Colchester City Council has developed training courses to increase understanding of all forms of modern slavery. Greater understanding empowers colleagues to develop professional curiosity, be more proactive and provide effective support to victims and thus reduce the risks they experience. In June 2023 the Council launched a new learning management system, Learning Pool, with new safeguarding training packages. In addition to this CAMS training is also delivered to relevant staff. CAMS Training was delivered to Designated Safeguarding Officers in June 2024 and to colleagues in Colchester Borough Homes (CBH) the council’s arm’s length management organisation (ALMO) in May 2025.
This is detailed in the Safeguarding Training Plan.
- Staff:
The Council has a programme of mandatory training that all employees must complete. It enables officers in community-facing roles to identify and know how to report suspected incidents of abuse and neglect, including modern slavery and trafficking. This year the rate of completion for the organisations safeguarding course was 67%. Modern Slavery has been included within mandatory staff safeguarding awareness training since 2016. Additionally, a Level 3 Safeguarding course was most recently delivered to 28 Designated Safeguarding Officers. A Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Workshop was delivered by Essex Police MSHT Officer to 23 staff including our Designated Safeguarding Officers, Licensing and Public Sector Housing Teams in June 2022.
- Councillors:
E-learning training on Safeguarding is mandatory and this includes content on Modern Slavery. A Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Workshop was delivered by CAMS to Councilors as part of their Members Briefing in July 2024.
- First Responder Training
Home Office First Responder Training is completed by Community Safety Officers and the Safeguarding Officer on an annual basis, this year it has been expanded to include First Call Officers (FCOs) as they are able to support victims outside of normal working hours and other Officers who wish to participate. This training was delivered by Migrant Help UK to 8 members of staff.
- Procurement
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.
- Contractors
There are many online e-learning modules available for free. We would encourage contractors and partners to undertake training on modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK. Suitable courses can be found on the government website Modern slavery training: resource page - GOV.UK or via charities such as Hope for Justice Online training courses | Hope for Justice.