In 2021, one out of six missing children who had run away and were reported to NCMEC were likely victims of child sex trafficking. Many of these cases involved children missing from the care of child welfare. Child welfare professionals and law enforcement are increasingly on the front lines of coordinating care, services, and emergency response for survivors of child sex trafficking. Advanced recovery planning and specialized response can mitigate challenges, streamline resources and allow for coordinated, trauma-informed interventions. This presentation will provide practical lessons learned in developing proactive recovery and response plans focused on increasing rapport, youth engagement, and reducing running behavior for missing children who are being sex trafficked. These considerations in planning and early engagement can create an environment during recovery that begins to disillusion survivors with the lies their traffickers have told them and show professionals are concerned about their well-being. Attendees will also learn about resources available through NCMEC that can assist with this effort.
Learning Objectives:
Recognize the victim dynamics that create barriers to rapport, engagement, and reducing running behavior with survivors of child sex trafficking.
Demonstrate trauma-informed and victim-centered recovery and response considerations for survivors of child sex trafficking.
Recall NCMEC resources that can assist with locating, recovering, and supporting child sex trafficking survivors.
