Call for evidence: recovery needs for victims of modern slavery Building upon the introduction of the Recovery Needs Assessment (RNA), first implemented in September 2019, we want to ensure that the support package we provide to victims is driven by and flexible to recovery need from the outset. We recognise that modern slavery cases can be highly complex and that individual victims will have different recovery needs linked to their exploitation.

A key part of our NRM Transformation Programme, which builds upon the measures announced as part of the NRM Reform Programme in October 2017, is to further embed a needs-based approach to support. We want to capture your expertise and knowledge in this complex area, building upon our engagement with the sector over the past year. Every victim journey will be different, but we are keen to identify common areas and themes to help inform our policy development on victim support and ensure that the victim/survivor experience is rightfully at the centre of the services that we provide. As such, we are seeking your views on what recovery means for victims, and the kinds of services/support that you think can help aid recovery from exploitation. We have posed a number of questions in the document below which will help us to further develop our approach to needs-based support.

Please send responses to these questions to [email protected] by 23:59 17 August 2020.

We recognise this is a short deadline, but we want to reassure you that this is only the start of our discussions and engagement with you on these important issues. Please do also include any recommendations for literature/academic research that you believe would be helpful for us to consider.

We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for taking the time to provide your valuable insights to support this evidence gathering process.

What we already know Since the design of the RNA process last year, we have been growing the evidencebase, and our understanding of victim recovery needs, to better inform the support that we provide through the NRM going forwards. A review of key literature and engagement at workshops, meetings and visits has provided us with the following insights: • Successful recovery is best enabled by the victim building rapport and trust with a support worker, who can help the victim to reintegrate into the community and take steps towards independence. • Support should be flexible and tailored to the victim’s recovery needs. The nature of trauma inflicted, and type of exploitation experienced may influence the needs of a victim. Highly traumatised individuals and those with complex mental health issues may need to stay longer in Victim Care Contract (VCC) support or access more specialised services. Some victims may need help to access services.

• Remaining in support for long periods of time may create a dependency on the service which could stall victim recovery. It is important to support victim independence by giving victims options and the ability to make decisions. • Some victims may never be completely free from the trauma that they have experienced from their exploitation • Transitioning victims out of support may require further focussed casework support to ensure there are no gaps that may leave them vulnerable to trafficking. A multi-agency approach may be necessary to put the required support in place across mainstream state services and beyond. • There may be variations between the availability of services in different local areas, and this can impact on how long victims must wait to access alternative services. • There are some mainstream support services provided outside of the NRM which are only available to individuals who have recourse to public funds, for example DWP benefits and local authority housing. In addition, English proficiency may also affect an individual’s recovery/risk of re-exploitation. • Victim Care Contract support workers are vital to the care of victims within the Victim Care Contract but will not necessarily have the expertise required to give specialist advice, for example legal or mental health advice. The role of the support worker is also about facilitating the victim’s link up with the appropriate specialist services (for example, with medical specialists; immigration lawyers; housing officers etc.).

Do you agree with these statements? If you would like to sign-post us to any key literature or research in the field, please include this with your response.

What is a recovery need? This section looks at the specific needs that victims may have as a direct result of their exploitation, as well as what we mean by ‘recovery’ in relation to those needs.

1. What does the victim recovery journey look like over time? Please provide examples of a victim’s typical recovery needs at each stage of the process: a) Referral – immediate recovery needs b) R+R period – acute recovery needs c) Medium term – ongoing recovery needs d) Longer term (post-exit from NRM)

2. How do you monitor a victim’s progress toward recovery and independence throughout their journey, particularly in the longer term? And what are the challenges of doing so?

3. What are some of the key steps or recovery milestones that a victim should ideally reach along their recovery journey?

4. How does a victim’s support needs change depending on: a) The type of exploitation a victim has experienced b) The length of time they were exploited for c) Age at which they were exploited d) How long ago they were exploited e) Where they were exploited

5. What do you understand ‘recovery’ to mean for victims of modern slavery? What does recovery mean for the victim themselves?

6. Are there any recovery needs, arising from exploitation, that can only be met by NRM support, as opposed to wider mainstream and community services?

Support Services This section looks at the services that may best meet a victims’ recovery needs. Please think about services both within and outside of the NRM. 7. Thinking specifically about the people you have worked with, what kinds of activities/services/provisions have been key to assisting in their recovery and ability to regain independence in the following stages: a) Referral – immediate recovery needs b) R+R period – acute recovery needs c) Medium term – ongoing recovery needs d) Longer term (post-exit from NRM) 8. How easy was it/is it to access these services/activities/provisions? e.g. are individuals able to find them, are they able to enrol/is there enough availability. In addition, are these services/ activities/provisions provided by charities free of charge or are they paid for services? 9. Given your experience of working with victims, which services in the list below would you prioritise commissioning in order to assist recovery?

• Child care • Mental health services • Sports clubs/gym membership • Community support networks e.g. church groups • Creative activities e.g. cooking or art classes • English language courses • Other educational or training opportunities • Volunteering • IT/phone • Legal advice • Interpretation/translation • Substance abuse services

Are there any other services/activities that in your experience have been important to help progress a victim’s recovery and building resilience to re-exploitation? 10. We are aware of a number of different funding pots that are available to support victims of modern slavery. If your organisation provides a grant funding service for potential and confirmed victims of modern slavery or you have applied to such funding on their behalf, what kinds of things do people ask for to meet their immediate recovery needs? 11. Can you give examples of circumstances where it would not be appropriate for a victim to be supported by mainstream support services, such as local authority housing, rather than the NRM?