St Mary’s Launches Framework to Support Victims and Survivors of Modern Slavery

Today Skills for Care, in partnership with the Centre for the Study of Modern Slavery, St Mary’s University and The Snowdrop Project, have launched a framework to establish clear training standards for those involved identifying, supporting and caring for victims/survivors of slavery and human trafficking.

These training standards set out the knowledge and skills required by those who may meet victims and survivors of slavery and human trafficking. The priority of this framework is to improve the experience of care and support for those who have been exploited through slavery and human trafficking.

Published by Skills for Care, the development of this framework has been led by Lara Bundock, The Snowdrop Project, and Dr Kathryn Hodges, St Mary’s University, in consultation with organisations from across, social and health care, legal advocacy, law enforcement and criminal justice, human rights, and business and education.

The launch event for the framework was chaired by CEO of Skills for Care Oonagh Smyth, and saw a range of speakers, including a keynote address from the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Dame Sara Thornton DBE QPM and a panel discussion on the importance of the training framework and why training standards are essential in improving care and support for victims/survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery.

Speaking of the Framework, Director of the Centre for the Study of Modern Slavery Dr Kathryn Hodges said, “the exploitation of people through slavery and human trafficking is present in every facet of our work and personal lives, and therefore this framework is for everyone. It is essential that that who role it is to support others are effectively equipped to provide a high standard of care and support to victims and survivors. We would like to thank The Gubay Charitable Foundation, Co-op, and the committed members of the project steering group, who supported Lara Bundock and I in leading this work”.