SJOG’s, Senior and Research Policy Officer, Ioana Brezeanu, attended the launch of the updated Slavery and Trafficking Survivor Care Standards on 6 November.
This milestone celebrated a collective commitment to ensuring that every person who has experienced modern-day slavery and human trafficking receives the care and support they need, regardless of where or from whom that support comes: healthcare providers, criminal justice practitioners, legal advisers, local authorities, education institutions, or community organisations.
The updated standards reflect the voices of people subject to modern-day slavery themselves and represents a collective wisdom of over 150 contributors – from frontline practitioners and researchers to people with lived experience and leaders across multiple sectors. It was inspiring to see so many individuals and organisations coming together, continuing the work that began a decade ago with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
SJOG is particularly proud to contribute to this work through the research conducted on ‘Access to healthcare and treatment for people subject to modern-day slavery and trafficking’, involving colleagues and people we support at SJOG. Our insights helped inform the Access to Healthcare chapter, and it’s deeply rewarding to see this evidence now embedded within national guidance.
The Standards have been endorsed by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Eleanor Lyons, and welcomed by government ministers. As Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women declared:
“They set a clear, compassionate benchmark for the care and recovery of victims, and I am proud to express, on behalf of the government, our support for the standards and the principles which will continue to guide our support provision. This is just another example of what can be achieved when we all work together.”
The outcomes of this collaboration can now be found here: https://lnkd.in/dUdrjVPD