Modern Slavery Statement
Introduction
Modern slavery is the recruitment, movement, harbouring or receiving of children, women, or men through use of force, coercion, abuse of vulnerability, deception, or other means for the purpose of exploitation.
It can include:
- human trafficking.
- forced labour.
- domestic servitude.
- sexual exploitation, such as escort work, prostitution, pornography
- debt bondage – being forced to work to pay off debts that realistically they never will be able to achieve.
Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive, and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude, and inhumane treatment.
At East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care, we provide vital support services to our community and believe this extends to treating all staff, service users, and those connected to our organisation with dignity and respect. We believe strong ethics are essential for quality care and expect the same high standards from our partners and only work with organisations that share our ethical values. Slavery and human trafficking have no place within our operations. We take our responsibility to combat these issues seriously and comply with all principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Our Policies
East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care have a range of policies and procedures in place to ensure fair treatment for everyone. Covering areas like recruitment, health and safety, whistleblowing, and resolving any problems that arise. By doing this, we aim to prevent and address any potential exploitation within our own operations and with the companies we work with.
Quality Assurance Policy
Our Quality Assurance Policy outlines East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Cares’ approach to monitoring, maintaining, and improving quality and high standards in service provision. It complements the full suite of operational policies, procedures and guidance provided by the Carer’s Trust, ensuring that as a network partner, they are adequate and properly implemented, including taking corrective action if standards are not being met. The policy sets out the principles of good governance that underpin governing the charities business. This is relevant to tackling modern slavery as it requires consideration to be given to all operations with respect to sustainability and social value issues.
Whistleblowing Policy
East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care is committed to the highest standards of service and ethical conduct. We believe everyone has a role to play in maintaining that commitment. That's why we encourage staff, volunteers, service users, and the community to speak up if they see something wrong. Our Whistleblowing Policy makes it easy to report concerns, anonymously if preferred. By working together, we can prevent unethical practices and ensure everyone feels safe and respected. This policy is particularly important for raising concerns about modern slavery or any related issues.
Sustainability and Social Value
Our commitment to inclusivity and ethical procurement practices directly contributes to the fight against modern slavery. By prioritising good work and ethical sourcing, we help ensure that everyone involved in our services is treated fairly and with respect, protecting vulnerable individuals who may be at greater risk of exploitation within our service network.
Codes of Conduct
East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care sets high standards for ethical conduct through our Codes of Conduct. These codes apply to all staff, volunteers, and trustees, regardless of employment status. These codes aren't just about following rules – they embody our values. They encourage everyone to raise concerns confidentially, treat others with dignity and respect, and always act ethically. This commitment to ethical behaviour is vital in the fight against modern slavery.
Health and Safety
East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care prioritises the health, safety, and well-being of all staff. This commitment extends to protecting those vulnerable to exploitation. Our Health and Safety policies and procedures ensure proper procedures and training are in place. This helps safeguard everyone from work-related injuries, a risk factor for victims of modern slavery who may be forced to work in unsafe conditions.
Recruitment
East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care is committed to fair and ethical recruitment practices. Our Recruitment and Selection Policy ensures a transparent process that promotes diversity and protects vulnerable individuals. This policy includes thorough pre-employment checks, such as reference verification, qualification checks, and Right to Work in the UK checks. While these checks ensure qualified candidates, they also serve an important role in identifying potential victims of modern slavery who may be forced into seemingly legitimate jobs.
We believe responsible recruitment is essential in the fight against modern slavery.
Grievance and Workplace Conflict
At East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care, we are committed to promoting a respectful and inclusive workplace culture. All individuals are treated with fairness and dignity and all employee concerns and complaints are taken seriously. Bullying and harassment will not be tolerated. Our Grievance Procedure provides a clear process for employees to raise any concerns, including bullying, harassment, or unfair treatment. It also includes the right of workers to be advised and/or represented by a Trade union representative. This is especially important in the fight against modern slavery. Victims are often intimidated and subjected to degrading behaviour. Our Grievance Procedure empowers employees to speak up, knowing their concerns will be taken seriously. This creates a safe space for everyone and helps us identify and address potential exploitation.
Equality and Inclusion
Equality and diversity are core values at East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care. Our dedicated Equality and Diversity Policy ensures everyone feels valued and respected. This is crucial because certain groups are more vulnerable to exploitation. By promoting inclusivity and fair treatment, we help protect these vulnerable individuals. Our policy empowers everyone within the organisation to be aware of these issues and take action if they see something concerning.
Safeguarding
Our Safeguarding Policies and Procedures sets out how East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care will proceed when there is suspected abuse either amongst service users, employees, and volunteers. The Polices set out the framework for supporting employees, volunteers and service users experiencing abuse and the steps East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care will take where it is alleged an employee has, or is, perpetrating any type of abuse. This set of policies and procedures covers many elements of abuse including modern slavery.
Commitment
We are committed to working with others to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking. We will continue to review and improve our policies and procedures to ensure that our services are free from exploitation.
By following these steps, East Sussex, Brighton & Hove Crossroads Care can create a modern slavery statement that demonstrates its commitment to ethical and responsible service provision.
Statement Review
This statement will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary. Last checked May 2024.
