The Overlap Between Foster Care and Human Trafficking: Understanding the Risks and Taking Action 

May is National Foster Care Month. 

The intersection between foster care and human trafficking is complex, but not surprising. While the systems are distinct, the pathways that lead a child into the child welfare system often mirror those that make them vulnerable to trafficking. Understanding how and why these systems intersect is essential if we are to protect our most vulnerable youth. 

How Are Foster Care and Human Trafficking Connected? 

The most common reasons children enter the child welfare system are neglect, abuse, caregiver drug or alcohol use, domestic violence, and inadequate housing (Children’s Bureau, 2025). All of these circumstances significantly increase vulnerability to human trafficking. The overlap of these risk factors places children involved in the child welfare system at disproportionate risk of exploitation. 

Involvement in foster care can itself introduce additional risk. When children are removed from their families—often a traumatic event—they may enter placements that fail to meet their emotional, psychological, or physical needs. Inconsistent or unstable placements, lack of trauma-informed care, and the absence of nurturing relationships all compound a child’s vulnerability (Casey Family Programs, 2023). 

As Bowman and Kinnish (2024) write,

“Traumatic loss and separation from caregivers represent an especially complex CSEC [commercial sexual exploitation of children] risk factor in that it may be both a cause and consequence of child welfare involvement.” 

As youth age out of the foster care system—usually at the age of 18 and without permanent family or economic support—they are left to navigate adulthood alone. Many face homelessness, unemployment, and food insecurity, all of which increase susceptibility to traffickers who exploit these unmet needs. 

What’s the Extent of the Problem? 

A 2024 study in Maryland found that 76% of youth trafficking victims had prior involvement with the child welfare system, and 58% had interacted with the system within the 12 months before they were identified as trafficking victims (Finigan-Carr, Mallon, Rubenstein, Jin, & Shaw, 2024). These numbers underscore a systemic failure to protect children, even within the very institutions designed to safeguard them. They also emphasize the critical need for integrated approaches to child welfare and anti-trafficking efforts. 

National data also points to a clear connection between foster care and missing youth. In 2024, 92% of children reported missing to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) were classified as endangered runaways, and 78% of all children reported missing were from foster or state care (NCMEC, 2024). Children who run away are at immediate and severe risk of being trafficked, often within hours of leaving care. 

Why Is This Happening? 

Several factors contribute to the overlap between foster care and human trafficking. Some of them include: 

• Unmet Needs and Trauma: Many youth in foster care have experienced complex trauma and enter the system with high needs. If those needs go unaddressed, they become more susceptible to traffickers who lure youth with promises of love, safety, or resources. 

• Instability and Disconnection: Frequent placement changes, institutional settings, and lack of consistent adult relationships reduce protective factors for youth. 

• Aging Out Without Support: Youth who transition out of care without long-term support often lack housing, employment, or education, increasing their vulnerability to various forms of exploitation, including survival sex (trading sex for essential needs like housing, food, and medical care). 

• System Gaps: Inconsistent use of validated screening tools, lack of specialized training among caregivers and professionals, and fragmented communication between agencies all contribute to youth falling through the cracks. 

What Can We Do? 

If you work with or care for youth in the child welfare system, you are in a unique position to prevent trafficking and respond effectively: 

• Stay Curious and Compassionate: Behavioral issues, substance use, and running away may be survival strategies. Ask: What need is this child trying to meet? How can I help them meet it safely? 

• Prioritize Multidisciplinary Teams: Work in partnership with relevant stakeholders and professionals in your community to provide comprehensive support to youth addressing trauma, physical and mental health, appropriate socialization, and education.  

• Use Screening Tools: Implement evidence-based tools to assess trafficking history and risk among youth, especially those in foster care. 

• Ensure Stability: Advocate for placements that are long-term and prioritize trauma-informed care and relationship-building. 

• Talk About Safety: Educate youth about exploitation and healthy relationships in developmentally appropriate ways, and let youth know how to stay safe or seek help. 

For individuals outside the system, there are meaningful ways to contribute: 

• Volunteer or Mentor: Engage with afterschool programs, mentorship opportunities, or community youth services. 

• Support Basic Needs: Donate food, clothing, or funds to organizations supporting vulnerable families and youth. 

• Advocate for Policy Change: Support legislation requiring trafficking prevention training for child-serving professionals and advocate for Safe Harbor laws that protect exploited youth from criminal charges. 

• Assist Older Youth: Champion scholarships, housing initiatives, and job training programs for youth aging out of care. 

Where Can I Learn More? 

• Justice U’s CSEC Training Series: Complete specialized education for caseworkers, foster care and adoptive families and associations, group home professionals, juvenile justice professionals, and others who regularly interact with children. 

• NCMEC 2024 Reports: Explore recent data on missing and exploited children in the United States. 

• Casey Family Programs: Read about the importance of placement stability on outcomes for youth in care. 

Each of us can play a role in interrupting the cycle of trauma and exploitation. Whether through advocacy, support, education, or compassion, we can ensure that children in foster care are not left vulnerable to exploitation—but are instead surrounded by safe, caring communities dedicated to wrapping around their present needs and building pathways to success for their future opportunities. 

References 

Bowman, M. E., & Kinnish, K. (2024). Child Welfare and Sex Trafficking: Considering Ecosystems and Intersecting Vulnerabilities. Child Welfare, 102(3), 1–24. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48802640  

Casey Family Programs. (2023). Issue Brief: Strong Families. What impacts placement stability? https://www.casey.org/placement-stability-impacts/  

Finigan-Carr, N.M., Mallon, N., Rubenstein, A., Jin, W., and Shaw, T. (2024). Understanding the Characteristics of Child Victims of Trafficking in Child Welfare and Developing an Innovative Approach for Screening Youth at Risk. Child Welfare, 102 (3), Special Issue: Human Trafficking and Child Welfare, pp. 49-74. Child Welfare League of America. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/48802642 

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). (2024). Our Impact: 2024. https://www.missingkids.org/ourwork/impact 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2025). The AFCARS Dashboard: Preliminary FFY1 2023 Estimates as of May 1, 2025 – No. 31. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb