Nottingham anti-exploitation model adopted as national blueprint

Nottingham’s specialized framework for identifying and disrupting modern slavery is being adopted as a national model for local authorities across the UK. The Slavery Exploitation Risk Assessment Conference (SERAC), a partnership led by Nottingham City Council, has moved from a local pilot to a recognized standard for safeguarding vulnerable residents from hidden harm.

The initiative focuses on uncovering exploitation that often occurs behind closed doors, including domestic servitude, human trafficking, and criminal exploitation. By coordinating responses between multiple agencies, the program addresses cases where no single organization previously held clear ownership of the safeguarding process.

Coordinated response to hidden harm and cuckooing

The Slavery Exploitation Team (SET) manages a wide range of live concerns, with a particular focus on “cuckooing”—a practice where criminals take over a vulnerable person’s home to use it as a base for illegal activity. In several documented cases in Nottinghamshire, coordinated interventions through the SERAC framework saw reported incidents of antisocial behavior and harm drop from dozens per month to zero.

Unlike traditional front-facing support services, the SET often operates behind the scenes. This allows agencies to share intelligence and build a comprehensive risk profile before the victim is even aware of the multi-agency involvement. This method ensures that when an intervention occurs, the necessary housing, health, and legal supports are already in place to prevent the victim from falling back into the cycle of exploitation.

Evolution from pilot project to multi-agency framework

The partnership originated in 2018 as a Home Office-funded pilot designed to support survivors leaving National Referral Mechanism (NRM) safehouses. However, local professionals quickly identified a gap: many “live” exploitation cases were being discovered where there was no coordinated plan to disrupt the harm or protect the individuals involved.

In response, Nottingham City Council redeveloped the service into the current SET structure. The conference now brings together Nottinghamshire Police, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), probation services, health partners, and various charities. This collective approach allows for the escalation of concerns that might otherwise be missed by a single agency working in isolation.

Measurable reduction in community exploitation cases

Recent data highlights the scale of the challenge facing local authorities. During a six-month window between April and September 2025, the team handled 246 referrals across the county. Financial exploitation and cuckooing were identified as the most prevalent threats during this period.

Councillor Matt Shannon, Executive Member for Community Protection, noted that the model is now shaping wider conversations nationally. The work has been referenced in academic research by The Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham and featured in the Local Government Association’s national guide on tackling modern slavery. The focus remains on early identification to ensure people receive support before serious harm escalates.

National implementation and professional training standards

The success of the Nottinghamshire approach has led to a significant expansion in professional training. Since October 2024, the SET has delivered specialist training to nearly 1,200 frontline professionals. This program helps staff across different sectors recognize the subtle signs of Modern Slavery and understand the specific referral pathways required to trigger a multi-agency response.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden emphasized that the ability of organizations to come together quickly to share information is the core strength of the model. This coordinated action is particularly vital for victims of domestic servitude and other hidden crimes who may not have clear pathways to seek help on their own.

Work is currently ongoing to determine how the specific mechanics of the SERAC model can be integrated into other regional local authorities. The initiative remains a central pillar of the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan, particularly during focused enforcement and awareness periods such as Op Sceptre Week.

Source: Nottingham City Council