The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK government’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Within the NRM, the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) provides accommodation support, including safe houses, for survivors. In addition, accommodation may also be delivered outside of the official support channels.
Previous research has emphasised the importance of safe and secure accommodation for supporting survivor recovery. If this is not available, survivors face increased risks of homelessness, re-exploitation and further harm. However, there is emerging evidence that safe house accommodation is not always experienced positively by survivors. A report by BASNET in 2024 identified issues such as discrimination, poor living conditions, unclear or missing complaints procedures, and sexual harassment. There is a lack of comprehensive research on how different models of safe houses operate and how they impact survivor outcomes.
A research project, led by the University of Nottingham in collaboration with BASNET UK, aims to answer the following research question: “for whom and in what circumstances do safe houses promote (or not) recovery for survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking?” The specific objectives are to:
- Understand how safe houses can work to provide safe, person-centred and appropriate support for survivors.
- Clarify when, in what contexts and for whom they are most likely to be supportive.
The research will cover safe houses across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It will involve:
- A review of existing research on safe houses.
- Focus groups with survivors.
- A survey with practitioners.
- Workshops with survivor groups, practitioners and policy makers to discuss findings and develop recommendations.
Research team: Nicola Wright, Elizabeth Such University of Nottingham, Naeema Ahmed, Debbie Ariyo, BASNET UK.
Call for evidence
The team is reviewing the evidence on this issue and has called anyone who might hold knowledge or useful documents to email Nicola Wright at nicola.wright@nottingham.ac.uk. Thank you!
