Forum members to publicise events, projects, research, campaigns and job opportunities. You can see recordings or download minutes of our previous events here. This fortnightly newsletter goes out to over 1,600 individuals working in anti-trafficking. To share information for the newsletter, please contact [email protected]. Human Trafficking Foundation In-Person Advisory Forum HTF invites you to join our upcoming in-person Advisory Forum which provides an opportunity for anyone working in the anti-trafficking space to come together, network and hear the latest updates on modern slavery policy and practice. The event is kindly hosted by Linklaters LLP and will be held on Wednesday 26th February 10.30am-2pm at 1 Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8HQ. More information and register for the event here. If your organisation has a short update they’d like to share at the forum, please email here, and we’ll do our best to accommodate it within the agenda. Announcements Call for Evidence: Forced Labour in UK Supply Chains The Joint Committee on Human Rights has launched this inquiry that will examine the UK’s current legal and voluntary framework in relation to forced labour in international supply chains, and whether it is effective in managing forced labour exposure risks in the UK market, or if changes are required. The Committee welcomes submissions from anyone with answers to the questions in the call for evidence. More information and submit your answers here. Deadline: Friday 14th February. Temporary Permission to Stay Update Temporary permission to stay (VTS) enables confirmed victims of human trafficking or slavery and their children to remain in the UK after a positive National Referral Mechanism decision. The Caseworker Guidance on this has been updated. Key changes include updates on submitting reconsideration requests, the archiving of the Modern Slavery Discretionary Leave (MSDL) policy, and that all requests for old MSDL decisions to be reconsidered will be addressed under the VTS guidance from 16th January 2025. It also clarifies VTS extensions, fee waivers, and alternative leave options. These updates aim to resolve ongoing litigation and improve policy clarity. Access the guidance here. Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance Update On 16th January 2025, the Modern Slavery Guidance was updated with regards to ‘Reconsideration of a Reasonable Grounds or Conclusive Grounds decision’, with the timeline for submitting a reconsideration request updated from ‘one month’ to ’30 calendar days’, to provide clarity and consistency of application. Access the guidance here. Exploitation Risk Checker Causeway has launched the UK’s first Exploitation Risk Checker, a self-assessment tool designed to help individuals and professionals identify the risk of modern slavery, specifically criminal and sexual exploitation. This tool enables users to assess whether they, or someone they know, might be at risk. Developed with input from Causeway’s team of Lived Experience Consultants, this resource provides a series of simple questions to help identify signs of criminal or sexual exploitation, tailored guidance, information, and signposting to next steps for seeking help and support. Access the tool here. Call for Participation: Factors Influencing the Uptake of Support under the NRM Commissioned by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, this research by the University of Nottingham explores the emerging anecdotal evidence which suggests there are increasing numbers of potential victims choosing to not consent to referral into the National Referral Mechanism. This research therefore seeks to engage with First Responders to explore the factors which may be influencing this decision. Participation involves either participating in an interview or a roundtable discussion on the topic. If you would like to know more about the research and consider participation, please email here. Deadline: Friday 14th February. Opportunity To Join a Steering Committee on Country of Origin Information (COI) Research Project Asylos provide Country of Origin Information (COI) research for people claiming asylum and their representatives around the world. As part of their new thematic research project that seeks to improve how trafficking-specific issues are dealt with in Country of Origin Information (COI) in asylum claims, they are putting a call out for a Vietnamese person who has lived experience of the UK asylum system, and may be interested in sitting on a steering committee for this research project. If this is of interest to you, or if you could recommend someone who may be interested and suitable, please email here. More information on the project here. International Survey on Low-Paid Care Workers’ Working Conditions and Health This survey will feed into a research project conducted by researchers at the University of Manchester and UCL. The survey asks about workers’ labour conditions (contract, workload, health and safety, etc) and health, during and after the pandemic, to see how things have changed (or not) since COVID-19. The survey is open to paid care workers who care for people directly or indirectly, in exchange for a payment. The researchers hope that the data can support advocacy strategies to improve workers’ conditions. More information and register your interest to participate here. Deadline: COP Friday 31st January. Reports and Publications Acting Local: The Need for Modern Slavery Coordinators in Local Authorities This report calls for all local authorities to have, or have regional access to, a specialist modern slavery coordinator funded by Central Government. Written by the Human Trafficking Foundation alongside nine modern slavery coordinators, this paper sets out an initial evidence base for the importance and success of the role in helping local authorities respond to modern slavery in their locality. No community is immune from modern slavery, and the paper sets out the benefits if all local authorities were given the support needed to effectively respond to the issue. The report can be found here. MSOIC Unit Investigations Overview December 2024 The Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit have published their Non-LEA Overview of Live Modern Slavery Investigations in UK Policing for December 2024. This document is produced to help inform the work that non-law enforcement agencies are doing in response to Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. Read the data here. How to Request Leave to Remain For Survivors of Trafficking This briefing by by Beth Mullan-Feroze for Free Movement, aimed at legal representatives, provides practical advice on how to prepare a case to ensure clients have the best chance of being granted temporary permission to stay for victims of human trafficking or slavery (referred to as “VTS leave”). It focusses on grants based on assisting the person in their recovery from any physical or psychological harm. Access the briefing here. Great British Energy is at Risk of Relying on Slavery Briefing GB Energy is a project introduced by the government to bring the UK’s energy infrastructure under public ownership. This is a major step in bringing the UK closer to net-zero carbon emissions. René Cassin has published a briefing that sets out the Great British energy Bill sets out to do, and René Cassin’s ask of due diligence to be inserted in the Bill to ensure slave labour is not used in the production of solar panels and to amend the Bill and ensure that GB Energy is an ethically operated public company. Read the briefing here. Events & Training. Knowledge Sharing Sessions The Human Trafficking Foundation is hosting a series of Knowledge Sharing sessions for the anti-slavery sector. If you have a topic of expertise that you would like to share, or if there is a topic that you would like to learn about, please contact Divya. Upcoming sessions: Financial Exploitation of Children and Young People (The Children’s Society) 5th February 12pm-1pm More than Their Stories This online event, organised as part of the EU-funded project VoiceOver, will bring together professionals, advocates, and media representatives to explore the critical role of ethical communication in the anti-trafficking sector. Key topics will include responsible storytelling to amplify survivor voices without exploiting their experiences, how racialised and stereotypical portrayals of trafficking affect public perceptions, and what strategies can ensure media representations respect the dignity and agency of survivors. 24th January 9am-12pm GMT. Register here. Modern Slavery in the UK 2015-2025 This event, hosted by the Bakhita Centre, will reflect on 10 years of the Modern Slavery Act and the work of the Bakhita Centre for Research on Slavery, Exploitation and Abuse. It will bring together practitioners, survivors, academics, friends and supporters of the Bakhita Centre. Topics will include lived and learned experience from professional practice, the role of religion in anti-trafficking, and modern slavery intersections with domestic abuse. Day 1: 6th February 9am-7.30pm. Day 2: 7th February 9.15am-6pm. St. Mary’s University Twickenham campus. More information and book your place here. Supporting Modern Slavery Survivors Beyond the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) The Medaille Trust invites you to an online presentation of their latest research findings on the Medaille Trust Moving On Project, which will highlight gaps in support for survivors navigating modern slavery pathways. The report, written in partnership with the think tank Theos, sheds light on the needs of survivors and provides insights into effective strategies for addressing these gaps. The event will look at the unmet needs of many survivors who find themselves outside the NRM and points to where the sector and statutory agencies could be focusing more attention to improve outcomes for all survivors. 6th February 6-8pm. Register here. Modern Slavery and Child Labour in the Ready-Made-Garment (RMG) Sector of Bangladesh This online event, hosted by GoodWeave and Nottingham Rights Lab, will provide first-hand insights into lesser-investigated topics of forms of modern slavery and child labour, home-based work, and outsourcing linked to global RMG exports in Bangladesh, and offer actionable recommendations for more effective due diligence uptake. 10th February 1pm-2.15pm. More information and register here. Abianda Training Opportunities Abianda have four seminars to develop your understanding and skills on working with young women and girls. The sessions being offered are; Working with Young Women and Girls Affected by Criminal Exploitation and Violence; Young Women, Girls and the National Referral Mechanism; Young Women, Girls and Contextual Safeguarding; and Young Women, Girls and County Lines. Click on the respective sessions’ links to find out more. Vacancies Ella’s Ella’s provides frontline support to London survivors through safehouses. They are currently recruiting for a Fundraising Manager (Deadline: 9am Monday 10th February), Chair of Trustees (no deadline specified) and Safeguarding Trustee (no deadline specified). Find out more and apply here. Barnardo’s Barnardo’s National Counter Trafficking Service runs several different services across England and Wales, including the Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship (ICTG) Service, a statutory provision set out in Section 48 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. They are currently recruiting for ICTGs across the country. (Deadline: Sunday 2nd February). Find out more and apply here. The Medaille Trust The Medaille Trust provides frontline support to survivors of modern slavery through safe housing, community awareness projects and partnerships with local authorities and law enforcement. They are recruiting for a Senior Modern Slavery Case Worker in Southampton (Deadline: 10am Wednesday 12th February). Find out more and apply here. The Freedom Fund The Freedom Fund partner with frontline organisations and communities in slavery ‘hotspots’ – places across the world where slavery is highly prevalent. In each hotspot, they convene a network of grassroots organisations to work collaboratively toward shared objectives, multiplying their resources, impact and influence. They are currently recruiting for a Senior Strategic Partnerships Manager. (Deadline: Tuesday 28th January). Find out more and apply here. HTF Resources Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) Consultancy The Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) was established to ensure the expertise of those with lived-experience is embedded in the work of the anti-trafficking sector and is made up of independent consultants who co-work with HTF. LEAP can offer the development and delivery of training, provide expert advice on policy documents, and more. Find out more here and submit a request for LEAP consultancy. HTF’s Survivor Hub Survivor advocates and HTF have created an online Survivor Hub, a place for survivors to find opportunities for work and paid research participation, to find resources on education, housing support, the NRM, mental health support and includes directories of support providers and legal advisors across the country. Please share this widely in your networks. If your organisation has resources or opportunities that you would like included please email [email protected]. HTF’s Emergency Support Fund The Human Trafficking Foundation’s Trafficking Emergency Support Fund is available to help survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery with small one-off grants to meet their immediate needs when no other sources of funding are available. If you are a support worker, you can see guidelines and complete an online application form here on behalf of your client, if you have any questions please contact [email protected]. London Modern Slavery SPOC Directory The Human Trafficking Foundation has been working with local authorities in the Greater London area to support the development of their response to modern slavery and human trafficking. As part of this, we produce an annual directory of Modern Slavery Single Points of Contact/Champions in statutory authorities across London including representatives within the NHS, police and local authorities. Please contact [email protected] to gain access or to make any amendments. London Directory of Services HTF has created a Directory of Services, bringing together details of support agencies for survivors of modern slavery across London. The Directory is a live document, with more organisations added all the time. Access it now on our website under resources. If there is an organisation you think should be included, or to amend any information please email [email protected]. Mapping Survivor Support Services Our map of UK survivor support services aims to be a useful tool for people working with survivors to see what services are available in their area. View the map here. If your organisation provides support of any kind to survivors of trafficking and would like to be added to the map, please email [email protected]. |
Human Trafficking Foundation Blackfriars Settlement, 1 Rushworth Street London SE1 0RB 020 3773 2040 www.humantraffickingfoundation.org |