88. Children referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) are supported by children’s services within local authorities. Local authorities are the primary service provider for safeguarding and responding to the needs of a child victim of modern slavery, regardless of their nationality or immigration status. Whatever form it takes, modern slavery and child trafficking is child abuse and relevant child protection procedures, as set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, must be followed if modern slavery or trafficking is suspected.