Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

The statement sets down Horizon Care’s commitment to preventing slavery and human trafficking in our business activities and the steps we have put in place with the aim of ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our own business and supply chains. We all have a duty to be alert to risks, however small. Staff are expected to report their concerns and management to act upon them.

About Horizon Care

Horizon Care is a provider of care and support to adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and other complex and challenging support needs across the UK. The people we support are funded by local authorities, Integrated Care Boards and other health and social care organisations, as well as directly by the individuals we support themselves.

Our commitment to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015

Horizon Care is committed to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the abolition of modern slavery and human trafficking.

As an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to creating and ensuring a non-discriminatory and respectful working environment for our staff. We want all our staff to feel confident that they can expose wrongdoing without any risk to themselves.

Our recruitment and people management processes are designed to ensure that all prospective employees are legally entitled to work in the UK and to safeguard employees from any abuse or coercion.

We do not enter into business with any organisation, in the UK or abroad, which knowingly supports or is found to be involved in slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.

Our responsibilities also extend to the people we support. Staff are expected to remain alert to indicators that a person receiving care or support may be vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking, forced labour, criminal exploitation, coercion or other forms of modern slavery. Any such concerns will be managed through our safeguarding procedures and referred to the appropriate statutory agencies.

Our supply chain

These are the steps Horizon Care has taken, and continues to take, to understand and minimise the potential risk of modern slavery in its business and supply chains.

Horizon Care recognises the scale and seriousness of the problem of modern slavery and human trafficking, and most importantly the impact on its victims.

Due to the nature of our business, we assess ourselves to have a low risk of modern slavery in our business and supply chains. Our supply chains are limited and we procure goods and services from a restricted range of UK [suppliers].

Following the end of free movement between mainland Europe and the UK in 2021, due to more restrictive immigration systems, there is an increased risk of exploitation of migrant workers.

Nationwide recruitment challenges continue to impact upon the care sector, and we continue to work with a range of approved recruitment agencies. These agencies are subject to comprehensive due diligence checks and are required to sign up to our specific recruitment agency terms and conditions, to ensure that the robust recruitment and identity checks we carry out for our own permanent and bank staff are replicated in our supply chain. For example, a completed Personal Profile document that evidences the identity and right to work checks undertaken by the recruitment agency is now required for each agency worker who works in one of our services.

We undertake robust recruitment and identity checks to ensure modern slavery is not present in our business, but recognise vigilance is required as the risk cannot be eradicated entirely. We employ over 50 people, some of whom are originally from outside the UK. Employment of people from overseas potentially represents the biggest risk of modern slavery to our business, and we are cognisant of the significant increase in modern slavery referrals across the health and social care sector within the last financial year.

Our policies in relation to the Modern Slavery Act 2015

The following policies are available to all staff through our staff forums and newsfeeds:

• Code of Conduct
• Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics Policy
• Raising Concerns, Freedom to Speak Up and Whistleblowing Policy
• Equality and Human Rights Policy
• Harassment Policy
• Anti-Bullying Policy
• Diversity and Inclusion Policy
• Recruitment Policy
• Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy

Embedding the principles

We will continue to embed the principles through:

• Providing awareness training to staff on the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and informing them of the appropriate action to take if they suspect a case of slavery or human trafficking.
• Ensuring staff involved in procurement activity are aware of and follow modern slavery procurement guidance on GOV.UK, and that consideration of modern slavery risks and prevention is added to our policy review process as an employer and procurer of goods and services.
• Making sure our procurement strategies and contract terms and conditions include references to modern slavery and human trafficking.
• Continuing to take action to embed a zero tolerance policy towards modern slavery.
• Ensuring that staff involved in buying or procurement and the recruitment and deployment of workers receive training on modern slavery and ethical employment practices.

This statement has been approved by the Board of Directors for the year ending October 2026. It will be reviewed and updated every year.
Horizon Care, Suite 1.10 Great House, Redwall Close, Dinnington, Sheffield, S25 3QA