Currently, federal records show that there are more than 61,000 foster care children listed as “missing” since 2000 and an additional 53,000 listed as “runaways.” Although a number of experiences can lead to children ending up in the welfare system, studies show that a majority of women in the sex trade were once in the child welfare system.Research performed by the National Human Trafficking Technical Assistance Center has shown that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have the most significant impact on future trafficking, violent victimization, and lifelong health and happiness. The development of the ACEs conceptual framework began in 1994, after a study examined the impact of traumatic childhood events on adult health. In the study, over 17,000 adults were asked about traumatic events that occurred between the ages of 0-17. The data illustrated how adverse childhood experiences were related to a person’s well-being throughout their lifespan. ACEs include a child’s exposure to childhood traumas such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. The effect of this trauma extends far beyond the experiences of the affected youth and impacts the familial and societal relationships that support them.
The Family and Youth Service Bureau have identified three stages of systematic changes based on the ACE assessment. These changes could be critical to reducing the likelihood of exploitation amongst fostered children. The first of these is primary prevention, which examines how we can stop trafficking and exploitation before it occurs. In this stage, we can support children and their families by increasing funding for family counseling, accessible rehabilitation services, and domestic violence intervention programs. This stage often includes a stricter vetting process with foster families to ensure proper support and care for children. The secondary stage of preventionprovides continual support, especially in response to violence. This includes first response teams trained to spot signs of trafficking, public safety officers that have received technical assistance training, and teachers trained to recognize signs of abuse. Lastly, tertiary prevention addresses the long-term effects in the aftermath of violence. Accessible programs that provide long-term housing, therapy, and job training can help prevent future revictimization.
In the two decades since the original ACE study, there have been promising efforts to implement policy centered around minimizing Adverse Childhood Experiences and adopting the systematic changes suggested by the FYSB. Since 2009, 48 states and the District of Columbia have included ACE based assessment questions in their annual Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, creating a valuable tool for identifying state specific trends. This data has allowed for over 37 states to create laws that address childhood trauma, child adversity, toxic stress or ACEs specifically. While these laws may not be the answers to ending trafficking among children in the welfare system, they take a significant step towards minimizing exposure to exploitation and provide much needed change in the way we understand the experiences of children in foster care.
This piece is part of our first-year law student blog series. Congratulations to author Sarah Urie on being chosen!