Children and youth survivors of human trafficking will likely require a complex array of services, including mental health services, legal services, a safe place to live, and help with education and employment. Below are some resources to help professionals connect with and provide appropriate and timely services and supports to young victims and survivors.  

The ACF Response
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
Details how the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) responds to human trafficking through collaboration between Federal programs and departments.

Building Collaborative Responses to Human Trafficking
Futures Without Violence (2020)
Highlights a project that provides training and technical assistance to community organizations seeking to respond to human trafficking in their communities. The website offers a list of helpful resources, including webinars, training handouts, and more.

National Human Trafficking Hotline
Provides information, statistics, and resources on a wide range of topics related to human trafficking, in addition to a national hotline.

Preliminary Recommendations to Strengthen the Nation's Response to the Sex Trafficking of Children and Youth in the United States
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office on Trafficking in Persons (2019)
Presents recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Sex Trafficking of Children and Youth in the United States on how States should adopt a comprehensive, trauma-informed approach to serving victims while ensuring offenders will be held accountable for their crimes.

Reaching Out for Help: A Guide for LGBTQ Youth on How to Receive Support and Services From the National Human Trafficking Hotline
Polaris (2016)
Designed to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth feel more comfortable utilizing hotline services. This presentation explains the resources available through the National Human Trafficking Hotline, including trained service providers and LGBTQ-sensitive supports.

Report to Congress: The Child Welfare System Response to Sex Trafficking of Children
Gibbs, Feinberg, Dolan, Latzman, Misra, & Domanico (2019)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
Addresses State and Federal efforts to prevent and respond to the sex trafficking of minors. It focuses on the additional risk and response for children who run away from their foster placements, State efforts to provide specialized services and services for victims who are minors, and the importance of providing stable and permanent connections to a caring adult.

Resources: 4 Supporting Victims
Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center
Lists supplemental information and resources about promising practices, addresses gaps when human trafficking victims enter the juvenile justice system as criminals, and gives providers and community partners tools they can use to address victims’ needs.

Responding to Human Trafficking
Polaris
Describes the work of the National Human Trafficking Hotline, National Human Trafficking Referral Directory, and Global Modern Slavery Directory in responding to the problem of human trafficking. The website also lists other resources and information about work to combat human trafficking.

State and Territory Profiles: Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office on Trafficking in Persons (2018)
Provides a snapshot of anti-trafficking activities and resources in each State and territory. State and territory profiles are also available in Spanish.

Understanding and Addressing Trauma and Child Sex Trafficking (PDF - 406 KB)
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2018)
Explores how child welfare professionals and others can respond to trauma and child sex trafficking. Exposure to childhood trauma and adversities contribute to vulnerability for being trafficked, and trafficked youth are often involved with child-serving systems. The report addresses services that can be provided to help serve trafficking survivors needs.

Find more resources about responding to human trafficking through Child Welfare Information Gateway's Library by choosing a topic below. Search results are updated continually and include documents from 2012 to the present.

• Cultural considerations when responding to human trafficking
• A multi-system approach to human trafficking
• Training child welfare professionals about human trafficking

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