Modern slavery - guidance for professionals
You have a duty to notify the Home Office when you encounter victims, or potential victims, of modern slavery.
This duty is for staff:
- in public authorities who may encounter potential victims
- who support victims
Notifying the Home Office is one way to ensure victims get the support they need straight away.
How to notify the Home Office
For a child or consenting adult - refer into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).
If an adult does not consent to enter the NRM - notify the Home Office.
You can do both through the Modern slavery portal.
Modern slavery guidance
Government guidance for frontline staff describes the:
- signs that someone may be a victim of modern slavery
- support available to victims
- process for determining whether someone is a victim
Modern slavery: how to identify and support victims | GOV.UK
Governance Structures
Pan Sussex Anti-Slavery Network brings together organisations across Sussex that tackle modern slavery. The focus is prosecuting perpetrators, and assisting victims.
East Sussex Violence and Exploitation Reduction Partnership (VERP) brings together Police, local authorities, the NHS, and community organisations. The aim of the Partnership is to make our communities safer from the risks of serious violence and exploitation. This partnership is a sub-group of the Pan-Sussex Violence Reduction Partnership.
Safeguarding Adults Board safeguard adults with care and support needs from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
East Sussex Safeguarding Children’s Partnership coordinates services, supports and engages other agencies. It also implements learning, including serious child safeguarding incidents. They have a particular focus around child exploitation.
