Professor of Child Welfare, Ravi Kohli, and Dr Patricia Hynes are heading up a team at the University that is assessing the work done by children’s charity Barnardo’s as part of the Bill.

The Bill – still subject to scrutiny – proposes to consolidate the current offences relating to trafficking and slavery. The aim is to create two new civil orders to prevent modern slavery; establish an Anti-Slavery Commissioner; and make provision for the protection of modern slavery victims.

The Home Office has named 23 English local authorities that will trial the use of independent specialist advocates to support victims of child trafficking. Barnardo's will provide these advocates for the 12 month trial.

The team at Bedfordshire will be evaluating Barnardo’s work to establish what difference the specialist advocate scheme made for child trafficking victims, compared to the existing provision.

Professor Kohli, who is internationally renowned for his work with refugee children and has previously advised Parliament on the human rights of unaccompanied migrant children, said the work being done plays a vital part for the development of the Bill.

“The University is at the cutting edge of research in enhancing the protection of trafficked children. We are proud to be working with the UK Government and Barnardo’s in doing all we can to make sure that these children are safe,” he said.