Modern Slavery Transparency Statement 2023
Contents
Action Plan for 2023-24
Staff training
Home Office First Responder Training is completed by Community Safety Team Officers and Council Safeguarding Leads on an annual basis.
A new e-learning Level 2 course was launched in May 2021 and included more detailed information on modern slavery to help raise awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking. It helps staff recognise their role in identifying and reporting concerns.
This is mandatory for front-line staff and will continue to be promoted to build upon the 344 staff who have passed the course, and completion rates will be reported on to ensure completion by all relevant staff.
The safeguarding training plan includes links to modern slavery resources such as GLAA videos on spotting the signs of modern slavery. We will review these throughout the year to ensure they remain up to date and add any new resources as they become available.
An e-learning course for procurement team and staff who commission goods/services was launched in May 2021 ‘Protecting Human Rights in the Supply Chain (Modern Slavery)’. 46 staff members who work in procurement/hold budgets have since passed this training. We will continue to monitor and report on completion rates and promote as appropriate.
Going forward we will continue to review information and guidance for staff relating to modern slavery and update our internal systems as appropriate. We have instigated our move to a new learning platform as of August 2023. Essential training is now available on the new platform and additional courses are being reviewed and updated in preparation to being re-launched on the new system in due course.
Raising awareness
- Internal and external comms activity prepared for Anti-Slavery Day (18 October 2023) and United Nation's World Day Against Trafficking (30 July 2024).
- The Knife Angel, also called the National Monument Against Violence & Aggression, is coming to Colchester in October 2023.
We registered with the Modern Slavery Statement Registry in 2020 and will upload the Transparency Statement for 2023 to our website.
Partnership work
Priorities for CAMS were co-developed by participants towards a slavery-free community. These priorities are being investigated and developed by the multi-agency partnership providing opportunities for knowledge sharing and the development of resilience to modern slavery in Colchester.
The following areas have been highlighted for discussion and investigation:
- Governance and structure
- Awareness raising
- Training
- Survivor care
- Safeguarding and referral pathways
- Data and intelligence gathering / sharing across partners
- Disruption
Supply chain:
The Procurement Team and Staff who commission goods/services should continue to complete the additional training provided ‘Protecting Human Rights in the Supply Chain (Modern Slavery)’. New starters should complete their training upon joining the council, and existing council officers should retrain every 3 years.
Procurement are continuing to monitor and review their policies and procedures to further strengthen their anti-slavery commitment.
Contractors:
Following a review of how we ensure contractors have received relevant safeguarding training (including modern slavery), our Level 2 Safeguarding E-learning course has been developed and tailored for contractors.
Charter against Modern Slavery
In July 2018 we agreed unanimously to adopt and apply the Co-operative Party’s Charter Against Modern Slavery (as far as is legally possible).
All Suppliers to the council will be asked to confirm that they/their organisation has, and will, take action to address risks to human rights identified within itself and its supply chain.
During tender processes, this action is to include the adoption of a whistleblowing policy that enables staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.
Page last reviewed: 28 September 2023