‘Joining the dots’ and addressing the challenges with Greater Manchester's modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT) partnerships approach

Modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT) continue to present complex challenges internationally and in the United Kingdom, especially when intersecting with migration systems, labour markets, criminal justice and welfare regimes. This article presents the first comprehensive review of MSHT partnerships in the city-region of Greater Manchester, which has aspects of devolved governance and a well-established culture of cross-sector collaboration. Drawing on qualitative interviews, a practitioner survey and social network analysis, we examine how statutory bodies and NGO/charity organisations coordinate their responses to MSHT, as well as the overlapping areas of homelessness, migration and asylum. Our findings show a broadly cohesive and collaborative partnership landscape, yet one that is held back by the absence of a longer-term vision and governance strategy, lack of resources, inconsistent survivor support and limited private sector engagement. We argue that meaningful MSHT responses and partnerships require not only inter-organisational cooperation, but also clear strategic direction, sustainable investment, and more consistent involvement and acknowledgement of people with lived experience. The article provides evidence-based recommendations to strengthen city-region MSHT partnerships and contributes wider insights for multi-organisational approaches to exploitation.