This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Modern Slavery Act (2015). This significant piece of legislation continues to positively impact both the labour market and working practices in the UK.
We recognise the critical importance of addressing modern day slavery and are committed to supporting efforts to combat the issue. Last December, we were proud to host the launch of the Business Service Associations (BSA) modern slavery toolkit at our office in London. This sector-wide initiative provides businesses with an accessible resource to raise awareness of modern slavery. It also empowers their teams to identify signs of potential exploitation.
Modern slavery today
Despite there being much to celebrate around the achievements of the Modern Slavery Act, and many of the efforts being taken to tackle the issue, modern slavery and labour exploitation are still prevalent across the UK.
The most recent National Referral Mechanism (NRM) figures show that there was a 13% increase in total referrals in 2024. This highlights the ongoing challenge posed by modern slavery, as well as the importance of providing effective support.
At Maximus, we deliver services that support some of the most vulnerable people in society including helplines, employment support programmes and mental health services. This includes our provision of the Refugee Employment Programme (REP), which we have delivered on behalf of the Home Office in the Midlands and the North West since 2023.
The vulnerability of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK to modern slavery is well established and has been highlighted by several organisations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
These individuals can be at a heightened risk due to a range of factors including social and cultural isolation, a lack of access to basic resources – including employment – and are often compounded by an insecure immigration status.
Tackling the risk in our delivery
Monitoring for the potential of modern slavery or exploitation amongst service users and mitigating that risk has been a central part of our delivery of REP. Our teams have taken a number of proactive steps in the design and delivery of the programme to ensure that we are addressing the risks, and are prepared to deal with any challenging cases that arise.
1. Integrating lived experience
One of our major achievements in delivering REP was diversifying our frontline staff. Now, 53% of our team had lived experience of being a refugee. As a result, we gained valuable knowledge that helped us to meet the needs of participants, gaining trust and credibility. This ultimately provided us with a better understanding of their needs and experiences.
As we began delivering the programme we were quickly made aware of the risks that certain service users faced. Our teams received early evidence from participants which pointed to potential exploitation. Our advisors with lived experience were also able to pick up on smaller cues and identify potential safeguarding risks and to signpost to the right support. We also ensured that our teams were aware of the processes in place to report potential MDS risks to the Home Office.
2. Trauma informed training
Service users on the REP programme have diverse needs and have often encountered challenging experiences before being referred. Establishing a relationship with individuals early on was imperative to ensure that they continued to engage with the programme. We ensured that all employment advisors undertook specific trauma informed training that focused on working with trauma-experienced refugees, many of whom had experienced conflict and displacement.
3. Establishing trust in the refugee community
Underpinning the delivery of the REP is the importance of establishing trust. Both with the service users and the wider refugee communities in the areas that we are delivering. On an individual level, building trust requires regular contact, honest communication and a clear dedication to delivering tangible support.
To support our community engagement, we proactively engaged with trusted local organisations, often charities with a specific focus on refugees. We gradually established REP as a trusted service which delivers valued support. This ultimately increased the number of referrals that we received.
Having taken each of these proactive steps, our teams have been able to effectively support more than 2,500 refugees – limiting the risks they may face while helping them take their first steps towards sustainable employment and building independent lives in the UK.
