Resource

Delivering policy change is a fundamental part of the Helen Bamber Foundations (HBF)’s organisational strategy and a vital way of creating positive change for all survivors. Our organisational expertise, gathered through our in-depth and multi-disciplinary work with survivors of trafficking and torture can provide significant practice and policy guidance both in the UK and internationally.

Securing systemic change for survivors in the current political climate is challenging; while we will continue to push for long term positive change over the coming years, much of our work will also be focussed on preventing a worsening of the current situation and on smaller operational improvements to the current system. HBF will:

• Use our authoritative medico-legal expertise, alongside evidence from our frontline work and research, to secure ongoing policy change, and 
• Work collaboratively with others in the sector to deliver systems change.

We will work towards the following goals:  

Legal Protection - ensuring that survivors of trafficking and torture are identified, that asylum decisions are quicker and of a better quality, and that all survivors have fair access to protection with quality legal advice. 

A safe and supportive environment - an end to the use of mass institutional accommodation and the detention of survivors of torture and trafficking, and the provision of quality housing and appropriate financial support to ensure survivors can recover from trauma and rebuild their lives.

Recovery and integration - all survivors are offered timely access to appropriate healthcare services and evidence-based specialist therapeutic care, are granted leave to remain in the UK that provides the security and stability necessary for them to rebuild their lives. and are able to access education, training and employment.