Many Children in Foster Care Were Not Screened for Sex Trafficking as Required
Abbi Warmker, MPA; Andrea Hofstetter, MPA & Haley Lubeck, MSc | September 20 | 9:45-10:45 am
Topic: Research | Knowledge Level: Beginner
In 2020, there were more than 17,000 reports of possible child sex trafficking (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 2021). Traffickers are known to prey on children with low self-esteem and minimal social support. These traits are common among children in foster care because of their histories of abuse, neglect, and trauma. Federal law requires states to develop policies and procedures for “determining the child’s experiences while absent from care, including screening the child to determine if the child is a possible sex trafficking victim” (42 U.S.C. § 671(a)(35)(A)(iii)). To determine whether states completed these required screenings, the presenters selected from five states a random sample of children who returned to foster care after going missing and reviewed the children’s case files for evidence of these screenings. For 413 selected children, they reviewed all case file documentation for children’s final episodes of going missing during the review period. They found no evidence that many children in foster care received a screening to determine whether they were victims of sex trafficking. For some of the children who were screened, their case file lacked information to ensure that the children were accurately identified as possible victims of sex trafficking. As a result, many children’s risks and potential needs may have gone unidentified and unaddressed. To better protect children in foster care from the dangers of sex trafficking and ensure that victims are identified and provided with needed support services, the presenters recommend that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) work with states to improve compliance with screening requirements.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide an overview of the study, including methodology and findings regarding the extent to which children in foster care were screened for sex trafficking when required
· Describe the recommendations to improve compliance with foster care screening requirements and the actions agencies have taken in response to the recommendations