Why Love146 Helps Families in Crisis Stay Together

Why do many people assume that trafficked youth are not living at home? There are several reasons:

• Many youth who experience trafficking do come from families with a history of child welfare involvement. In fact, 87% of youth referred to Love146’s Survivor Care Program had prior involvement in the child welfare system. However, previous involvement does not mean current involvement or that children have been removed and are living in out-of-home placements.
• Children in foster care or group homes are more vulnerable. Middle-school and high-school-aged youth in the child welfare system face increased vulnerability, which can reinforce the belief that trafficking mainly happens outside of a child’s family home.
• Media portrayals often shape public perception. Films, documentaries, and news stories tend to highlight cases involving kidnapping and dramatic rescues, which can make it seem like trafficking only occurs when a child is taken away from their family.

Beyond public perception, there are also practical reasons why child welfare and trafficking are closely associated. Federal and state laws define child trafficking as a form of child abuse and make child welfare agencies responsible for responding to it. This means these agencies must take mandated reports, and create policies to identify, document, and provide services for children who are at risk of, or have experienced, trafficking. Because of this overlap, anti-trafficking work and the child welfare system are closely interlinked. To keep children safe, responses need to focus on prevention, early intervention, and support for both youth and their families — not just removal after harm has occurred.

Most Families Need Support, Not Separation

Children who have had past involvement with child welfare, especially those who have experienced sexual abuse, face a higher risk of being trafficked. That is why we must collectively work to reduce all forms of child sexual abuse. And for those who have experienced prior sexual victimization, prevention efforts must include giving youth and families clear information about trafficking, healthy relationships, grooming, and practical steps they can take to stay safe — especially as children reach middle and high school age.

For youth who do experience trafficking, early intervention is critical. When it is safe to do so, that support should focus on helping youth within their families. Removing a child from their home is a traumatic experience and should only happen when there is imminent risk of physical harm, abuse, or neglect.

Love146 works with children and their caregivers to understand and address the impact of trafficking, reduce the risk of it happening again, and strengthen relationships both at home and in the community. The goal is to give families the tools and support they need so that children can heal while remaining in their home environment. Sometimes that support means helping parents navigate systems or rebuild trust after a crisis. Other times, it looks like practical care — such as grocery gift cards for a family in financial strain or staff accompanying a caregiver to a school meeting to advocate for their child’s needs. As one parent shared, “I’m so grateful we were connected with you. I know we’re in good hands, and I’m thankful every time you come to our home.”

Some children are trafficked by their own family members, and those cases require immediate action to ensure safety. But not every child who is trafficked while living at home is in that situation. Many cases are more complicated.

Some parents are shocked to learn what their child has been experiencing. Others may suspect something is wrong but avoid asking questions out of fear, shame, or dependence on the money or stability their child’s exploitation brings. In situations like these, families may be benefiting from exploitation in ways that are harmful, but not always with full understanding or intent.

This is why it is essential for child welfare workers to carefully assess each case to understand the family’s level of awareness, involvement, vulnerability, and ability to change. Some situations require removal for safety, and when this happens relatives and kinship placements should always be fully explored to maintain family connections. But if there is not a removal, child welfare with the support of specialized providers such as Love146, can offer stabilizing and supporting services to the family so the child can remain safely at home.

Child welfare professionals need in-depth training on the many ways trafficking can affect families, including familial trafficking, caregiver complicity, and caregiver capacity. When children are not removed, child welfare still plays an important role in connecting youth and their families to services that reduce risk and address exploitation.

Child Safety First, But Family Preservation Whenever Possible

While removing a child from home is sometimes necessary, there are valid concerns about child welfare. Some foster or group placements fail to keep children safe and can even become places where further exploitation or abuse occurs. Financial incentives, bias in removal decisions, and uneven quality of care all raise important questions about oversight and accountability. These problems show why it is critical to reduce unnecessary removals and focus on strengthening and preserving families whenever it is safe to do so. When children cannot safely remain with their families, child welfare becomes responsible for their care, protection, and recovery. This includes meeting the needs of children who have experienced trafficking. 

Risk for Trafficking Within Child Welfare

Children who enter child welfare are often already vulnerable. The same abuse or neglect that led to their removal can also increase their risk of being trafficked. Traffickers sometimes target youth in care by offering attention, affection, or stability that feels missing from their lives.

Placement changes and running away can make that risk even higher. Each time a youth runs away, the chance of running again grows, creating more opportunities for traffickers to exploit them. Because of this, child welfare agencies are now required to screen children who run away for signs of trafficking victimization and to include safety planning and prevention education as part of their care.

Online Safety is Crucial Both at Home and in State Care

We often talk about what parents can do to protect children online. But when a child’s legal guardian is the child welfare system, who takes on that role? Policies about internet access and monitoring vary from place to place, creating confusion about who teaches online safety, who watches for risky behavior, and who responds when something seems wrong.

These gaps can leave youth in state care vulnerable. Traffickers may take advantage of these inconsistencies by offering to buy devices or pay phone bills in exchange for access and control. Without clear oversight or consistent digital safety practices, youth in out-of-home placements can become easy targets for grooming and exploitation.

Child welfare agencies have a responsibility to ensure that children in their custody are safe — including online. Updating digital safety policies and providing consistent education are not optional; they are part of protecting the children already in their care.

Strong Families Help Children Heal and Stay Safe

Preventing child trafficking requires a comprehensive approach that supports youth, strengthens families, and addresses the vulnerabilities that lead to exploitation. Love146’s work demonstrates that when families are given the tools, education, and resources they need, many children can safely remain at home and heal within the care of those they love. Because helping families in crisis stay together safely strengthens what protects children: connection, stability, and real safety from trafficking. It’s a trauma-informed and strategic approach to healing and preventing further exploitation.