Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to announce her Department's policy on support for survivors of modern trafficking who have received a positive conclusive grounds decision.

The Government is committed to ending modern slavery and providing victims with the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Support and assistance for adult victims of modern slavery is provided via the government-funded Victim Care Contract, in England and Wales. This support enables victims leaving situations of exploitation to access specialist care, to begin to rebuild their lives. This includes accommodation, financial support, access to mental and physical health services, and signposting to legal sup-port. Confirmed victims receive a minimum of 90 days Victim Care Contract support; however, many are supported for longer than this.

Our new Recovery Needs Assessment process will improve support for confirmed victims by ensuring their ongoing recovery needs, arising from their modern slavery experiences, are identified and supported through the Victim Care Contract or other services. The Recovery Needs Assessment will inform an individual move-on plan with the aim of establishing longer-term stability by helping victims transition out of Victim Care Contract support and into a community where they can start to rebuild their lives. Where this is not yet possible, Victim Care Contract services will continue to meet the confirmed victim’s recovery needs.

The Recovery Needs Assessment guidance was published on Friday 27 September and assessments will start during the week commencing 30 September. We will keep the Recovery Needs Assessment process and guidance under review throughout its gradually phased implementation over the coming months.