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  • Responding to Human Trafficking

Responding to Human Trafficking

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.

Human Trafficking and Child Welfare: A Guide for Caseworkers

Series Title
Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 278KB)
Order (Free)
Year Published
2017
Due to their potentially unstable living situations, physical distance from friends and family, traumatic experiences, and emotional vulnerability, children involved with child welfare are at risk for being targeted by traffickers who are actively seeking victims to exploit. This bulletin explores how caseworkers can identify and support children who have been victimized as well as children that are at greater risk for future victimization. It provides background information about the issue, strategies caseworkers can use to identify and support victims and potential victims, and tools and resources that can assist caseworkers.

Human Trafficking and Child Welfare: A Guide for Child Welfare Agencies

Series Title
Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 357KB)
Order (Free)
Year Published
2017
Due to their potentially unstable living situations, physical distance from friends and family, traumatic experiences, and emotional vulnerability, children involved with child welfare are at risk for being targeted by traffickers who are actively seeking children to exploit. This bulletin is intended for child welfare agency leadership and explores how child welfare agencies can support children who are victims of human trafficking, as well as children who are at greater risk for future victimization. It provides background information about the issue, including its scope and relevant Federal legislation and initiatives, and strategies that agencies can implement to address the trafficking of children. State and local policy and program examples also are provided.

Human Trafficking: Coordinating Resources

Series Title
Grantee Lessons Learned
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 94KB)
Year Published
2019
Shares what Children’s Bureau’s grantees have learned about coordinating specialized resources and services for child and youth victims of trafficking at the State and local levels.

Human Trafficking: Developing Housing Options

Series Title
Grantee Lessons Learned
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 91KB)
Year Published
2019
Shares what Children’s Bureau’s grantees have learned about effective housing and treatment approaches for child and youth victims of trafficking and the strategies they are using to address common challenges.

Human Trafficking: Working With Faith-Based Groups

Series Title
Grantee Lessons Learned
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 92KB)
Year Published
2019
Shares what Children’s Bureau’s grantees have learned about developing and working with faith-based organizations to support the response to human trafficking in any community.

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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Spotlight On

Responding to Child Victims of Human Trafficking
Child Welfare Information Gateway
(2019)

Human Trafficking and Individuals With Disabilities [Webinar]

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office on Trafficking in Persons (2018)

Episode 3: Interagency Collaboration to Address Human Trafficking [Podcast]

Child Welfare Information Gateway (2016)

Related Content

ACF and Other Federal Resources Addressing Human Trafficking

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