Many local authority staff unaware of ‘first responder’ responsibilities in tackling modern slavery, report warns

The report, conducted by academics from Middlesex University in collaboration with the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG) of Anti-Slavery International, warns that although most councils recognise the importance of addressing modern slavery, less than half have comprehensive training programmes in place.

Under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, local authorities are ‘first responders’ in helping modern slavery survivors who frequently use services that they have responsibility for such as housing, social care, education and safeguarding.

However, nearly half (47%) of survey respondents expressed concerns regarding their council’s awareness of trafficking, domestic servitude, forced labour, and sexual exploitation.

Further, researchers warned that a number of councils lack the resources to conduct “thorough supply chain checks”, risking failure to identify potential labour exploitation by contractors.

The study highlighted the following barriers and areas for improvement:

• Limited awareness and training: Training, where available, is often inconsistent and not tailored to local needs. Some staff assume that only the police can deal with modern slavery (MS) cases.
• Fragmented responses: While some councils have strong MS policies, others lack clear processes for identifying and supporting survivors. This results in an inconsistent approach across different regions.
• Barriers to multi-agency working: Effective MS response requires collaboration between local authorities, law enforcement, and community groups. However, miscommunication, lack of trust, and unclear responsibilities hinder joint efforts.
• Gaps in supply chain oversight: Local authorities have a legal duty to monitor their supply chains for potential exploitation, but reporting is inconsistent and many councils lack the resources to conduct thorough checks.

Meanwhile, the report did highlight some examples of good practice – observing that some local authorities have developed “strong partnerships” with community organisations, invested in specialist modern slavery teams, and introduced “innovative training approaches”.

The report authors noted: “These examples highlight what is possible with the right strategies in place.”

Eleonora Fais, the coordinator of the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group at Anti-Slavery International, said: "Everyone must be able to escape exploitation and be supported as they recover from their horrific experience of modern slavery. Local authorities are in a unique position to prevent modern slavery, identify individuals affected by it, and provide protection and support. But our research shows that they face significant barriers that undermine these efforts, like resource constraints and inconsistent or inadequate training for frontline staff.

“The UK Government should work with local authorities to address these barriers and ensure modern slavery duties are embedded across local government structures to strengthen support for survivors."

A Local Government Association spokesperson said: “It has been a decade since the Modern Slavery Act was enacted, however no additional resources have been allocated to councils to help them deal with these additional responsibilities. Despite this, some councils have invested in Modern Slavery co-ordinators, which has increased the number of referrals to the Home Office and has resulted in a designated lead for training.

“Amid ongoing competing pressures and financial constraints, councils need adequate resources in order to increase the number of Modern Slavery co-ordinators, which will assist the government in fighting this modern-day tragedy.”

Lottie Winson